Our favorite 2025 wedding trends: micro wedding edition
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! No, we’re not talking about holiday plans, turkeys, Christmas trees, crisp leaves and the scent of pumpkin in the air…It’s wedding trend forecast season!
If you read last year’s 2024 wedding trends blog post, you may see some overlap as many 2025 wedding trends are continuing strong from 2024. However, this year we’ve put extra thought into considering micro weddings and how these trends can be practically applied to smaller weddings, notably how these trends can be done sustainably and affordably (spoiler alert: saving money on your wedding will be a big trend in 2025!).
Keep reading for our top 2025 wedding trend predictions—specifically catered towards micro weddings and small weddings!
OUR FAVORITE 2025 WEDDING TRENDS: MICRO WEDDING EDITION
Micro weddings are staying strong
Micro weddings have skyrocketed in popularity ever since the pandemic, and they’re not slowing down anytime soon. As more and more couples take on debt or max out their credit cards to pay for their dream wedding (with many turning to social media to lament their financial situation once the honeymoon is over or to simply wonder why the wedding industry is so expensive), affordable and debt-free micro weddings are staying strong in 2025.
Not only do micro weddings allow couples to reduce their wedding budget by limiting guest count, but they also provide a more personalized wedding day experience—another big trend in 2025 (more on this below). A micro wedding allows you to choose the most important people in your life to celebrate your special day with you and provides the space for more personal interactions with your chosen guests. Instead of having to hobnob with distant relatives you invited for formality’s sake, you can instead choose to make meaningful memories and connections on your wedding day with the people who mean the most to you.
Micro weddings also allow your wedding dollars to stretch further. Saving money on your wedding size allows you to instead use those funds elsewhere, whether spending a bit more on a unique wedding reception menu, investing in high-quality wedding photography, or saving for a house down payment. Many top-notch wedding services or venues are cost-prohibitive to larger weddings, but a micro wedding can make it simple to have the wedding of your dreams without the debt.
Candid, documentary-style wedding photography
Last year saw an explosion in a more candid style of wedding photography, popularly called documentary-style wedding photography. This trend opts for authentic, unposed moments over the more traditional staged photos. Think more shots of you and your new spouse laughing together during your bridal portraits and less prom poses.
Authenticity and personalization are huge themes in 2025’s wedding trends, and wedding photography is no exception. Couples are seeking wedding photographers who understand the value of candid, documentary-style photography—capturing the raw emotions and genuine interactions that define their wedding day. As a micro wedding photographer, this aligns perfectly with our approach: micro weddings naturally focus more on the couple and intimate moments with guests, allowing us to hone in on these special interactions without the distraction of larger, more elaborate settings.
Statement pieces for a big impact on a small budget
Even big weddings are seeing a trend coming into 2025 to invest in more minimal yet striking statement decor pieces. Elaborate floral installations are taking place over multiple small floral centerpieces and tall, simple candlesticks are pushing aside multiple tiny glass votives. The key is to stay minimal yet intentional and seek to make a big impact with one large statement piece or choose more simple decorations that feel fresh and new.
This trend of minimizing wedding decor is certainly good news for micro weddings! Instead of feeling the pressure to deck out every table at your wedding reception with fresh floral bouquets, opt instead to thrift for candlesticks or small glass vases to house a few wildflower blooms. Or, eschew traditional wedding decor altogether for touches that are completely personalized to you. Think simple, impactful, and intentional!
PICTURE CREDIT: THE HOWEY MANSION
Luxury wedding venues for micro weddings
Tagging along with the previous trend is an increase in couples seeking out more inherently beautiful wedding venues that take center stage and allow them to minimize their wedding decor. Historic home wedding venues are an excellent way to make a big impact without overspending on florals or decor pieces, as the backdrop of the wedding venue itself provides ample beauty with little additions necessary.
While a luxurious wedding venue may feel unattainable for a small wedding, think again. Many luxury wedding venues offer micro wedding packages or weekday pricing that is surprisingly affordable, making a glamorous wedding feasible for even the smallest of gatherings. By booking your micro wedding at a luxury or historic home wedding venue, you’ll be able to save a significant amount of money on unnecessary decorations.
