Your Ultimate Guide to Having an Intimate Micro Wedding in NYC is for anyone considering a smaller and more intimate event without sacrificing any wedding must-haves that can make your day exactly what you’ve always dreamed it would be.
In a world that values extravagance, sometimes less can be more. And that’s true when it comes to weddings, too! More often, couples cut back on extensive guest lists to splurge on other priorities and indulgences that can make a wedding even more meaningful. Micro Weddings in NYC are more popular now than ever and for various reasons.
What is a Micro Wedding?
A Micro Wedding is a cross between a big traditional wedding and an elopement; it is still a fun celebration, typically with a ceremony and a reception, but with a smaller guest list that usually averages around 50 people. A smaller event typically allows couples to focus more on the details and spend their budget on priorities other than feeding and entertaining a large group of people.
With a smaller guest list, you can splurge on other luxuries like a designer wedding dress or a destination wedding! That said, a Micro Wedding can still be a great way to slim down your budget and save for other big expenses like a honeymoon or a downpayment on a house.
While Micro Weddings have always existed, they surged in popularity due to Covid-19. Rather than continuously postponing larger weddings that needed to be canceled or rescheduled because of the pandemic, some couples began hosting Micro Weddings to gather safely in more intimate groups, limiting potential exposures to Covid.
Several interpretations of weddings gained popularity because of the pandemic, including Minimonies and elopements. But what’s the difference between the three?
The Different Types of Weddings
An elopement is usually a more spontaneous event, sometimes secretive, and typically just includes the two people getting married and an officiant. Sometimes there are immediate family members or parents invited. Still, the occasion is really about the couple committing to spend the rest of their lives together. There may be a private dinner or a romantic getaway afterward to celebrate, but typically there isn’t a party or event in honor of the couple.
A minimony is a brief ceremony where a couple gets married, typically on their own or with a very small group of loved ones at their side, and intended to be followed by a large celebration at a later date. Minimonies became popular during Covid because they allowed couples to still legally get married while protecting their guests until it was safe to celebrate together.
Minimonies are still around today, though; while Covid distancing restrictions have been dropped, a Minimony can still be a meaningful and intimate way to tie the knot without sacrificing the fun of a big party. And a Minimony doesn’t have to be boring by any means – you can still have a destination Minimony in the mountains or on a tropical beach somewhere and then gather your friends and family back home to celebrate you and your partner.
And then there’s micro weddings, which can have all the glamor and grandeur of a big wedding, just with a far more intimate guest list.
The Mindset of the Micro Wedding
Micro Weddings are a mindset; they are all about gathering intimately with your favorite people and celebrating the most important day in your life. They also allow you to spend time with the people you’ve invited rather than feeling lost in a sea of quick greetings and hugs. So don’t feel pressured to invite anyone you don’t want on this important day.
If they don’t serve your love story and you wouldn’t want to share your wedding day with them, don’t invite them! A Micro Wedding (and all weddings) should be about you and your partner – even if that means there are fewer people around to share it!
Where Can You Have Your Event?
New York City is a fantastic place to host a Micro Wedding! A large guest list can often limit venue availability, but a smaller Micro Wedding can often fit in private dining rooms of incredible restaurants, estate parlor rooms, and so much more.
Here are a few of my favorite options for hosting a Micro Wedding in NYC:
74 Wythe in Williamsburg has several spaces available for hosting events. While they can accommodate large numbers, their spaces make an impact even with a smaller guest list. You will likely immediately fall in love with The Roof, which has stylish furniture and breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline. Or picture yourself surrounded by your closest friends and family in their upscale bar JBird Cocktails, with moody colors and dramatic light fixtures. It’s chic, contemporary, and urban – perfect for a couple looking for something sleek and romantic.
The Box House Hotel is a boutique hotel offering an authentic Brooklyn experience and the feel of home only minutes from Midtown Manhattan. Their four event spaces include The Rooftop, with a retractable roof and 10,000 square feet of unobstructed panoramic views of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Long Island City. Plus, it’s fully heated and air-conditioned, so it’s comfortable all year round, rain or shine. The Penthouse is also available for intimate dinner parties, and its in-house restaurant, Brooklyn Lantern, specializes in creative American cuisine and specialty cocktails.
More Indoor/Outdoor Locations
If you’re more into the outdoor garden aesthetic than a city skyline vibe, Brooklyn Botanical Garden is an urban oasis away from the cement hustle of Manhattan. Enjoy a luxurious, refreshing private, intimate reception in The Palm House with exquisite glass walls and a white framework. Or perhaps The Atrium with floor-to-ceiling glass walls looking out onto the BBG’s Cherry Esplanade is more your vision. Regardless, you’ll have greenery and florals that make BBG a true escape from the city.
Sunday in Brooklyn is a phenomenal neighborhood spot serving American favorites that is perfect for an intimate private dining experience, complete with cocktails on the rooftop garden. Their aesthetic is warm and welcoming, and you and your guests can enjoy a seasonal wood-fired family-style meal, natural wines, and unique craft cocktails while enjoying some of the best upscale, comfortable neighborhood vibes that Brooklyn offers.
Why Should You Hire a Photographer for Your Micro Wedding?
Regardless of how many people attend your wedding, you’ll still want to capture every intimate detail of your spectacular wedding day. You will treasure these memories for the rest of your lives, pass them on from generation to generation, and look back on them with pride and emotion.
You also want a photographer who can truly capture the essence of your love story. Who can make you feel like your authentic self in front of the lens and in print? Who can put you at ease and still blow your mind with the things they can capture and create from a day that, let’s be real, will feel like it is flying by?
That’s where I come in: to give you unique and timelessly beautiful wedding pictures you’ll adore for the rest of time. Let’s talk about what my artistic vision can do for you and your partner, whatever kind of wedding you decide to have.
Micro Wedding NYC
Micro Weddings are a great way to ensure that your wedding day stays centered around the most important thing – you and your partner. And you don’t even have to sacrifice all of the glamor and extravagance you may be dreaming about! If you’re considering a Micro Wedding in NYC, I hope you’ll reach out to discuss and brainstorm all the incredible ways you can use this epic city to your advantage for the intimate and dream-fulfilling wedding you deserve.
But before you go, be sure to take a peek at more of my work and other incredible NYC venues. Reach out today to chat more!
