Small Wedding and Elopement Packages from Our NC Vendors

From historic mansions in the Piedmont to barn venues nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains and coastal chapels, North Carolina is an ideal destination to host weddings of any size. Recently, small weddings, microweddings and even elopements have boomed in popularity after the pandemic. Many couples are ditching the time and stress that can go into planning a large traditional wedding in favor of a more intimate event. Elopements and small weddings (sometimes called microweddings) are every bit as romantic, and in some cases a more cost-effective way to celebrate your love. Keep scrolling to discover packages catered to small weddings and elopements in North Carolina. 

Firstly, if you’re searching for your dream North Carolina wedding venue, you’ll want to start by browsing our wedding venue guide. This tool will help you choose an NC wedding venue best suited to the size and style of your desired event. Plus, you’ll find all the budget information you need and answers to frequently asked questions.

What’s the Difference Between a Microwedding and Elopement?

While both microweddings and elopements are characterized by a smaller guest count than a traditional wedding, there are key differences in how we use these terms. Elopements are often used to refer to a spur-of-the-moment event, although some put more planning into an elopement than couples traditionally would. An elopement ceremony may even occur in secret. Often, an elopement will be limited to the couple and officiant, and in general the term refers to a wedding with no more than 10 guests. Without hundreds or even dozens of guests to consider, you’ll likely be free to have that mountaintop or destination ceremony you’ve dreamed of. During the pandemic, many couples who have been forced to postpone their original wedding dates have opted to elope or have a mini ceremony on the date, with a larger celebration with friends and family to follow.

Microweddings generally refer to a ceremony of 50 or fewer guests. With a smaller guest count than a large wedding, you can certainly save money. Or, a tightened guest list can enable you to spend larger chunks of your budget on high-end design and details that matter to you, creating an elevated experience for your loved ones. Plus, you’ll likely spend much more quality time with your loved ones than you would be able to if you invite 200 guests. Microweddings are also suited to an intimate venue – like an upscale restaurant or even your family home – which allows for options that might not be a suitable scale for larger guest lists.

Our Favorite Microwedding Ideas

• Splurge on a custom stationer (view our recommended vendors here!) With fewer invitations to send, take the opportunity to splurge and make your invites really special and memorable.
• Write handwritten vows. Make your ceremony your own and personalize this intimate event surrounded by your closest loved ones.
• Get creative with seating. Say your vows surrounded by a circle of your loved ones, or scrap the painful puzzle of a seating chart with a banquet-style reception.
• Fill the wedding weekend or day-of timeline with engaging activities for your guests. 
• Personalize welcome boxes, gifts and signage. Take advantage of the wealth of custom options our vendors like Revel NC and Small Batch Gallery + Goods offer. You can even have your baker stencil each guest’s name on a macaron!

Heights House Hotel offers a one-night elopement buyout for Sunday-Thursday dates for guest counts of 25 and under. Heights House Hotel’s 2023 elopement package cost consists of a venue fee plus the buyout costs and taxes. The elopement package includes all nine hotel rooms, the European Continental breakfast in the morning and the venue fee for your wedding day. It also includes Heights House’s standard amenities that are offered through the hotel, Italian glassware for your dinner/bar, antique place settings for your dinner, as well as the cost of rented tables and chairs. A handful of additional add-on offerings are available, such as an in-house day of coordinator.

Small Weddings and Elopement Package at The Parlour at Manns Chapel

The Parlour at Manns Chapel has perfect intimate packages with areas for both indoor and outdoor dreaminess.

The Modern Elopement Package: Designed for the truly intimate affair. Includes The Parlour’s favorite officiant, a photography package, and a seasonally-inspired floral bouquet and boutonniere. This package is for up to 10 guests and offers add-on options like additional time and guests, a ceremony styling package, an airstream dressing suite, and a dinner option. Available Sunday-Thursday.

Celebrate Small: The Parlour’s most highly crafted all-inclusive trademark package takes all the work out of your wedding planning experience. It’s perfect if you want serious style and service with The Parlour’s selected vendor team. This option features The Gathering Co. as your in-house planner team (when booked at least three months in advance). You’ll work closely with the venue team to make your love story dreams come true. It also includes your ceremony officiant and a stunning seasonal floral package. Up to 30 guests and 6 hours of rental time with add-on options.

C&D Events and The Parlour at Mann’s Chapel are partnering to provide a micro-luxe wedding day experience. This package is created for clients who want a curated experience, branded to who they are as a couple in an abbreviated time frame. This package provides no fuss planning with a customized vendor team. Created in the setting of the beautiful Parlour at Mann’s Chapel, this wedding day is an intimate gathering complete with design and vendor planning provided.

