Three Things to Consider Before Choosing Your Micro Wedding Venue
Feeling stuck on where to have your DC or Baltimore micro wedding? We think there are three major things to consider before making this choice: the guest list, your budget, and overall vision/style. Let us help you walk through each with lots of helpful tips - and even a fun quiz - to help you make your decision!
Now, when you ask “What should I consider when choosing a wedding venue?” You’ll have a clear idea!
The Guest List For Your Micro Wedding
Before deciding on a venue, you’ll want to start the planning process by coming up with your guest list to ensure the space you choose is the appropriate size. Maybe it’s just the two of you and your immediate families or maybe you’ve decided to include some close friends and coworkers, too. The average micro wedding in Washington DC and small, intimate wedding in Baltimore is about 30 guests, but we’ve worked with couples with guest lists of upwards of 50 or none at all! Don’t worry if before this you asked yourself, “How do I decide who to invite to my micro wedding?” We get it, it’s hard but we have some solutions below!
If you’re having the ceremony and reception at the same location, you’ll want to be sure the venue you choose has enough space for both without your guests having to stand around awkwardly while the room is being flipped for the reception. Having a space big enough where both the ceremony and reception can take place or having an additional flex space for a cocktail hour is key for a fluid, flawless micro wedding.
Having trouble coming up with your guest list? Read our post on creating a guest list where we interview wedding etiquette professional, Christina Peterson, of Registry Finder who shares how to confidently put together a list that compliments your budget!
The Budget + Style of Your Tiny Wedding Ceremony
Once you know how many people you’ll be inviting, it’s time to decide on your micro wedding budget which depends heavily on your style and overall vision. We’ve had couples throw a backyard BBQ at a DC Airbnb with an ice cream truck, couples who share a three-course meal with their guests at a restaurant downtown, and everything in between.
A Michelin-star restaurant is going to cost more than, say, a pizza truck but neither is considered “better” than the other!
Typically, the more traditional you lean, the more expensive the micro wedding but if you’re willing to get creative (and cut down your guest list) you can you’ll be able to save more money. For a traditional three-course sit-down meal at a wedding venue, we recommend budgeting around $200 per person. For something a little more casual, like a restaurant, a little less. For something totally laid back like a BBQ or a pizza party, a whole lot less.
Once you determine your overall budget and style, you can get into the nitty gritty style-wise. Are you looking for something rustic and outdoorsy? Whimsical and floral? Buttoned up and traditional?
If you’re not sure, we recommend taking our Style Quiz to help determine what kind of DC or Baltimore micro wedding suits your vision best! Not only will the quiz match you with a wedding day style but it’ll also share a list of venues that match! From breweries to restaurants to cocktail bars, the list has it ALL!
PS. Need a little more ideas about decorations? Here are some of our favorite decorating ideas for your DC and Baltimore small, intimate wedding ceremony and reception!
Sound like we are a great fit to work together to bring your dream micro wedding day to life here in DC and Baltimore? That’s wonderful! Learn quickly about why hiring a micro wedding coordinator can save you time and money so you can enjoy your day and focus on what matters — each other!
The Tiny Wedding Collective is a Washington DC-based all-inclusive elopement and intimate wedding planning service for DC and Baltimore, Maryland. A Tiny Wedding is for couples who want to celebrate their commitment in a thoughtful, stylish way but don’t want the stress and fanfare of a big, expensive wedding. Not all couples fit inside the same traditional box and it’s time that we make space for inclusivity, diversity, and creativity. To find out more about what it’s like to work with us, please fill out our contact form here.