How to Plan a Micro Wedding in Washington State

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Ok, so you want to have guests at your wedding, but a traditional wedding doesn’t feel quite right for you. Enter, micro weddings!! Micro weddings offer so much flexibility for what you can include in your wedding and one of the best things about them is that they are just as customizable as elopements. In this blog post, we’re sharing information about micro weddings as well as tips on how to plan a micro wedding in Washington State. 

What is a Micro Wedding?

You might be wondering What is a micro wedding? And how is it different from a traditional wedding or elopement? 

Micro weddings are intimate wedding celebrations that combine the intentionality of an elopement with elements of a traditional wedding. They allow you to focus on your love story while sharing parts of it with the people who matter most. 

At Henry Tieu Photography, we consider a micro wedding to be any wedding with around 30 guests. This allows you to have a sense of intimacy and spend time with everyone there, without feeling like you have to cater to a huge crowd and lose sight of what the day is all about. 

What is the Difference Between a Micro Wedding and a Traditional Wedding?

While micro weddings share some similarities with traditional weddings, there are a few key differences:

Guest Count

While traditional weddings often include large guest lists, micro weddings usually include only your closest family members and friends. With fewer guests, you have more flexibility to create a day that feels intentional and personal while also prioritizing meaningful interactions with everyone who is there. 

Cost

Because micro weddings are smaller in scale, they often cost significantly less than traditional weddings. While some expenses (such as marriage license, wedding attire, etc.) stay the same, other costs, like catering and venue fees, are typically much lower. 

Experience

One of the biggest differences between a micro wedding and a traditional wedding is the experience. Traditional weddings can feel rushed, with couples scrambling to interact with as many guests as possible. Micro weddings though, allow you to enjoy your wedding day at a more relaxed pace. Instead of rushing to speak to your guests for just a few minutes, you get to slow down and spend meaningful time with your loved ones! 

What is the Difference Between a Micro Wedding and an Elopement?

By now you might be wondering what is the difference between a micro wedding and an elopement. While both micro weddings and elopements prioritize intimacy and experience, the biggest difference comes down to who you spend the day with. 

Elopements typically involve just the couple (or a small handful of guests), and keep the focus entirely on the couple and their experience together. 

Micro weddings, on the other hand, include a small group of family and friends and blend the couple’s experience with elements of hosting and intentional time with loved ones.

You may notice we use the terms “intimate wedding” and “elopement” interchangeably throughout our website. While these types of weddings may look slightly different, our approach to them is the same – focusing on creating a custom experience for you through it all!  

To learn more about elopements and micro weddings, check out the blog post below!

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Why Choose a Micro Wedding?

Still wondering if a micro wedding is the right fit for you? Here are a few reasons couples choose to plan a micro wedding:​

More Intimacy

If the idea of planning a big wedding feels overwhelming, a micro wedding can often feel more approachable. Because they allow for a more intimate setting, micro weddings are the perfect choice for couples who want to keep the focus on what truly matters – their love and the people who mean the most to them. 

Budget-Friendly

While micro weddings are not necessarily cheap, they often save couples thousands of dollars. With a small guest list, you can allocate your budget to the details that matter most to you whether that’s an epic adventure, a beautiful venue, or a destination experience. 

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How to Plan a Micro Wedding in Washington

Now that you know what a micro wedding is and why it might be right for you, here are our tips on how to plan a micro wedding in Washington State.

Step 1: Choose a Location

When it comes to planning a micro wedding, one of the most important questions is where to have your micro wedding. The location you choose sets the entire tone of your experience. 

Before you start searching for venues, decide on a general area where you would like to get married. We always recommend you spend some time dreaming with your partner to decide which location is right for you. Some questions you can ask each other are:

• Where do you see us getting married? 
• What type of landscapes do you love? Is it beaches, mountains, forests, or something else? 
• Do you want to get married in a place we love, or would you rather get married in a place we have never been to before? 

Washington State has some of the best and most beautiful landscapes you can imagine! From moody forests to rugged beaches to snowy mountains, this state truly has whatever vibe you can dream of for your micro wedding! 

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Step 2: Decide Who to Invite

One of the best parts of planning a micro wedding is that there are no rules. That means choosing who to invite to your micro wedding is completely up to you and no one else!

When deciding who to invite, think about the people you can’t imagine getting married without. Whether that’s 20 people or 40, the number isn’t as important as how you feel about the people you are sharing your day with. 

The beauty of a micro wedding lies in its intimacy, so invite only those who will celebrate you and make you feel loved.

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Step 3: Set a Budget

According to The Knot, the average cost of a traditional wedding in 2025 is $33,000. One of the biggest factors related to how much a wedding costs is the guest count and, because micro weddings have few guests, this means your budget stretches further. 

While every micro wedding budget is going to look a little different, here is a rough breakdown of a micro wedding vs a traditional wedding cost:

While these numbers can seem like a lot, the truth is how much money you spend on your wedding/elopement day doesn’t say anything about who you are or what your values are. The most important thing is to invest in what matters and in what you truly love.

*One other important thing to keep in mind is that the numbers we shared are estimates. The actual cost of your micro wedding might look different depending on where your micro wedding takes place, how many guests you invite, and what details you choose to include. For instance, a 10 person micro wedding at a national park in Arizona will cost much less than a 45 person micro wedding with a venue in California.

