Throwing a wedding can be exhausting in many ways. However, many people do not mind as they just want their big day to be exactly how they have always hoped it would be.
So what do you do if your dream wedding costs way above your cost? Have a minimony or a micro wedding!
The Surge in Prices of Weddings
There is a current surge in the prices of weddings, and those who are looking to marry are not happy about it. A rise in the cost of items automatically means an increase in the cost of weddings and couples’ budgets.
Thanks to the high rates of inflation that have continued to rise, it is hard for many people to achieve their dream wedding without breaking the bank, borrowing money, or falling into debt.
Throwing a Wedding Has Never Been Cheap
Allison Cullman, a wedding expert and the vice president of brand marketing and strategy at Zola, an online wedding marketplace, once said, “Put simply, weddings are expensive.”On average, people need thousands of dollars to bring their dream day to life.
According to The Knot 2023 Real Weddings Study, the total cost of a wedding ceremony in 2022 with a reception afterward was $30,000. However, this price increased to $35,000 in 2023, thanks to constant inflation of items.
What Is a Minimony or a Micro Wedding?
Understandably, not everyone can afford such high wedding costs. So, people have found a way to have their weddings without breaking the bank. They now have a ‘minimony’ or a ‘micro wedding.’
A micro wedding is cost-effective, with only about 50 guests in attendance. A minimony is even smaller than a micro wedding, and it usually has just 10 people in attendance, according to The Knot.
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Vanessa Acosta’s Big Day
In 2023, Vanessa Acosta and Sam Roberts were engaged couples eager to get married in front of over 100 guests. They had found their dream venue and would have a huge black-tie wedding with lots of glamour.
However, the high cost of their proposed wedding made them rethink. According to their estimates, in 2023, the wedding in Pasadena, California, would have cost about $75,000 with a guest list of 150 people invited.
The Many Cuts
After seeing the high estimated price, Acosta and her now-husband decided to reconsider spending that amount on a single day. The 35-year-old bride said, “We don’t need to do this big thing where we’re going to put ourselves out financially.” Therefore, they started to make substantial budget costs that saved them $72,000!
They spent only $3,000 on their wedding, as they reduced their guestlist to 54 of their closest families, made their clothes and decorations through DIY and thrifting, and held the ceremony in their backyard.
Why Do People Like Micro Weddings?
It is easy to see why microweddings are becoming very popular among people. Acosta and her husband tied the knot on May 25th and noted that reducing their budget and having a micro wedding made the event “much more manageable.”
They saved tens of thousands of dollars and still had a beautiful ceremony. There was more than enough food to go around, and they did not have to borrow money or go into debt to have a beautiful ceremony.
Downsizing Weddings
Weddings are usually filled with hundreds of people, and some guests bring a plus one. Therefore, many couples do not recognize or know many of the people who come with their invited guests.
As inflation has made weddings extraordinarily expensive, couples do not want to spend more than necessary. So, downsizing a wedding includes reducing the number of people on the guest list, the venue, the food, the budget, and so much more.
Micro weddings, a Growing Trend
Experts have noticed a growing trend among weddings in the past few years. Shane McMurray, CEO and co-founder of The Wedding Report, confirmed this to CNBC while speaking on the research company’s data. In 2006, the average wedding guestlist had 184 people on it.
This number reduced to 107 in 2020, rose to 124 in 2021, and has decreased ever since, thanks to the high cost of weddings today. Microweddings and minimonies are now happening more often.
The Lowest Numbers Recorded in 2020
The record-low number reported for 2020 was 107 guests, the lowest average ever recorded. This was because the COVID-19 pandemic restricted the number of people who could attend certain gatherings.
People could not move around so freely or travel to attend weddings, limiting the guests to those who wanted to get married during that year. While it is still not so high in 2024, it has increased beyond 107 guests.
The Number 1 Way To Save Money
According to McMurray, “The number one way to save money on your wedding is to cut the guest count.” Reducing your guest count automatically reduces your wedding budget. Meals, seats, invitations, souvenirs, and more depending on the number of guests attending, and a reduction will automatically save you money.
Acosta and her husband were going to spend 13,500 on meals for 150 guests but ended up spending only $640 for a taco stand that catered to their 54 guests. That is over $12,000 saved!
Cut Cost With Budgeting
Budgeting is another efficient way of saving costs for weddings. Acosta was going to spend $90 per guest on food alone but thought about cutting this budget significantly. She said, “Ninety times 150 people. It was a drastic change to go from that to a taco stand that could feed every single one, and there was still food left over.”
It was also way above their new $3,000 budget and needed to be cut down immediately. Therefore, removing some extravagant or unnecessary expenses will help you save a lot of money.
Thrifting Is Your Friend
Another smart thing that Acosta and Roberts did was thrifting. With a new budget of $3,000, they decided to get creative with DIY projects and thrifting. “We DIY’ed and thrifted everything,” the newly-wed said.
“We thrifted my husband’s shirt. He used his really nice dress shoes he already owned. I made my dress, and I thrifted the fabrics; I made my veil.” This way, they save a lot of money and are happier for it. If you want to save money for your big day, take note of these important tips.
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