Micro-Weddings and Elopements

Today I’m going to clarify something I get a lot of questions on and I think there is generally confusion about: what are micro-weddings and elopements?

I personally love weddings and I know people celebrate marriage in many different ways. Weddings come in so many different forms and lengths of time, and I love to capture the majority of these types! That’s why I’ve designed a package that can cater to the longer wedding days, which I photograph about 10-15 of each year, as well as to shorter weddings, which I photograph about 15-20 a year. Between these two packages, I am able to photograph almost any wedding! I actually don’t draw the line at the shorter wedding days; I draw the line at longer days. I don’t photograph weddings that last longer than 10 hours or across multiple days. But anywhere from 1-10 hours in one day and I’m totally game!

I think most people generally understand what a longer wedding day is, so we can skip talking bout that and jump right to what this post is about: the shorter wedding types – micro-weddings and elopements. I’ll describe in detail what I consider an elopement and what I consider a micro-wedding, and share photos from some of my favorites of both.

ELOPEMENTS

I share the benefits of an elopement in this 2020 post, but in that post I didn’t describe the parameters for what I consider an elopement.

I consider it an elopement if I’m there for one to two and a half hours of photography coverage. Typically at an elopement, it’s the couple plus anywhere from zero to ten guests.

Here are some options you have with an elopement:

Location

• you can pick almost anywhere as your ceremony site. Some public places require permits, others do not. Or you could rent a private venue.
• you can plan your portraits to take place anywhere you like

Guests

• you can have zero guests or fifty – that’s up to you!
• they can sit or stand

Ceremony

• in Washington, D.C., you can officiate your own ceremony. I don’t think that’s an option in Maryland or Virginia.
• your officiant can be religious or not religious
• your ceremony can be scheduled around your officiant’s schedule, my schedule, when you’re leaving for your honeymoon, magic hour (usually what I recommend), your work schedule – you name it. There is a lot of freedom and flexibility when scheduling your ceremony start and end times.
• your ceremony can be three minutes, five minutes, ten minutes, twenty minutes – it’s totally up to you and your officiant
• you can do any tradition within your ceremony that you like, and leave others out

Details

• you can wear whatever you want! I suggest wearing something special, but again, that’s totally up to you
• you can include a rings exchange or not; you can bring a bouquet or not

Photos

• you get to choose the length of time I’m there for photography and what I will take photos of. Anywhere from one to two and a half hours is typical.
• You have the option of doing a first look – although most couples arrive together at elopements
• I can be there just for your ceremony and some portraits after; or
• I can be there for your ceremony and then we can go somewhere else for portraits; or
• I can show up after your ceremony and we could just take portraits to commemorate the occasion
• we can take photos with your guests or family who attend – or skip that!
• I will take photos of whatever details you have – like your rings and bouquet
• You will get pics of you each separately as well
• A second photographer is not included
• An engagement session is not part of the package, but you can book that separately

MICRO-WEDDINGS

I first heard the term ‘micro-wedding‘ at the beginning of the pandemic. Many people were having to downsize their weddings by reducing their guest list, not having a wedding party (bridesmaids and groomsmen), skipping many traditional parts of the reception, as well as hosting everything outdoors. The reception was more of a sit-down dinner, without the dancing. And because of the smaller guest count, the venues were smaller – and again, focused outdoors. But they were still doing hair and makeup and including florals, as well as some form of catering most of the time. If the main events of a usual wedding day take 10-12 hours, a micro-wedding usually happens within 4-6 hours.

I had actually been photographing those types of weddings for years! I’ve always photographed smaller scale weddings for couples who wanted to celebrate their marriage with friends and family in a more low-key way, without some of the pomp and circumstance of what a longer wedding usually entails.

So, What Is A Micro-Wedding at REHP?

What I consider a ‘micro-wedding’ is a condensed wedding day. Many of the same events that happen at a longer wedding day are still happening, some things are not included, they take place at a specific venue(s) (versus an elopement that can take place really anywhere), and I’m there to cover just what is most important to the couple. What I usually do in those cases is get an idea of what you want covered, and then help you plan your timeline around that so you’re making the most of your photography time and investment.

Another thing to note with micro-weddings, a second photographer is usually not included in the package, and neither is an engagement session. You can book an engagement session separately, and it is possible to have as second photographer – if I can find one who will work for just 2-5 hours.

Here are some examples of micro-wedding photography coverage:

• perhaps you are having a full wedding day – getting ready, ceremony, portraits, larger guest count, reception with all the traditions – but you *just* want photography coverage for the first look, ceremony, portraits, family photos, and the first hour of your reception. That can all be done in about three hours, so for me – that’s a micro-wedding.
• perhaps you are doing a selection of events instead of the usual full shebang – like ceremony plus a sit down dinner, but you also want portraits. That can be done in about two to three hours.
• perhaps you want photos of your getting ready details (dress, bouquet, rings, invitations, etc), the first look, portraits, ceremony, family photos, and that’s it. We can do that in about three hours.

I think you get the point here: there are so many possibilities for what we can do at a micro-wedding. Anywhere from two to five hours of coverage is what I consider a micro-wedding and we can use that time however you like

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Did this post get you excited to book your own wedding, micro-wedding, elopement, or engagement session?! If yes, send me a note and we can chat about what you have in mind: contact me

Hi – I’m Rachel! A wedding, engagements, and headshots photographer in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and northern Virginia. I love taking photos of elegant people who love to laugh, as well as of much in-love couples. If you’re a dog owner, that’s a plus! I’m currently booking 2022 portrait sessions, as well as 2022 and 2023 weddings.