What is a micro wedding, we hear you ask? Maybe a guest list in the ballpark of 100-plus isn’t quite your speed, but at the other end of the spectrum, an elopement with just a handful of guests doesn’t quite fit your vision either. A micro wedding, generally between 10 to 40 guests, strikes the perfect balance somewhere in between.
If you ask us, a micro wedding is the ideal choice for couples chasing something intimate that still feels like a party, or a unique, premium experience that’s a little kinder on the purse strings. It’s the sweet spot for anyone dreaming of an intimate wedding without sacrificing the celebration factor.
It’s not just us who think so. These loved-up legends discovered that planning a micro wedding comes with some seriously sweet perks: shorter planning timelines, access to smaller luxury venues, elevated dinner party vibes, and the freedom to funnel your budget into the stuff that matters most to you. The list goes on.
Whether you’re set on a micro wedding, dreaming of a broader intimate wedding, or still weighing up a small wedding against a full-scale affair, there’s a version of this celebration style to suit every couple. For more small wedding and elopement inspiration, you’ll find a bunch of real weddings to explore. But first, insights and inspo from six sweethearts whose micro wedding celebrations were small in size but big in love.
Emma & Chris’ Micro Wedding Brisbane
A petite party means you can fit all your peeps on a yacht, à la Emma and Chris, who describe their Brisbane micro wedding as a “little journey of our favourite things about our favourite city.” With an intimate crowd of just 14 guests, this cool couple chartered a yacht through the river city to their Botanical Gardens ceremony, before celebrations continued at their favourite dinner spot. “Travelling by boat to our ceremony venue from our house was so fun. It made for some dramatic photos as we passed iconic Brisbane locations.”
Photography Katie Harmsworth
Tim & Robert’s Small Wedding Celebration
At Cologne Town Hall, Tim and Robert wed with a civil ceremony. Then, to celebrate the milestone, they hosted an intimate yet epic small wedding celebration in Cape Town, South Africa, a location they describe as a second home. The brief: a multi-day experience somewhere they could share exclusively with their closest family and friends. “Beneath a canopy of stars, the reception unfolded in an intimate setting designed to feel like a warm and welcoming Sunday family meal,” the newlyweds share. “With just 37 guests, it meant everyone could stay on the estate together, creating a sense of closeness that felt almost like a school trip or a campfire retreat.”
Photography Lauren Pretorius
Karlie & Mack’s Micro Wedding Tasmania
“Relaxed, intimate, romantic, grounded in nature and the outdoors” when we think of the quintessential Tassie micro wedding, what springs to mind is something reminiscent of Karlie and Mack’s day (which originally featured in our Real Wedding Special Volume 10). Surrounded by a close knit crowd of two dozen, they were married atop a clifftop before a night of dancing under the stars. “Just do what makes you both happy, it is your wedding day,” shares Karlie and Mack, who told us that a short and sweet guest list was 100 per cent the right choice for them, allowing ample quality time with each guest and, importantly, each other. “We didn’t spend a moment apart on our wedding day, which was perfect.”
Photography Janneke Storm
Bella & Dom’s Small Wedding Reception in Brisbane
After getting hitched at the local registry office, Bella and Dom headed to Fortitude Valley’s sAme sAme restaurant for their small wedding reception, with an intimate gathering of just 28 guests. “We were able to book their open-air private dining room for 28 guests. We chose a set menu and drinks package which made everything so easy to organise.” Impressively, the pair planned their day just three months out and, looking back, they say it all felt true to who they are as a couple, “We wouldn’t have done it any other way.”
Photography Alix Dubois Photography
Abbey & Josh: Small Marriage Ceremony Ideas
On the fence about this whole micro wedding business? Well, rest assured, just because you have a small marriage ceremony doesn’t mean you’re not eligible to back it up with a bigger bash later, gestures to Abbey and Josh. In the NSW town of Berry, they held an oh so romantic micro wedding witnessed by 33 guests. The newlyweds followed it up with a massive pub party with their wider circle the next day. Genius. Looking back, these lovebirds explained that keeping things simple allowed them to avoid stress, stay present, and importantly, allocate the lion’s share of their wedding funds into a two month Euro honeymoon.
Photography: Abby Muendel
Erin and Brendan’s Micro Wedding Sydney
Erin and Brendan wanted an intimate wedding from the get go, and searching small wedding locations was how they found their space, The Opera Circle semi private dining room at Bennelong (within the Sydney Opera House!). The lesson here: micro weddings can unlock some pretty epic small space possibilities. If you’re wondering if a micro wedding is something these newlyweds would recommend, the answer would be 100 per cent. “It really was the most intimate and magical day,” share the duo, who had 28 of their favourite humans there for the lunch time celebration. “We could have in-depth conversations with all the guests, making it feel special not only for them, but for us also.”
Photography Matt Ashton
How to plan a small wedding | Tips, Inspo & Insights
Got a notebook handy? Here’s some takeaways micro wed curious couples might like to consider… Don’t overlook restaurants (and their private dining spaces) in your venue search. While many may not have the square footage for a traditional wedding, your intimate wedding celebration could be right in their wheelhouse.
A small wedding is a surefire way to enjoy meaningful, quality time with each guest, and with each other. It’s an especially appealing option if you’re not keen on being the centre of attention and prefer more of an elevated dinner party or refined family holiday vibe.
We’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating: a micro wedding doesn’t mean you can’t host a larger, more casual celebration later. In our opinion, the more excuses to celebrate, the better.
With fewer moving parts and people to coordinate, small weddings are often more conducive to shorter planning timelines, perfect if you’re eager to walk down the aisle or simply not into a long planning process. Dive into our directory to discover elopement and micro wedding specialist vendors, plus celebrants, planners, venues, photographers and more talented folks who can help bring your day to life.
FAQs about small micro weddings
A micro wedding is an intimate celebration with typically somewhere between 10 and 30 of your favourite humans – bigger than an elopement, smaller than a traditional wedding, and honestly? Kind of the best of both worlds. Think elevated dinner party energy with the people who actually matter.
An elopement is just the two of you (plus maybe a witness or two), while a micro wedding means a small but mighty guest list of your closest crew. Both are incredibly special – it just depends on how many people you want cheering you on!
The beauty of going small is that your budget can go a long way. With fewer guests to host, many couples redirect their funds into the good stuff – a jaw-dropping venue, next-level food and wine, or that extended honeymoon they’ve always dreamed of.
This is where micro weddings really shine. Couples have pulled together the most beautiful days in as little as three months! That said, the really dreamy venues and suppliers do book up fast, so the sooner you start, the better.
One hundred per cent yes! And we absolutely love this move. Have your intimate, magical moment first, then throw a big casual bash with your wider circle down the track. More celebrations = more fun, always.
Honestly, this is where things get exciting. A smaller guest list opens doors to some truly incredible spaces that wouldn’t work for a big traditional wedding – private restaurant dining rooms, boutique estates, clifftops, yachts, and yes, even the Sydney Opera House. Dream big, guest list small!
If you love the idea of meaningful conversations with every single guest, a planning process that doesn’t take over your life, and a day that feels completely, authentically you, then we reckon micro might just be your thing.
Now that you’re thoroughly convinced (we don’t blame you), start building your dream micro wedding team in the Hello May directory, or shop the latest Real Wedding Special Vol 11, which features a host of small wedding celebrations and micro wedding inspiration for your own intimate wedding.