Personalized guest experiences
Another very popular wedding trend going into 2025 is the theme of unique guest experiences. Couples are wanting to give their guests a memorable wedding day experience, whether hiring a food truck for their wedding reception, hosting interactive food stations at their wedding reception instead of plated meals, or providing some live element such as live painting or photo booths. The more these guest experiences can be tailored to the uniqueness of the couple, the better—it’s a blend of keeping guests engaged while showcasing your personality.
While this may sound like a trend that comes with a high price tag, micro weddings are actually uniquely poised to maximize the guest experience. A micro wedding by nature allows a more personalized approach where the focus is more on you as the couple. Simply interweaving your personality into every detail of your wedding day amplifies the experience for your guests. Plus, a smaller setting allows each guest to be made to feel special as you spend more time with each and every one of them: remember that time with you and your new spouse is the most important “experience” your guests will have on your wedding day, no matter your budget.
Bold color schemes
Recently bold, striking wedding color palettes have taken precedence over the ‘10s preference for muted colors. Instead of faded pastels, couples are picking vibrant peaches, blues, or purples to make an impact on their wedding day. Vivid retro color palettes were a rising trend in 2024 that will likely continue into 2025, as well as more classic yet striking details such as black accents.
Bold colors are perfect for micro weddings because they can create a big impact in small settings. Vibrant decor pieces and florals naturally draw the eye and spark visual interest, and the contrast to the more traditional wedding colors of soft hues and pastels feels fresh and new. Even if your wedding leans more budget-friendly and simple, choosing striking wedding colors in your florals, table settings or bridal party attire can make even the most minimally-decorated wedding feel exciting.
Unique cost cutting measures
No matter the wedding size, we’re seeing a lot of talk online of couples seeking unique ways to cut costs on their wedding without sacrificing elegance. Some new ideas carrying into 2025 are honeymoon registries (where guests can contribute to your travel experience, such as funding an experience or excursion or simply helping cover honeymoon expenses) instead of traditional gift registries, renting florals instead of choosing fresh arrangements, or sending digital invitations.
These cost-cutting strategies also capitalize on another priority for 2025 weddings: sustainability. Renting decor and asking for financial contributions instead of collecting more stuff for your kitchen not only reduces the amount of new products created or purchased, but they also are financially savvy. Many couples are also choosing to support local businesses, such as creating a registry with a local boutique, catering with a favorite nearby restaurant, or choosing local farm florals. Shopping small and opting for sustainability not only gives back to our world but also saves on overpriced wedding expenses.
Multi-day micro wedding celebrations
Weddings are becoming less of a one-day event and more of a weekend affair, providing an amplified guest experience and allowing couples more time to enjoy their special day and connect with their guests. From morning brunch the day after the weekend to a weekend bash, modern brides and grooms are choosing to spend more time with their guests in 2025 instead of whisking away to an immediate honeymoon. (Trust us: you’ll appreciate the chance to sleep in the day after your wedding instead of booking it to the airport for an early-morning flight.)
We’d love to see this trend carry over into micro weddings, which allow for more intimate celebrations and the ability to extend plans without a need to accommodate a large number of guests. An immersive wedding weekend experience provides more time for meaningful moments with those you treasure most, and it doesn’t have to break the bank, either. Many historic home wedding venues allow overnight accommodations for multiple guests for an additional cost, which could be offered to out-of-town guests who would already be seeking a place to stay (or if you’re saving so much money on your micro wedding with a lower guest count, you could cover the cost as a thank-you!). However you choose to host your micro wedding weekend celebration is up to you: the point is to connect more deeply with those you love and create an unforgettable experience for everyone.
Wedding trends aren’t just for big bashes: micro weddings not only can participate in 2025’s top wedding trends, but we’d argue that they are more uniquely poised to join the zeitgeist and lead the way for future weddings. Many of 2025’s wedding trends are about creating meaningful, impactful, and budget-friendly celebrations without compromising on style—which is exactly the heart and soul of a micro wedding. Most of all, guests want to see your unique love story as a couple woven into every element of your wedding day, from the decor to food to the full wedding day (or weekend) experience.
Just because you’re having a small wedding doesn’t mean you have to compromise on wedding photography, either. As micro wedding photographers, we offer packages specially curated for the needs (and budgets) of small weddings, starting at just 2hrs of affordably-priced coverage. If you’re planning a micro wedding in 2025, we’d love to talk with you—view our wedding photography packages or schedule a free consultation call below!
