Micro Weddings & Elopements

Micro Weddings & Elopements

 

Bonus: If you have your fur babies attend, they don’t count as guests!

 

Micro Weddings & Elopements

 

I’ve been lucky enough over the last few months to capture 5 beautiful micro weddings & elopements (most being with less than 30 guests attending). New rules are in place, ceremonies are different but what are they actually like? Although yesterday’s announcement is heart breaking for all couples due to get married, I’m hoping this will put some light at the end of the tunnel for you.

 

What is a micro wedding/elopement?

I consider a micro wedding to be within the government guidelines of how many people can attend a wedding. It’s still a wedding day and I treat it just as importantly as all my weddings, no matter how big or small! An elopement is smaller than a micro wedding. You’d probably have a couple of witnesses or around 4 people attend the ceremony.

You’ll still have the moments that each couple experiences, the only difference is there’s less people! You’ll have more time to spend with each other on the day. It won’t be such a blur, where you can’t remember certain parts of the wedding or forget the little details that made it extra special.

As there’ll be reductions on certain parts of the wedding, you might have some room in the budget to buy your dream wedding shoes or book a photographer and videographer to document the precious moments of your intimate wedding.

 

The Experience of a Micro Wedding

 

So, let’s start with the morning of the wedding! You can still get ready with your girls, whether it’s in a cute Air B&B or hotel. Get some music on and pop a bottle of champagne! The first bit of good news is you can still have your hair and make-up done exactly how you want it! You’ll have the beautiful moment of stepping into your dream wedding dress and finally slipping into your bridal shoes. I’ll still be there to capture the details, document those finishing touches to your bridal look and catch the first look of your dad when he sees you for the first time in your wedding dress.

Have you always wanted a beautiful wedding car to take you to your ceremony? You can still have one! There are no restrictions on this.

 

 

The Ceremony

 

Emotions are running high, you feel anxious and nervous but nothing will beat the first reaction when you see your fiancé at the end of the aisle. You can still experience this amazing moment between you! All the worries and nerves will disappear, you’ll just feel pure happiness – this is what it’s all about!

An outdoor ceremony is an option if you don’t want any guests to wear masks. In the UK, you would take a gamble with the weather, but this brings some normality to your intimate ceremony. Alternatively, an indoor ceremony is another option (especially going into the winter months). It’s not ideal having all your guests wearing a face mask while you get married but at least you will be able to tie the knot!

At a couple of micro weddings I have captured some ‘fake’ ceremony photos once the registrars have left. This is so you can have some ceremony images without masks. There may be a limit on the number of people in the room but this is still an option.

The people that mean the most and who are closest to you will still be there to celebrate, to throw the confetti and join you for a glass of champagne. There will be plenty of time to talk to all of your guests as well as having beautiful pictures taken to remember the day.

 

 

The atmosphere of a micro wedding is something I get asked about a lot! If I’m honest, they were all wonderful! Each day was intimate and beautiful. It was just amazing to be a part of! Everyone was happy, the mood was light and joyful – just like a normal wedding day.

A sit-down meal and cake cutting is still possible. This was no different to a normal wedding, there were just less tables and a few less people! You’ve still got the speeches to look forward to and to enjoy an intimate meal with your friends and family on a very special day.

If you’re still looking for a big party, a few of my current clients have also decided to have an official ceremony this year with close friends and family, with a bigger event next year to have a party and vowel renewal. This is another option if you really want to have a big celebration!

 

 

Real Bride Perspective

 

I asked one of my brides to give me her perspective of her wedding day on Saturday 19^th September 2020

“Like many 2020 brides I never imagined I would have the title ‘Covid bride’ when I started planning my wedding. We got engaged in the November of 2018 and picked out the date of April 2020 and it sounded perfect! Then began planning our day at Lulworth Castle for over 100 guests. We had all the bells and whistles planned from fireworks to a big band. Everything was in place and we were so excited weeks before the wedding.

“My advice to all brides is just do it! Whether it’s 6, 15 or 30 guests!”

Then Covid hit and I was in utter disbelief. I couldn’t accept my wedding would be cancelled. Obviously, it was and we pushed it back to December 2020. My emotions were high and the whole family were devastated. We thought at least December was far enough away that all would be well. As the date was getting closer the reality of December going ahead was looking unlikely also, so we made the decision to just do it! 30 guests and elope in the courtyard next to the castle. Not what we planned or dreamed of, but we knew Covid was not going away and we wanted to get married.

 

 

“I had the best day! I wouldn’t change a thing”

 We set the date of the 19th September which was only a few weeks away so it was all systems go. With restrictions changing weekly we then found out the rule of only groups of 6 were allowed but weddings were exempt. This still meant many of our plans around the day had to be changed again!

Despite everything, all the changes and the limited numbers and new guidelines for the receptions I can honestly say hand on my heart I had the best day! I wouldn’t change a thing.

Due to the lower numbers the day was even more special and the love in the room felt so much stronger. We could actually spend time and speak to each and every guest. My advice to all brides is just do it! Whether it’s 6, 15 or 30 guests! The main thing is you get married! You can always have a big party another year with your extended guest list. We plan to throw a party for our 1 year anniversary and I may even wear the dress again!”

 

 

Thank you for taking a moment to read this post!

 

I hope this blog post will put some of your minds at ease. It will all be okay in the end and you’ll still be able to experience the unique moments of a wedding day. If you have any questions about micro weddings or elopements, please do get in touch!

 

 

Thinking of eloping abroad? Take a look at this blog post about Santorini // www.charlottewisephotography.co.uk/santorini-wedding-photographer

 

Micro Weddings & Elopements

www.charlottewisephotography.co.uk/fine-art-wedding-photographer