What Is a Micro Wedding vs. Pop Up Wedding vs. Minimony vs. Elopement?
At Wedfuly, we eat, sleep and breathe weddings--just ask any coordinator and they will tell you that’s the truth. That being said, we know the “lingo” that goes along with weddings can be, well---confusing. In this article, we will break down the main differences between a microwedding, pop up wedding, minimony and an elopement. Hopefully this allows you to decide which format best fits your wedding day needs! **The good news is, Wedfuly can help with ALL of these types of weddings.
Micro wedding (AKA Hybrid wedding)
A micro wedding is essentially what it sounds like: a very small, intimate wedding. The key components that make up a good micro wedding are:
Between 10-50 guests. Close friends and family make up the guest list.
Small scale weddings that focuses on “high end details”. Think: delicious sit down dinner, craft cocktails or “splurge” location. The fact that the guest list is so small allows for a bit more wiggle room in the budget.
Traditional ceremony + reception format.
#1 reason to consider a micro wedding: the intimacy of a small wedding + the details of your dreams.
Michelle and Ryan’s micro wedding was filled with beautiful details such as sunflowers and this delicious cake.
Pop Up Wedding
Pop up weddings can have several different meanings, with slightly different nuances to them. However, pop up weddings generally include an aspect of spontaneity and whimsy to them. Overall pop up weddings have:
A fairly short turnaround time. Since there aren’t tons of details to plan, pop ups are great if you want to plan a wedding in a short amount of time.
A creative + fun location. Some couples have chosen spots like their favorite coffee shop. Others opt for a bridge looking over a beautiful part of the city.
Short ceremony with a small number of attendees.
Creativity! Given the fact that pop-up ceremonies are generally short and don’t include a reception...this allows for flexibility! You can marry at your favorite coffee shop in the morning and then spend the rest of the day exploring the city with your new boo! Or you can have an evening ceremony with a dinner on your favorite patio afterwards!
Companies that can help with Pop Up Weddings
Pre-planned pop up wedding packages. Companies like Pop! Wed Co offer packages that start at $2,900. These packages include a pop up legal wedding ceremony, 15 guests, photography of the ceremony, posed portraits, a custom designed photo album and wedding treats.
Another company called Pop the Knot, offers specific packages that you can choose from. Packages range from “The Brewery: say your ‘I-Dos’ under exposed beams and cafe lighting and then enjoy unlimited beer” ...to “The Atlanta Fairytale: get married in a beautiful chapel overlooking a forest”.
#1 reason to consider a pop up wedding: the ease + simplicity of having the majority of the wedding planned for you! All you need to do is show up and get married!
Minimony
Minimonies are very timely given the world we are living in right now. As many couples had full sized weddings planned before COVID hit, they are opting for a minimony to serve as a placeholder for their actual wedding. Listed below are the key components for a successful minimony.
Intimate ceremony with immediate family + loved ones.
Often serves as a placeholder commitment ceremony for couples that want to honor their original wedding date and get married legally. They will often then have a sequel wedding planned for the future when the pandemic is under control.
Involves select vendors on a smaller scale. For example, one might opt for a small wedding cake baked from your chef or enlisting your florist to create a smaller bridal bouquet.
Including a select experience such as a first dance on your back patio or a cake cutting of your mini wedding cake or cupcakes.
#1 reason to consider a minimony: if you are planning on keeping your original wedding plans (large guest list + venue) until the time it is safe to gather with large crowds, a minimony could be a great way to get married now and then PARTY later!
With a view like this, who wouldn’t want to get married on their rooftop?
Elopement
The term “elopement” has definitely evolved and changed over the years--as the wedding industry has evolved too. While this term used to carry with it feelings of spontaneity (think Vegas style wedding) now couples often have more intentionality surrounding an elopement. Below are some specifics that most elopements generally include:
Generally just the couple + officiant (potentially a witness if necessary)
A beautiful destination or backdrop. Think: sandy beaches of Hawaii or the rolling hills of a vineyard in California. Given the simplicity of an elopement it can take place almost anywhere you dream of!
Select vendors participating in your elopement, such as a florist and a photographer. Given the fact that your friends + family most likely won’t be witnessing your vows, it is especially important to include a solid photographer to capture those special moments.
Companies like Simply Eloped offer packages that offer help with vendors + details + destinations.
No matter which specific type of wedding you opt for, Wedfuly would love to help with your big day. We believe that it is time to disrupt the traditional wedding industry and create weddings that reflect the individuality of each specific couple. Microweddings, pop ups, minimonies and elopements all lend themselves to adding a virtual component to them by nature. Let’s say you decide to have a pop up wedding and only are able to include a few immediate family members and 1-2 friends, but you want others to be able to participate virtually. By adding a virtual component, you are able to increase your guest list greatly--all the while staying safe and low on cost. This way you will also be able to have a complete video recording of all the special moments of your day..and what bride doesn’t want to relive that??
