How to budget your micro wedding?
Micro weddings seem light, easygoing, and spontaneous. An effortless affair… Many brides opt for this wedding format to save on expenses and to make things easier for everyone. Is that true though???
When it comes to logistics micro weddings may be deceiving. Yes, they do seem small, but now when you look at the details… Indeed when you start putting your small event together, the budget might get out of control fast.
Why does it happen? Very simple! Although the number of guests at a micro wedding is smaller and the itinerary seems to be simpler, some of the key elements might still be pricey. Standing on a beach and holding hands with your love, might add up to thousands…
That is why it is important to keep an eye on planning and carefully check the terms and conditions that come with everything. Compare and ask questions about taxes, delivery, timeframes, custom order fees, and special fees.
What are the key micro wedding budget items?
Once you start planning it may be overwhelming! With so many things to consider, there are so many options and it is hard to figure out the budget until you put in dozens of calls.
What are the key micro wedding budget items?
Here are some of the key items to think of:
Wedding design:
- Wedding gown, jewellery, shoes
- Bridesmaids’ dresses
- Bridal party hair and makeup
- Bride and wedding party florals
- Wedding stationery
- Wedding decor (floral, balloons, backdrops, centerpieces, signs)
- Wedding cake
- Rentals needed (tables, chairs, etc)
Logistics:
- Wedding ceremony venue (location)
- Wedding officiant
- Transportation
- Wedding reception venue (if different from ceremony) & dinner
Vendors:
- Photography/Videography
- DJ
- Catering/servers
- Day of coordinator
As you compare and evaluate prices it is important to understand that a wide price range may account for different quality and services that go along with it.
For example, you can arrange to pick up decor yourself to save a hundred dollars, but you might need a specialized vehicle, you will actually need a person who you can entrust with it, and setting things up might prove to be challenging within a short time frame.
A range in pricing on floral decor may mean the whole world of difference – live flowers or dried/artificial? Are you looking for specific flowers and colors or open to what is seasonally available or more common?
Comprehensive packages help to save
Some of the vendors may offer comprehensive packages – such as decor including florals, backgrounds, and welcome signs, or floral decor only?
While when your vendor specializes only in floral decor, you might get a high-end sophisticated design, having a wider range of services, may look lovely and will take extra hassles out of your special day. The benefit of comprehensive packages is that it is easier when it comes to logistics.
At our Orchid Event Venue, we developed special packages for those who want to have most of the headaches taken care of. You enter the venue that is fully ready for your special day.
DIY Wedding decor solutions
While planning out your wedding you probably looked through so many wedding decor pictures that you might feel like it is easy to do many things entirely yourself. How hard can it be to order eucalyptus garlands and run them over burlap table runners for rustic decor? Seems easy when you look at the picture. But behind it there are hours shopping for materials, cutting and prepping, and putting it together on the day of.
Dressed in a beautiful white gown do you really want to climb ladders and move tables and chairs? As easy as it sounds there is often many more hidden secrets, tricks, and hassles that are better left in the hands of professionals.
Get your friends' support
With the costs adding up so quickly a lot of brides are turning to their family and friends’ support. Of course, we all have busy lives, but enlist your friends to help you coordinate things, help with decor, pick up the cake, or drive you around. It makes it fun and extra special. It also gives you some quality time together before you get busy with your married life.
Traditionally bridesmaids’ dresses were provided by the bride, but with the micro wedding, less formal in nature, you may ask to wear specific colors.
When asking for help try to be realistic and ask your friends to help with what they are great at. If you feel like it may be a burden, it is better to hire a professional for the role, than to lose a friend.
Day of coordinator for a micro wedding
Depending on the itinerary you might consider hiring a Day-Of Coordinator. While wedding planets for the micro wedding might be a bit too much, the Day of Coordinator could be all you needed.
The miracle worker will make sure everything runs smoothly on your special day. You and your family are not distracted with details, let alone forgetting something – like picking up the cake…
Even a micro wedding has a lot of details that are not to be overlooked, and a myriad of phone calls and text messages, coordinating decor and catering, and power supply are not the things you want to dedicate your special day to.
We have welcomed dozens of happy couples at our Orchid Event Venue and each wedding was special. No matter how elaborate or how intimate you want your wedding we will do anything possible to make your day extra special.
