After being forced to cancel their weddings due to COVID-19, anxious brides-to-be can still proceed with their dream weddings—just on a much smaller scale.
The days of large weddings are over, at least for the foreseeable future. Event planners across the country predict the top trend for contemporary brides will be “Micro-weddings,” a combined intimate ceremony and modified reception that can accommodate up to 25 guests, including the bridal party.
Today’s busy brides-to-be (and the mothers of the brides-to-be) are looking for a stress-free, one-stop shopping experience to plan their picture-perfect wedding—whether couples have $5K or $25K to spend.
While the budget is often a concern, Micro-weddings offer much more than a practical option when it comes to costs—they deliver the ability to move forward, despite the social distancing requirements in place as we look forward to a post-COVID-19 world.
While “uncertainty” remains a big X factor in the event-planning landscape, the health-focused restrictions haven’t stopped worried brides-to-be from across the Philadelphia region and its surrounding states from figuring out their next moves. (As you already know, pretty much *nothing can stand in the way of a determined bride-to-be.) Hundreds of couples are scrambling to arrange Micro-weddings for the fall season and beyond at iconic cultural attractions, like Penn Museum.
Venues that offer customized all-inclusive packages take 99% of the legwork out of the equation. Rather than spending time crowd-sourcing, comparing recommendations, and negotiating the best prices with vendors, couples just show up and look fabulous at their one-of-a-kind event at the city’s premiere wedding venue. Everything else is taken care of, so that they can actually (gasp!) enjoy celebrating their special day.
For example, Simple & Sweet Micro-weddings at the Penn Museum include a one-hour ceremony and a two-hour cocktail reception or brunch, with seating for up to 25; a photography package from Ashley Gerrity Photography; live music from Philly Star Events; floral arrangements from Carl Alan Floral Artistry; a wedding cake from Whipped Bakeshop; an officiant from Journeys of the Heart; a bridal suite for tender private moments; and A/V support. Additional options are available.
If a bride always dreamed of having an outdoor wedding in a timeless romantic garden, that dream can still come true as a part of a Simple & Sweet Micro-wedding. Or, if a couple has their hearts set on a trio of jazz musicians playing softly during a relaxing sunset cocktail reception on a secluded rooftop terrace, the Penn Museum can make that happen, too. It all depends what you’d like to include as a part of your special day. Micro-weddings at the Penn Museum begin at about $5,000.
While there isn’t a sit-down dinner or dancing involved with a Micro-wedding, experienced event specialists already have partnerships in place with local venues, where the party can continue off-site, if desired. For instance, couples and their guests can opt to visit a nearby restaurant for dinner after their cocktail reception.
Photos by Ashley Gerrity Photography/Penn Museum
If larger weddings do make a comeback, it will take a rather long time—and they will certainly look and feel very different from the weddings we may have seen in previous years.
Click for more about Penn Museum weddings or visit the links below.
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Atiya German is the Director of Facility Rentals at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. A seasoned wedding planner, she’s been organizing exquisite events at the Penn Museum for more than a decade. Contact her at rentals@pennmuseum.org or follow Events_PennMuseum for examples of the stunning private parties that can take shape with the right visionary at the helm.
About the Penn Museum: Located on the University of Pennsylvania’s historic campus, the Penn Museum reigns as one of Philadelphia’s eminent wedding venues. A 300,000-square-foot cultural gem, the Penn Museum is housed in an eclectic building featuring mixed architectural elements and surrounded by gardens, a fountain, and a koi pond that provide a peaceful hidden urban oasis. Illuminating 10,000 years of history from around the world, the Penn Museum is where the ancient world meets state-of-the-art sophistication. Its exclusive on-site caterer, Catering by Restaurant Associates, or CxRA, is devoted to hand-crafting culinary masterpieces using fresh, local ingredients. That’s why they are the #1 choice among their clients, who expect nothing less than CxRA’s world-class service. CxRA also does off-site catering.