The Distillery – Say “I do” in one of North Carolina’s most modern and elegant event spaces. The Distillery offers couples weekdays at a discounted rate for small weddings of 50 guests or less. Tuesday-Thursday dates are $6,000, which includes tables and chairs plus planning. Couples have the freedom to creatively plan their event, or venue owner and planner Chad Biggs can help streamline the process.

The Matthews House is offering use of its house and gardens for elopements or small weddings, with a guest count under 50 people. Catering options are available through Southern Harvest Catering. The Matthews House offers decor and rentals available to make your day easy and beautiful. Packages start at $600. Contact the venue today for a custom proposal!

Overlook Barn is now offering both elopement and microwedding packages. These packages are for the couple who wants to get married with a backdrop of stunning mountain views, but with all the modern, luxurious amenities that Overlook offers. Getting-ready suites as well as the Cliffside Barn are available for an indoor microwedding or intimate gathering.

Overlook’s microwedding package is a streamlined and simplified celebration for up to 40 people. Overlook Barn’s elopement package is designed for two to 15 people. The covered deck on Cliffside Barn has space for 40 people, and is all-inclusive for simplified planning.   

All-Inclusive Packages at The McAlister-Leftwich House

This Greensboro venue offers a Classic and Premium All-Inclusive Package for couples who are looking to simplify the planning process. The McAlister-Leftwich House also offers an Elopement and Vow Renewal Package. These full-day rentals are competitively priced, while the weekday rental option is the most affordable.

At Whitaker & Atlantic – Raleigh’s posh, industrial event venue with a three-season porch – you’ll pay $250 per person for events under 25 guests, and $200 per person for 26-60 guests (sales gratuity is not included).

Inclusive of …

Three hour event with an additional 1 hour wedding rehearsal in the space the week of the event, 60″ round tables set with basic linens, china, stemware, and flatware, German mid-century modern wooden chairs, cocktail tables covered with basic linens, custom menu by PoshNosh Catering to include two passed hors d’oeuvres for cocktail hour and a seasonal dinner menu with a chicken or pork entrée, two sides, a salad, bread and butter, three-hour open bar with beer and wine, staffing for event to include servers, bartenders, and a facility manager to be on site during the event handling of all rentals.

Available upgrades …

Specialty cocktail add $9-$13 per serving, basic full bar pricing upon request, premium full bar pricing upon request, additional hors d’oeuvres add $10 per person/per addition, special menu additions TBD and for additional rental time add $1000 per hour.

Oakland Farm is offering an all-inclusive package just for microweddings! Have your intimate celebration at this sprawling, picturesque farm. This package is designed for 25 to 50 guests. But don’t worry – if you have a few more than 50 people on your list, you’ll just pay a per-guest fee.

Two different all-inclusive packages are offered – choose from a six or 10 hour rental with many of your vendors supplied. Your total cost will vary based on linens, menu choices, and your total guest count. Oakland’s team will handle all the details of your big day while you soak up every beautiful moment. Click here for more information about Oakland Farm’s package options.

Triangle Photographers for Your Microwedding or Elopement

Fancy This Photography is offering a special rate of $1,200 for three hours of coverage for weekend elopements. Coverage includes one main photographer, a set of sneak peek images the very next day after your wedding, and a password-protected online gallery of your images that you can share with all of your family and friends.

Heba Salama has photographed weddings from six people to more than 300 in her more than 10 years in business. All weddings are equally special – guest count aside. Heba loves to focus on each couple individually, and the pandemic hasn’t changed this – rather, it has allowed her to keep focused on the couples, regardless of the logistics. Couples booking Heba’s full package get the benefit of having a smaller event or elopement photographed included with the larger party later. Couples choosing a small wedding or microwedding are invited to explore a new hourly rate, inclusive of coverage and images.

NC Elopement Wedding Photographer, Mark Maya Films & Photography

If you’re considering a microwedding or elopement in North Carolina, Mark Maya is an incredible photographer you won’t want to overlook. Mark is an adventurous photographer who specialized in capturing small weddings and intimate elopements. What’s even more amazing is that Mark is a polished videographer and can capture your wedding on film, too. Mark Maya Photography offers one to multi-day photo and video packages. About 30% of the weddings he captures are small weddings. Mark also loves to travel and will willingly go the extra mile for your destination wedding.