How We Saved Thousands Having a Micro Wedding
When I was younger, I always imagined my wedding as a grand affair—probably because I’m Irish, and big weddings are kind of a tradition. I pictured the whole shebang: hundreds of guests, a massive venue, and a celebration that would last for days. But that all changed during the pandemic. It shifted my priorities in ways I never saw coming. Suddenly, the idea of a lavish celebration felt less appealing. I started to see the stress and financial burden it placed on my friends and family, especially those who had weddings with 300+ guests. I realized that weddings should be about the union of two people, not about impressing anyone. So, we made the bold decision to have a micro wedding—and we planned it in just two months.
Choosing the Wedding Date
Since we wanted to get married quickly, we knew a weekend wedding was out of the question—thankfully, that wasn’t a problem for us. We settled on a Wednesday at midday. With only 10 of us, finding a time that worked for everyone was thankfully easy. The timing worked perfectly, and it felt just right.
The Ceremony
For the ceremony, we opted for a civil ceremony in a stunning mahogany-clad room in a historical Bristol building. The venue and officiant, cost us just over £800 (around $1,000). It was simple, yet magical—the intimacy of it all made it feel so special. When we decided to go micro, one of our top priorities was ensuring that the ceremony would feel personal and heartfelt.
Photography
We were lucky enough to find a fantastic photographer on Instagram. He usually worked with couples for full-day packages, but we only needed him for 3 hours to capture the ceremony and a few moments afterward. This cost us £600, but the experience was totally worth it. The next morning, he had the photos ready for us to share with the family—we all gathered around the TV screen to relive the moments. It was perfect.
The Reception
For our teeny, tiny reception, we reserved a private room at a really lovely local restaurant. The space was perfect for the 10 of us, with a large table to sit and enjoy our meal. We ate, drank, and had a really enjoyable time. There were no speeches—just laughter and fun. My sister brought her Instax and a 90s Olympus film camera to document the dinner. It was relaxed, laid-back, and exactly what we envisioned.
Wedding Rings
I have to admit—I was more excited about my engagement ring than my wedding band (I know, I’m terrible!). But when it came to the wedding bands, we decided to keep it much simpler. I found a dainty sterling silver wedding band on Etsy for just £16. Four years later, it’s still going strong. My husband, however, wanted something a little fancier, so he opted for a beautiful wedding band from an Etsy creator in the U.S., which cost around £400. We did spend more on the engagement ring, but the wedding bands were a much simpler choice for us.
Wedding Attire
My husband, being a bit last-minute, bought his suit the day before the wedding (I definitely don’t recommend this, by the way!). He went for a high-street, off-the-rack suit that looked incredible, spending around £300. He added shoes, a tie, and a pocket square, bringing his total closer to £500. Ironically, he ended up spending more on his wedding outfit than I did! I wore an ivory slip dress from All Saints called the Hadley, which cost £120. Since it was November, I paired it with a Reiss ivory tailored blazer (£90) for a bit of Bianca Jagger vibes. My shoes were a pair of Sophia Webster heels I found on eBay for £150—still obsessed with them.
Hair & Makeup
We decided to skip the professional hair and makeup route—not so much for budget reasons, but because I wasn’t keen on the extra fuss. I really wanted the morning to be calm, with just family around. So, my sister, mom, and I took matters into our own hands. I spent some time practicing with YouTube tutorials leading up to the big day, and I was really happy with how it turned out. Not only did we save a few hundred pounds, but it also made the whole experience feel a lot more personal.
Wedding Flowers
We kept things simple and elegant by visiting a local florist and requesting two bouquets—one for me and one for my sister—along with corsages for the mothers and boutonnieres for the groomsmen. The total cost? Just £150. Everything was fresh, beautiful, and delivered that morning, making the whole process pretty stress-free.
Transport
Since we lived just 5 minutes away from the ceremony venue, we decided to walk there with our family. The walk was documented by the photographer, and it turned out to be some of my favorite photos from the day. We even stopped along the way to take a few more, which was lovely. Afterward, we all Ubered to the restaurant.
The Cake
For our cake, we found a local bakery that made the most delicious rich chocolate creation for £75. It was gorgeous. I bought a custom cake topper from Etsy (£15) with our names of it.
The Magic of a Micro Wedding
When it comes down to it, a micro wedding is all about keeping what matters most and letting go of the stress. For us, it was a perfect balance of intimacy, fun, and simplicity. We spent just under £4000 ($5,050) on our wedding, which was a fraction of what many people pay for larger weddings. But we felt that we didn’t sacrifice any of the joy or magic.
If you’re considering a micro wedding, don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. It’s truly one of the best decisions we’ve made. You can still have an unforgettable, meaningful day—without the pressure of doing it all “the traditional way.” Go small, go intimate, and most of all, go for what feels right for you.