This Adorable Event Is Filled With Sweet Ideas for a Micro Wedding Day

What was once a rarity has become a normal occurrence nowadays. Many couples have been uncertain about what to do with their weddings, so smaller events have been on the rise. If an intimate day surrounded by family and friends sounds ideal, these ideas for a micro wedding are perfect.

Virginia Event with Ideas for a Micro Wedding

Sometimes a change of plans isn’t ideal. In years past, couples have dealt with alternate plans due to weather or guest cancellations. However, 2020 and 2021 have given couples more difficulty.

Even when the perfect day is planned, some couples have chosen to press onward by having a micro wedding. And these smaller events are still high on style as you’ll see with this lovely big day.

Inspirational Ideas for a Micro Wedding

If you’re a Virginia bride who loves being creative and is willing to play with her look, there is so much inspiration! From a denim jacket to an adorable hat, this bride—Rachel—has such a fun style.

Rachel is also really sentimental, and she incorporated a few meaningful pieces into her wedding day look. She’s wearing her late grandmother’s pearl necklace as her something old. Her something blue also has a sweet story.

“When a global pandemic forced my hand, I was released of the guilt that I should want a full-blown American wedding. I hope other couples can learn from our experience that a tiny wedding is just as special.”

“The blue heart is costume jewelry that I gave my late grandmother Helen (we called her Mommom) when I was in elementary school,” said Rachel. “It was from my school’s secret Santa shop and is supposed to be like the necklace in the Titanic. I loved the necklace, and my Mommom made a big deal out of it for me.”

Helen passed away when Rachel was in second grade. It was a special touch for her to incorporate the necklace into her look. How sweet! Read on to hear Rachel’s take on her tiny yet beautiful micro wedding day.

Ideas for a Micro Wedding in Virginia

What wedding plans did you have to change?

My fiancé (now husband) and I basically started from scratch. Our guest list for the original wedding was 65 people. We decided in July 2020 to include only immediate family (parents, siblings, grandparents) and Hunter’s best man and his fiancé.

Additionally, we could also afford something more upscale and with less need for DIY decorations with our micro-wedding size. Hotel Weyanoke is in Farmville, where my husband and I went to college, so it still had a lot of sentimental value.

We also decided to cancel the DJ. My dad played his acoustic guitar for my entrance into the ceremony. We played the song for the first dance over the venue’s speakers, then changed to quiet music from a playlist for the remainder of the night. We didn’t have space for dancing anyway, so this felt natural for the space.

Why did you still decide to have your micro wedding?

We had our hearts set on it for several reasons. If having a big wedding was more important to us, we would have postponed it, but it wasn’t really our priority. It didn’t feel as if we were losing too much.

How did your wedding vendors react to the changes?

Our venue and lodging were at Bear Creek Lake State Park. We canceled our reservations with a flat fee of $200 dollars ($100 for cabins and $100 for venue). We felt this was very reasonable, and I like to think of it as a donation to a state park that we love!

Our original caterer was The Fishin’ Pig – an excellent barbeque place on the outskirts of Farmville, VA. They refunded our entire deposit, which is so generous. We did eat there for brunch the day after the wedding.

Canceling ultimately did cost us money. We did lose our full payment for the DJ. We had also sunk some costs into some DIY decorations and bridesmaid dresses that were never worn.

What safety precautions did you take with your wedding?

We quarantined 2 weeks before the wedding and wore masks when we weren’t eating or taking pictures. We purchased matching masks so that any pictures with masks in them would have a sleeker, more cohesive appearance.

Additionally, our venue had a patio, so people dispersed and were able to get some fresh air.

What were the pros and cons of a smaller wedding?

My final guest list (including the Hunter and myself) was 16 people! I absolutely LOVED having this tiny wedding. On the day of my wedding, I felt (mostly) stress-free, and I am 100% certain that would not be the case with 65 guests.

The smaller wedding was MUCH less expensive. Also, my husband and I enjoyed each other and sat down to eat dinner with our family. 

The obvious negative is that we missed our friends and extended family on our big day. We did stream our ceremony, so they were at least able to tune in!

Did you learn anything by having to change your plans?

I wish I had planned this wedding in the first place! I never felt external pressure to have a big wedding that I wasn’t interested in. But I had felt like maybe I would be missing out on something.

When a global pandemic forced my hand, I was released of the guilt that I should want a full-blown American wedding. I hope other couples can learn from our experience that a tiny wedding is just as special.

If you are a bride or groom like me, that struggles to enjoy planning, this is a totally wonderful and affordable option. Weddings don’t need to be stressful!

Beautifully Detailed Ideas for a Micro Wedding

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