According to a 2025 survey by The Knot, a staggering 57% of currently engaged couples were considering having a micro wedding 🤯. That’s over half of engaged couples thinking about having a wedding with about 50 people or less!
As more couples lean in to more intimate weddings that cost a bit less, focus on sustainability, and create a special experience for their nearest and dearest, micro weddings are set to keep evolving from a pandemic necessity to a deliberate choice in 2026 and beyond.
What exactly is a micro wedding?
A “micro wedding” is a buzzy term to describe a small, intimate wedding with about 50 guests or less. Micro weddings became popular during the pandemic when couples were forced to have smaller weddings in order to accommodate venue restrictions.
Today, they’re still growing in popularity due to their economic appeal, coziness, and social media attention, especially on Pinterest, TikTok, and Instagram.
Why are micro weddings trending?
If you wanted to get married during the pandemic, chances are you had to plan a micro wedding. Many wedding venues put a cap on guest numbers in order to keep attendees and staff as safe as possible. It was pretty common for guest limits to be 50 or less.
While that limit was a dream killer for some, other couples decided to lean in to the trend, and they found some pretty big benefits to going small.
Here are a few big micro wedding benefits:
- Saving + splurging on what matters. In general, feeding and providing a party for 150 people is naturally going to cost more than feeding and providing a party for 50 people. You can embrace those savings and keep your wedding costs lower, or you can reallocate those cost savings to spend more on the aspects and vendors you care the most about (like fabulous wedding photography or the wedding dress of your dreams).
- Keeping sustainability top of mind. Smaller guest counts can mean less food waste, fewer travel emissions, and the ability to source locally. For example, here in the Twin Cities, you might choose farm-to-table caterers and sustainable floral from Minnesota growers. Of course, you can still keep sustainability in mind for a larger wedding, but it gets easier (and less expensive) with fewer guests.
- Quality time with guests. At a 30-person wedding, you can have deeper conversations with more of your guests. If quality time with your closest family and friends is an important aspect of your wedding, a micro wedding might be perfect for you. Larger weddings can leave you feeling like you’ve barely spoken to half of your guests.
- Flexibility and personality. Micro weddings open up venues that couldn’t accommodate 150 people, such as historic homes, restaurant private rooms, art galleries, and more. The celebration can truly reflect your style rather than conforming to large spaces.
And here in the Twin Cities, there are SO many amazing small wedding venues you can use for your micro wedding.
I’ve photographed many small weddings in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and beyond. Here are some of my favorite small wedding venues!
Micro Wedding Venues in Minneapolis
The Neu Neu
Located in the heart of downtown Minneapolis, The Neu Neu has a package available specifically for small weddings. It includes a 2 hour venue space rental, 30 chairs, 3 cocktail tables, and more. This space is gorgeous and it’s one of my top favorite venues for a small wedding!
For more photos, check out The Neu Neu: A Whimsical, Sustainable Fall Wedding
Watson Block
Watson Block is situated in the historic warehouse district in Minneapolis. So many amazing photo opportunities around this area! Although this venue is able to seat 120 people for a seated meal, it’s intimate enough for a small wedding, too.
Walker Art Center
A wedding at the Walker Art Center is iconic. They have a few different rooms and spaces that can accommodate weddings of different sizes, including small ones.
Mia
Another art-forward venue for your small wedding is the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia). If you rent on a Friday or Saturday night, you get exclusive access to a gallery, too! They offer a lot of support during the planning process as well.
P.S. – Mia is a great spot for engagement photography sessions, too!
Lyndale Peace Garden
If an outdoor small wedding during the warmer months is what you’re hoping for, the Lyndale Peace Garden is a gorgeous spot. You’ll need a permit, but the rest is very straightforward. Nearby Lake Harriet makes for some beautiful photo opps!
Boom Island Park
Although Boom Island Park isn’t on the list of official wedding venues on the Minneapolis parks website, you can have your micro wedding there! Just make sure to contact them in inquire.
Minneapolis Central Library
Want to say “I do” in a historic venue, surrounded by thousands of books? The Minneapolis Central Library is an awesome downtown venue for sustainable micro weddings.
Aster Cafe
Aster Cafe is a stunning riverside venue is historic and perfect for your micro wedding. If you’re getting married in a warmer month, you can even choose their outdoor tent space.
