Written and photographed by Chandee Ulch
Let’s face it—2020 duped all of us. The unexpected seemed to be around every corner. Especially for those who were planning their “Big Day.” Couples either had to postpone their weddings or rethink how it was going to get done. Which is why micro weddings began to trend. For military folks, this has been a long tradition. Micro weddings have been part of the military since service members have been falling in love and marrying before they run off to bootcamp. We understand the importance of saving money, dealing with limited timelines, and struggling with missing family when you say “I do.” But what is the difference between a micro wedding, elopement, and a minimony?
Many couples last year had to postpone their nuptials, leading to what is now called a “minimony.” The Knot defines a minimony as, “a mini ceremony held with your loved ones (usually no more than 10) or simply a moment of commitment shared between yourselves,” although some states won’t recognize it as your official wedding date. This does allow you to “solidify your union (privately) or to honor your first proposed date.” Down the line a sequel wedding typically follows a minimony. This gives you time to continue prepping for the original wedding plans with modifications for the “new norm,” considering all the requirements for social distancing now.
How is a minimony different from eloping? According to The Knot, the traditional definition of an elopement was considered a “spur-of-the-moment and unplanned event involving an element of secrecy.” We have all heard of the oh-so-sweet love stories where a young couple from back in the day wanted to marry and would sneak off to another town and elope. This is still what most of us envision when we hear the word. But recently, the idea has evolved. The Knot says, “There is an increasing desire for couples to personalize every aspect of their lives,” including a mini-planned eloping date. Yet for some couples, eloping feels too small and a minimony isn’t the same thing as the full experience of a wedding—so what can they do?
In 2017, the average cost of a wedding in the United States wavered around $34,000, according to a survey by The Knot. Many of us have watched with a bit of jealousy over the celebrity weddings on television. We dreamed of how we could feel like we were having a big blowout celebration at a more affordable cost. So we say, micro weddings are the way to go.
What is a micro wedding? Simply put, it still features time-honored traditions that make a wedding, but on a much smaller scale. It is an intimate affair, typically with no more than 25 guests, which includes immediate family and your closest friends. It is as memorable as a ballroom blowout bash, just on a petite-scale.
At first you may think this is a bit extreme, but there are some perks to celebrating with a micro wedding. The cost is the major reason couples are turning to this style of weddings. With the average cost of a traditional wedding rising each year, many are deciding they don’t want to drop that kind of dough on one day. But they still want all the pieces and traditions of a classic wedding. Let’s be honest, the bigger the wedding, the more opportunity for decision fatigue. With a smaller guest list, everything becomes easier to manage. Another perk with a micro wedding is you now have the freedom to personalize the experience. After all, it is more manageable to DIY some thank you gifts for 20 people than it is for 200 guests.
A micro wedding opens the door for your imagination to run wild. Your venue can be at the restaurant where you first met, a cozy little park, or a fancy art gallery. You can splurge on your guests with fine dining—go ahead, serve the lobster. Want to spend an extra $2,000 on your dream dress? You can do it now because you are saving in other places. Daydreaming of your favorite photographer coming to the wedding? Buy their airline ticket and get them there. Micro weddings allow you to create a unique experience not just for you and your significant other, but for your guests as well.
To highlight this new trending wedding style, “Moving With The Military” is going to give one special couple the opportunity to say their “I do’s” at a micro wedding destination ceremony. Moving with the Military is a home improvement and lifestyle series honoring those who serve with surprise home makeovers, and for September 2021 they are adding a surprise micro wedding to the list of things they do to celebrate others. If you want more information on how to enter the micro wedding giveaway, check out the link: movingwiththemilitary.tv/micro-wedding-giveaway.
“Moving With The Military” I Do Micro Wedding Contest
movingwiththemilitary.tv/micro-wedding-giveaway.
Enter between: May 1 – June 1 11:59 PM EDT
The application reviews and Zoom interviews will be in July, and “Moving With The Military” and the micro weddings giveaway will be featured on the Today Show!
