Micro Weddings vs Traditional Weddings: How Much Can You Actually Save?

Grace Criss

Aug 16

2 min read

Micro Weddings vs Traditional Weddings: How Much Can You Actually Save?

If wedding prices are making your eyes water, there’s one incredibly effective way to bring the budget down:

Invite fewer people.

We know. Revolutionary.

But choosing a micro wedding over a traditional big wedding can save thousands — without necessarily sacrificing any of the things you actually care about.

What Counts as a Micro Wedding?

There’s no official rule, but generally we’re talking about an intimate wedding of around 10–50 guests.

It’s still a real wedding. You can have the dress, ceremony, flowers, photographer, cake and reception.

There are just fewer people there.

Where Do You Save?

Food and drinks are the obvious ones.

If catering costs $150 per person, cutting your guest list from 100 to 40 saves $9,000 on catering alone.

Then there are fewer tables, chairs, invitations, favours and place settings.

You may also be able to choose a smaller venue — or somewhere that wouldn’t normally work for a 100-person wedding.

Photography Can Be Cheaper Too

A traditional wedding might include getting ready, ceremony, portraits, reception, speeches and dancing across eight or more hours.

A micro wedding can be much simpler.

For some couples, two hours is genuinely enough time to photograph the ceremony, family photos, wedding party and beautiful couples portraits.

What DON’T You Have to Sacrifice?

This is the important part.

A smaller wedding doesn’t mean you need to give up:

the wedding dress
beautiful photography
gorgeous flowers
an incredible meal
your dream location
celebrating with the people you love

In fact, having fewer guests can mean you have more budget available for the things you genuinely care about.

Is a Micro Wedding Right for You?

If the thought of cutting your guest list fills you with horror, probably not.

But if you’re inviting your mum’s work friend because she invited your parents to her daughter’s wedding in 2007…

Maybe it’s time to reconsider.

Your wedding doesn’t need to be enormous to be incredible.

Sometimes, keeping it small lets you spend less, stress less and actually spend your wedding day with the people who matter most.