Glass House
This one wins for originality — Glass House is an artisan glass blowing studio located adjacent to the Minneapolis Farmer’s Market. Airy, bright, and modern, this space is perfect for your micro wedding.
Theodore Wirth Park
With two different indoor options, Theadore Wirth Park is a sprawling park on the Minneapolis/Golden Valley border. Choose from the chalet or the picnic pavilion.
Hewing Hotel
With beautiful exposed brick and multiple rooms to choose from, the Hewing Hotel near the river is a lovely, historic spot for an intimate wedding.
Five Event Center
Nestled in the Lyn Lake neighborhood, Five Event Center is a multi-level event space with plenty of options for micro weddings.
The Van Dusen Mansion
If you have your eye on one of Minneapolis’s historic mansions, I recommend The Van Dusen Mansion. With gorgeous gardens and enchanting indoor spaces, you can choose an indoor or outdoor wedding to suit your perfect wedding vision.
300 Clifton Bed and Breakfast
Another gorgeous historic mansion in Minneapolis that you can stay at if you’d like, 300 Clifton is a bed & breakfast with 8 different bedrooms and amazingly beautiful common spaces that are perfect for a micro wedding. Plus, in warmer months they have a garden where you can get married!
The Annex
The Annex is a contemporary event space right on Lyndale Avenue in Uptown Minneapolis. It’s awesome for small weddings!
The Lynhall
Another Uptown event space on Lyndale Avenue, The Lynhall has multiple event spaces available, including small spaces for micro weddings. Choose the Ambleside Room with seating for up to 70 and get a wood-burning fireplace!
Micro Wedding Venues in St Paul
Como Park Conservatory
The Como Park Conservatory is probably one of the most sought-after wedding venues in the Twin Cities metro, especially if you’re having a smaller wedding — the Sunken Garden has a limit of 100 guests.
Minnesota State Capitol
Iconic and historic, the Minnesota State Capitol is a fantastic choice for a micro wedding. They’ve got multiple indoor and outdoor spaces you can choose from.
W.A. Frost & Company
Located in the historic Cathedral Hill neighborhood, W.A. Frost & Company is a restaurant with a few different cozy spaces for your micro wedding. It only holds up to 60 guests!
College Club
The St. Paul College Club is an event venue in downtown St. Paul. It has indoor and outdoor spaces, a full in-house catering team, and its own Executive Chef.
Summit Manor
If you want to get married at a mansion in St. Paul, Summit Manor is a top choice. Get married indoors or outdoors, take advantage of all the amazing photo opp locations inside and outside the mansion, and enjoy the food made right on site.
Rice Park
Looking for an outdoor micro wedding with both green park AND city vibes? Rice Park in downtown St Paul is the perfect choice!
St. Paul Hotel
Located right on Rice Park, the St. Paul Hotel is a classic wedding venue with multiple different rooms to choose from for your micro wedding.
Micro Wedding Venues in Minnesota (Outside of the Twin Cities)
Pique Travel Design
Pique Travel Design is an office space in Excelsior that transforms into an event space on nights and weekends. A little rustic and a lot charming, it’s a great wedding venue west of the Twin Cities.
Westwood Hills Nature Center
Situated right off of 394 in St Louis Park, Westwood Hills Nature Center is a nature lover’s perfect spot for a micro wedding. If you have 25 people or less, I highly recommend the water garden and waterfall observation deck space!
Heritage Center
Heritage Center, once a country estate, is a beautiful micro wedding venue in Brooklyn Center. Of their available spaces, for small weddings, I recommend The Captain’s Room.
Lora Hotel
On the eastern side of the Twin Cities, the Lora Hotel in Stillwater is a prime location for a micro wedding. Get married outdoors or inside!
Your Own Backyard
Don’t discount your (or a family member’s or friend’s) backyard! When you’re having a smaller wedding, you’ll fit in smaller places.
Mr. Paul’s Supper Club
Located in Edina in the 50th & France area, Mr. Paul’s Supper Club has a private dining room and bar that can seat up to 44 people, or you can buy out the full restaurant to seat more.
That’s it!
I hope you found the micro wedding venue of your dreams. Small weddings are some of my favorites to photograph, so if you’re looking for a wedding photographer in the area, let’s chat!
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