Want to learn more about wedding and elopement costs? Check out our Elopement Calculator at the link below!

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Step 4: Choose Your Micro Wedding Venue

Most couples who plan a micro wedding often choose to rent out a micro wedding venue. Whether you use it for your ceremony, your reception, or both, having a micro wedding venue is a great way to gather all of your loved ones and have a dedicated place to celebrate. 

Just like Washington has so many adventure locations to choose from, we also have some amazing micro-wedding venues to match your vision. From rustic cabins to beautiful oceanside retreats, Washington truly has a micro wedding venue for everyone! 

Want to see for yourself? Check out these top micro wedding venues in Washington and beyond! 

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Step 5: Hire Your Micro Wedding Photographer and Other Micro Wedding Vendors

Planning a micro wedding requires a bit of planning, and one thing that can help make the micro wedding planning process easier is hiring a few trusted vendors to help bring your vision to life.

One of the first vendors you will likely consider hiring is a micro wedding photographer. Now, we know this is usually the step where we are supposed to sell ourselves. However, we are not about trying to “sell” you anything you don’t need. We do, however, love dreaming with you about what’s possible and helping you create a micro wedding that includes all of the beautiful moments and experiences you envision. Whether it’s for an elopement, micro wedding, or something else altogether, we do more than just photograph your day. We also help with planning, location scouting, permits, and vendor recommendations so you have everything you need for an epic micro wedding experience.

On top of hiring a micro wedding photographer, you may also want to consider a few other vendors such as:

• Videographer
• Wedding Planner
• Officiant
• Florist
• Hair & Makeup Artist
• Cake Artist
• Private Chef / Caterer
• DJ / Band

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Step 6: Apply for a Washington State Marriage License

If you are planning a micro wedding in Washington State and want to legally tie the knot, you will need to apply for a marriage license. Thankfully, Washington makes it easy and applications can be completed online, which is a huge plus especially if you are traveling from out of state. 

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when applying for your Washington marriage license: 

• Per state law, you will need to apply for a marriage license at least 3 days before your wedding date. Keep in mind that you can only apply for a license within 60 days of your wedding.
• If you are from Washington, you have the option to visit your local county recorder’s office and apply for your marriage license in person. Or, you can apply online and have your marriage license mailed to you. 
• If you are from out of state and don’t have enough time to arrive early and wait the 3 days required, the best way is to apply for your marriage license online and have it mailed to you. 

You can find more information on how to obtain your marriage license HERE, including the current application fee.

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Step 7: Plan Your Micro Wedding Timeline & Activities

By now, the hardest micro wedding planning steps are over! All that’s left to do is decide what activities you want to include in your day and start planning your micro wedding timeline. 

As we mentioned earlier, micro weddings allow for so much flexibility. You can truly do whatever you want. Some couples choose to include loved ones in their activities while others plan a two-day micro wedding so they can keep a few activities for just the two of them.

No matter which option you choose, activities are one of the best ways to add personality to your day. Some of our favorite examples are:

• Hiking
• Cooking
• Going on a helicopter or boat tour
• Swimming
• Reading letters 
• Star-gazing
• Get matching tattoos
• Board games 
• Pasta-making class or some other event where everyone can learn something together

These are just a few ideas you can include in your micro wedding with or without guests. Want to see what a two-day micro wedding can look like? Check out our sample wedding timeline below!

Sample Two-Day Micro Wedding Timeline

Day 1: Intimate Wedding with guests

• 12:30 pm: Photographer arrives at cabin for getting ready and detail moments
• 2:00 pm: First look & travel to ceremony location
• 3:30 pm: Intimate vow exchange ceremony
• 4:30 pm: Formal portraits with family and friends 
• 5:30 pm: Travel back to cabin
• 6:30 pm: Reception, eating, dancing, celebrating
• 8:00 pm: End of Day 1

Day 2: Private Adventure Elopement Portraits

• 2:30 pm: Getting ready together + cute indoor portraits
• 4:00 pm: Travel/Driving/Hiking
• 6:00 pm: Private vow exchange
• 6:30 pm: Sunset adventure portraits and private first dance
• 8:30 pm: End of a beautiful day. Start of a whole new beginning!

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Step 8: Communicate the Details With Your Guests

Once your micro wedding planning is finalized, you’ll want to share a few details of your day with your guests. Communicating details in advance goes a long way in making everyone’s experience a little smoother. 

Some details you can share with your guests:

• Wedding date, time, and location
• A rough itinerary of so your guests know what to expect
  • If your micro wedding includes hiking or any other outdoor activities, be sure to share this information with your guests so they are prepared. 
  • You can also share resources (like this one) to help them know what they can expect and how your micro wedding might look a little different than the traditional weddings they are used to. 
• Transportation and Accommodations
  • If you have guests traveling from out of town, share tips on how to get to your ceremony, recommendations for places they can stay around the area, and activities they can try while they are visiting. 

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Step 9: Pop the Champagne and Enjoy Your Wedding Day (or Days)

Once your micro wedding day (or wedding weekend) arrives, all that’s left for you to do is sit back and enjoy the experience. Soak in time with loved ones and take in the beauty of Washington. Eat the cake, pop the champagne, and celebrate your marriage! It’s as simple as that!!!

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Looking for more inspiration to help you with your micro wedding planning? Check out these real micro weddings from our beautiful couples!