Micro Wedding Must-Knows: Plan Your Perfect Celebration

[Credit: Lindsay King Photography]

Poppy launched in January 2020, and since then, we’ve booked over 400 weddings. Because of coronavirus, many of these weddings have been “micro weddings” (aka mini-weddings, mini-monies, petite soirées, elopements, tiny weddings, etc.). We’ve learned a lot about how to plan a micro wedding and want to share our key tips with couples planning their own. We are pros at weddings of any size, and we don't leave our couples hanging when coronavirus changes their plans.

Here’s what we’ve learned about how to throw a micro wedding:

1. Embrace non-traditional venues.

We’ve had couples get married on the steps of the Supreme Court, a ZOOM wedding in their backyard, and the rooftop of a sushi restaurant. Weddings have looked different from previous years — and that’s not a bad thing. You want to find a space designed for an intimate gathering of 50 people or fewer, and most wedding venues are designed for much larger parties. Don’t be afraid to get creative; the rules are meant to be broken. Because your non-traditional venue may not be super experienced with the flow of a wedding day, I recommend designating a day-of coordinator to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Kristin and Jamal on the steps of the Supreme Court

2. Invest in your photographer.

Even though you may not have envisioned your wedding in this format, you will never regret having beautiful photos of you, your fiancé and your guests. Wedding photographers often pull double duty as coordinators and emcees, gently guiding the event’s run of show and coordinating special moments like the couple’s “first look” to the cake cutting. Even if every other aspect of your wedding is scaled down, your photography budget should remain intact. Your future self will thank you, and your wedding day will run more smoothly because of it. In the DC area, we can’t recommend highly enough Stephanie Dee Photography. We’ve also loved working with Photos from the Harty and Jenny B Photography.

Caroline and Chris seeing each other for the first time on their Wedding Day [Credit: Lindsay King Photography]

3. When it comes to the details, there’s NO such thing as over communication.

‍When we first start talking to couples, often their vision is wide-ranging and some key details like guest count aren’t yet pinned down. As we get to know them, we hone in on a vision together — and our team thrives on the details. Wedding vendors are creatives at heart, and they love to visualize a beautiful, personalized space that reflects the personality of the couple. A picture speaks a thousand words, so share as many as you can to help convey your aesthetic and inspiration so that you can be on the same page as the creatives bringing your special day to life. You can take our style quiz and start planning your flowers with us today here.

Nicole and Alex on the stairs at their backyard wedding

Many of our couples have decided to host a micro wedding to honor their original date, while postponing the big party to when they can gather all their family and friends.

This gives us and their other wedding vendors a chance to really connect with them and get to know their personal tastes — and the only thing better than one celebration is two. The micro wedding also gives couples a chance to test and try things for the larger wedding/reception or go in a completely different style direction just for fun. From what we have seen and heard from couples, the micro wedding has been surprisingly more special than they imagined, so take time to really enjoy it.
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At Poppy, we are by your side even if the delta variant throws another unexpected wrench in your plans. We know the unpredictable landscape of 2021 is still overwhelming. We won't let you down, and we will adapt with you as unexpected changes happen due to coronavirus. No matter the size of the celebration or mask-mandate, we're here for you. If you want to spend some time with us, dreaming of flowers for your big day, take our style quiz here. We're ready for you.

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Despite the pandemic, love persists in the world. Joy persists. Wishing ALL our couples, and future couples, delight, enjoyment, and, most importantly, love. We've got you back through it all.

Nicole and Alex - the newlyweds

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What You Should Know When Planning a Micro Wedding

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What You Should Know When Planning a Micro Wedding

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