Are you in the process of planning a micro wedding in NYC? This guide is just for you.
Getting married is one of the most memorable days of your life, and you deserve to feel like every aspect is tailored to your wishes. After all, it's your special day. You are not alone if you opt for a micro wedding rather than a lavish affair. And, frankly, they can be some of the most beautiful celebrations.
The micro wedding in NYC trend has been growing for several years, and it's not hard to see why. The average cost of tying the knot in the Big Apple stands at just under $50,000. Opting for a smaller bash instantly trims thousands of dollars off of the bill. Perhaps more importantly, it means that you can share your day with the people you love in a meaningful way - which many couples find is a far more attractive solution than hovering between hundreds of guests.
Whatever your reasons for wanting a micro wedding in NYC, here's how you can design the wedding of your dreams.
Think About Your Guest List
While building the guest list for your micro wedding in NYC doesn't necessarily have to be the first item on your checklist, it should feature very highly. Whether opting for a small bash for financial reasons or personal preferences, you still want to celebrate your big day with your nearest and dearest. Confirming your guest list ASAP enables you to send out the wedding invites with plenty of notice.
There is no limit to how many people you can invite to a micro wedding, but most couples find that a wedding party of roughly 50 guests is a good ballpark figure. Once you know how many people will be invited will make your options clearer when looking at subsequent features like venues and wedding catering in NYC. This is another reason to complete this step early.
Consider Micro Wedding Venues
When considering wedding venues for your micro wedding in NYC, they will primarily fall into three categories:
Family backyard or private property weddings
Public space weddings
Hired venues for micro weddings
While there are positives to the first two options, many couples opt for the hired wedding venue solution. It removes the threat of damage to your family home or the hassle of seeking permits in public spaces. Besides, hired venues suited to micro weddings will deliver an unrivaled level of charm while also providing glorious backdrops like rooftops to sprinkle an extra layer of magic on your big day. Another option is to hire the venue for 2-3 days for an extended celebration with your closest loved ones.
This guide to NYC's top small wedding venues should inspire you. Alternatively, hundreds of suitable spaces exist if you are prepared to look around. However, micro weddings in NYC are growing in popularity. So, you should book early - especially when you have set dates in mind.
Select Your Wedding Catering NYC Services
Traditionally, wedding catering in NYC will rank a little lower on your list of priorities. When organizing a micro wedding in NYC, however, it is one of the few outside services that will need to be booked. Besides, the wedding meal is a special tradition that is a crucial transition between the ceremony and the fun evening.
While there are several options at your disposal, a great wedding catering solution should:
Provide a universal appeal to impress all guests of all ages
Deliver mouth-watering tasty treats that your guests will love and remember fondly
Provide a convenient solution when the venue's kitchen options are limited
Aqua e Grano offers a range of specialized wedding packages that can be fully tailored to your preferences. Our wedding catering NYC menu includes pizzas and fresh salads, antipasto, and a range of Italian bread, cheese boards, and delicious desserts. From formal seated meals to buffet-style wedding meals, our beautiful banquets deliver a slice of Italy's finest dining experiences.
Find A Wedding Photographer & Videographer
Choosing a smaller wedding celebration often feels more intimate and romantic, not least because each guest is valued. The right wedding photographer will capture those magical moments to deliver truly magical images of your big day. From showcasing your venue and the stunning skylines of New York in style to celebrate the magical moments shared between the newlyweds, a top photographer will provide the greatest gift of the entire day.
Just because you are having a micro wedding in NYC, it needn't feel understated. You can also hire a small wedding videographer production company to create a DVD of your big day. It is something that you will treasure forever. Besides, the costs will have been covered by some unnecessary expenses avoided by choosing a micro wedding. Perfect.
While you may be tempted to take on the process yourself, you should remember that only 4% of a wedding photographer's time is spent taking photos. So, if you want high-quality products, it is worth hiring a professional.
Deciding On The Ceremony Style
The perfect wedding day should reflect what the happy couple wants. Outside opinions aren't overly relevant. One of the big decisions you'll need to make will relate to the type of ceremony. The main options are:
A simple registry office ceremony
Traditionally religious ceremonies
Somewhere between the two
Over one-in-three marriages is an interfaith connection. Most couples in this category will look to implement elements of each culture into their big day, highlighting the beautiful nature of their love. Micro weddings provide the perfect opportunity to do this in a truly remarkable way, not least because every element can be tailored to your tastes.
With the rule book thrown out, you can consider ideas like having a pre-ceremony breakfast with your guests. This is a day for celebrating your love with the best people in your life. Do it the way that feels most natural to you.
Choosing Your Outfits
One of the many benefits of a micro wedding is that the rule book is out the window. So, if you want to ditch the traditional white dress and classic groom's suit, you can. Not only does this open up your options. Crucially, it allows you to find something comfortable while simultaneously working with your natural features, body image, and personal tastes.
This guide to alternative wedding dresses shows that brides can look incredible in outfits of many different colors, lengths, and materials. Meanwhile, grooms may find that suit shorts are a better option for a summertime wedding. The knowledge that a suit doesn't have to match a white wedding dress can create new possibilities while also making coordination with the best men (if you have them) a little easier.
Making It Truly Personal
Whether scheduling or decorating the venue, a micro wedding in NYC gives you an unrivaled opportunity to make the special day truly unique. The only limit to what you can achieve is your imagination. There's no need to worry about expensive flower arrangements if neither of you cares for them. Likewise, you can lose the horse and carriage entrance if it's not wanted. Some examples of what you could do include:
Trading the wedding cake for a donut stand or a treat you like
Having a dedicated moment in the speeches to remember lost loved ones
Giving guests a personal gift is far easier when you have a small guest list
You can also incorporate ideas like having a helicopter tour of your venue and the city. It can be an entertaining idea when holding a two-day event with a small group. Whether you've always had a vision of what would make your wedding extra special, this is the chance to do it. Alternatively, you could incorporate a bucket list item - as long as it's not too crazy.
Think About Your Entertainment
When organizing a large wedding, most of your budget is spent on the venue and wedding catering. A micro wedding in NYC enables you to save money on those features and many others, which allows you to spend more on the elements that will truly make the memories of your big day last a lifetime. You're probably not going to hire Drake as your wedding singer, but there's nothing to stop you from hiring one of New York's top wedding bands for your first dance.
Dancers or other performers can further support the following evening of entertainment. Meanwhile, you can use different items like arcade games or photo booths to make it the celebration you've always wanted. Better still, sharing the moments with a smaller group means enjoying meaningful moments with those people.
The Final Word
When organizing your micro wedding in NYC, there is always the option to hire a wedding planner. However, the great thing about smaller events is that you don't need to. From the wedding catering NYC services to selecting your outfits, you can coordinate every decision more efficiently than with a traditional large wedding. When combined with the reduced pressures, not least financially, it makes total sense to choose this style of wedding for 2023.
Get in touch today to learn more about how Aqua e Grano can cater to your needs on the big day.
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