How To Save Money on Your DC or Baltimore Micro Wedding
It’s no secret that planning a micro wedding saves you money. But if you’re wondering just how much - and how to do it, exactly - especially in and around an expensive city like Washington DC, you’re in the right place.
We’ve broken down some typical costs of micro weddings in DC and Baltimore so instead of spending time on the math, you can focus on making meaningful decisions as a couple for your tiny wedding day in the DMV.
Cost Savings for Your DC and Baltimore Micro Wedding Day
The average cost of a regular sized wedding in Washington DC is upwards of $80,000. This cost far surpasses the national average, which is why so many Washingtonians choose to celebrate their union with a micro wedding. In addition to being more affordable, micro weddings also allow for more unique celebrations. For example, if you’re a foodie and you want to treat your guests to a Michelin star meal, you may not have the money to do that for 150 guests. But 30? That’s doable.
Below I’ve broken down the average cost of the major vendors most couples choose to hire for their wedding that also comes included in our base package. Almost every vendor is going to have a minimum amount they need to make for a couple to book them on a Saturday during high season. Those are the amounts you’ll see below:
Day of Coordinator | $3500Photographer | $5500Florist | $7000Officiant | $750Wedding Cake | $1000
Total = $17,750
Compared to the cost of our all-inclusive micro wedding package, our couples save $12,750. Now of course, a lot of our couples will choose to add on additional time with our coordinator and photographer to cover more of their day but even then, at $750/hour, if the couple added an additional 3 hours that would still only be an additional $2,250 with a savings of $10,500. By bundling all of these vendors together, you avoid the steep minimums of hiring vendors separately, even when deciding to add on additional time.
But what about additional florals?
Our base package includes two personal floral designs. We define personal floral designs as bouquets or boutonnieres. In order to keep things equitable for our clients, we don’t charge more if you order two bouquets - a great perk for our LGBTQ+ couples here in DC and Baltimore who both wish to hold bouquets.
If you decide you’d like to add additional florals, we offer a list of a la carte items like archway installations, ground arrangements for ceremonies, corsages, etc. Here’s a rough estimate of an additional floral order for a 30 person micro wedding:
3 Table Centerpieces | $7502 Corsages | $1302 Additional boutonnieres for wedding party | $502 Additional bouquets for wedding party | $500Custom Floral Arch | $3000Child Posey for Flower Girl | $90
Total = $4,520 (Plus tax + service)
Even with the additional florals, it’s still cheaper than most floral designers’ minimums which are typically upwards of $7000.
Tips for Saving Money On Your DC and Baltimore Micro Wedding
1. Hire a planner or a coordinator that specializes in micro weddings.
A lot of couples make the mistake of thinking they don’t need that type of support because of their guest size, but I’d be willing to argue that the opposite is true. It’s close to impossible to hire vendors on your own willing to ignore their minimums we mentioned above without having a coordinator or planner with those connections.
2. Bundle your vendors.
Tiny Wedding Collective offers a base package that includes a day of coordinator, photographer, florist, officiant, and wedding cake. By booking all of your vendors under one umbrella, you’re able to save money by bypassing those pesky minimums. (We also offer add-ons like Partial and Full Service Planning for those couples who want to be more hands off on their wedding day!)
3. Hire vendors that actually LIKE micro weddings!
Don’t let the money saving fool you! Our vendors are incredibly talented folks that have a passion for smaller, more intimate events. They would rather spend their Saturday in an environment that inspires them; one that is more unique and intimate than one with 100+ people with decor and traditions they’ve seen a million times. Don’t believe us? Check out our team’s work here!
4. Use your coordinator’s connections!
All of our booked couples receive access to our exclusive list of preferred venues and vendors. These are folks who we’ve worked with in the past who enjoy micro weddings and/or have special offerings for micro wedding couples. Included on this list are hair and makeup artists, rental companies, entertainment like live music and DJs, and so much more!
5. Decide on what aspect of your micro wedding is most important to you and spend your money there.
Let go of any expectations your family or friends may have for your wedding so that you’re not needlessly spending on things you don’t care about. We recommend having a conversation with your partner very early on in the planning process where you outline your values and expectations for the day. Use that conversation as a guide map when making all of your wedding-related decisions from budget to design to guest list. Speaking of… need some guidance when it comes to choosing your guest list? We’ve got you covered.
You want the most beautiful micro wedding day here in DC or Baltimore but you don’t want to have to compromise on certain aspects. We get it. We’ll make sure you have access to our proffered vendors for your small, intimate wedding day. We love our DC and Baltimore couples and want this to be a day to remember — contact us today to start planning your micro wedding.
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.