Finding the perfect micro wedding venue

Micro weddings are becoming increasingly popular, as more and more couples are opting for smaller gatherings and choosing intimate wedding venues when it comes to their big day.

But what is a micro wedding exactly? It’s usually only 20 – 30 guests. And can often feel more personal and more relaxed than a traditional full-scale wedding.

So if you’re planning a micro wedding, what are those all important factors you need to think about?

Finding wedding venues

A smaller wedding needs a micro wedding venue. Somewhere that still feels special, irrespective of the number of guests you have.

Arches is a fully licensed boutique wedding venue that’s ideal if you’re inviting 30 people. And even if it’s just you and your partner and a handful of attendees, it still feels intimate.

Putting together a guest list

Naturally a micro wedding means a smaller guest list. So between you and your partner, decide on your maximum number of attendees and stick to it.

You may only want to invite your closest friends and family and opt for a party with everyone else at a later date. Or maybe just invite a few of your nearest and dearest for an intimate and unique small wedding ceremony. Explain to the people who aren’t invited that you wanted to have a micro wedding and you want to keep the numbers down. You can always set up a Zoom call and stream the ceremony to those that aren’t there.

Deciding on the running order of the day

Unlike a large, traditional church wedding, where the events of the day are in a particular set order, you have way more flexibility when it comes to organising micro weddings.

With a micro wedding at Arches, you have the venue for a two hour window. So that gives you plenty of time to have a beautiful wedding ceremony, exchange your vows, cut the cake and enjoy a few celebratory glasses of fizz.

But how the rest of your wedding day pans out is completely up to you. You may want to meet up with your family and friends before the ceremony for brunch and then all walk to Arches together. Or straight after the ceremony take a wander along the beach for your photographs. Or head out for a wedding breakfast or dinner at a nearby restaurant. Arches is open from dawn to dusk. So you also have plenty of choice when it comes to timings.

Choosing what to wear

There are absolutely no rules about what to wear when it comes to micro weddings. If you want to go full length in designer embellished lace, go for it. You may also choose to eschew the whole white dress look and choose an oyster, lavender or dusky pink colour instead for your frock. (And those colours would look particularly beautiful against the Arches flower wall.)

The time of day you get married will affect what you wear. For an early morning summer wedding, opt for something long, floaty and relaxed, followed by a barefoot walk along the beach. For an evening wedding, opt for cocktail number and then head out for drinks straight after the ceremony. Whatever you choose, make sure you feel fabulous and comfortable.

Hiring a photographer

If you’ve chosen to have a small wedding, it may be tempting to not book a professional photographer and just ask friends to take a few pictures for you instead. But if you spend your wedding budget on anything, it’s worth spending it on hiring a professional wedding photographer. Arches is a beautiful and photogenic micro wedding venue, with a flower wall, pretty arches and, of course, stunning views of the sea. A pro photographer will capture your wedding day perfectly and give you a set of images you can treasure for ever.

Have a conversation with your photographer beforehand and let them know the running order of your wedding, how many people will be at the venue and what style of wedding photographs you’re after.

Deciding how to celebrate after the ceremony

Once the wedding ceremony is over, you have complete flexibility as to your wedding celebrations. You may just want to have a few drinks in the secret garden next to the venue. Or you may want to take your friends and family off to a high-end restaurant and enjoy a late dinner. A micro wedding is the ideal occasion to have a personalised menu created with you and your partner’s favourite dishes. A leisurely five course meal with your loved ones is the perfect option for foodie couples and an amazing guest experience.

Or you may want to meander down to the harbour and have a picnic with all your loved ones.

Or have a wedding breakfast in a marquee in your garden. Or take you and your guests to the pub for a wedding reception. The choice is yours.

What are the advantages to having a micro wedding?

Enjoy a more relaxed build up

As all couples know, organising a big traditional wedding can be stressful, even with a wedding coordinator on board, with numerous suppliers and guests’ preferences to think about, as well as hundreds of invitations to send out.

Micro weddings on the other hand can be way more relaxing.

There are still things to plan, of course. But it’s much easier to keep on top of everything when you only have to cater for a dozen or so guests.

Spend more time with your guests

Talking of which. How many big weddings have you been to where you literally have five minutes to have a quick chat with the happy couple? By opting for a boutique wedding venue and having fewer guests at your micro wedding, you have the time to speak to every single person there and enjoy the company of all your guests.

Make your wedding budget go further

And with fewer guests at your micro wedding, the costs will naturally go down too. But that does mean you can splash out on other areas of the day that are really important to you, such as dinner at an expensive restaurant with your wedding party, or serving bottles of exceptional British sparkling wine, or wearing a designer outfit or hiring that sought-after wedding photographer.

Personalise the occasion

A smaller, intimate wedding means you can really focus on the details.

That might mean sending out handmade personalised invites. Or giving each guest a carefully chosen memento of the occasion which has particular meaning, or leaving a handwritten note on each place setting at your wedding reception.

Have a shorter lead time

A large, traditional wedding can take months to plan (sometimes years). A micro wedding, with fewer people to cater for, means you can have a shorter lead time when it comes to organising your nuptials. Once you’ve booked Arches for your micro wedding, you need to give notice at your local register office, and it needs to be done at least 28 days before your wedding day. So in theory you could organise your wedding in just a month.

Arches is one of the best micro wedding venues in Devon. Check now for availability.