Planning a Microwedding or Elopement

Small Wedding and Elopement Packages from Our NC Vendors

From historic mansions in the Piedmont to barn venues nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina is an ideal destination to host weddings of any size. In the past few years, however, small weddings, microweddings and even elopements have boomed in popularity. 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 reading to learn about a few of the best small wedding and elopement packages in North Carolina from our recommended venues

First things first. If you’re starting your search for your dream North Carolina wedding venue, you’ll want to explore our wedding venue booking guide. This tool will help you choose an NC wedding venue best suited to the size, style and specific needs 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 have a smaller guest count than a traditional wedding, there are key differences in how we use these terms. Many people think of elopements as spur-of-the-moment events. 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. But, some modern couples put more planning into an elopement than historically would be the norm.

Without hundreds or even dozens of guests to consider, you’ll be free to have that mountaintop or destination ceremony you’ve dreamed of. Many couples enjoy having the freedom to plan their wedding exactly how they want, without feeling pressure from family or friends to do things a certain way. Post-pandemic, it’s also become popular to elope or tie the knot during a mini ceremony, with a larger celebration with guests to follow.

The term microwedding generally refers to a ceremony of 50 or fewer guests. Why choose a microwedding? With a smaller guest count, you can certainly save money compared to a larger affair. 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 a truly 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 250 guests. Microweddings are also suited to intimate venues, like an upscale restaurant or even your family home. These venue options are not suitable for large-scale weddings.

Our Favorite Microwedding Ideas

  • Splurge on a custom stationer. With fewer invitations to send out, take the opportunity to spend a little more to make them extra 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 custom options our recommended vendors such as Revel NC and Small Batch Gallery + Goods offer. You can even have your baker create personalized treats! We love the idea of mini cakes for each guest, or ask your baker to stencil each guest’s name on a macaron.

Elopement Packages at Heights House Hotel

Heights House Hotel offers a one-night elopement buyout for Sunday-Thursday dates for guest counts of 25 and under. Heights House’s elopement 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 Wedding Special Packages at The Distillery

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

Microweddings and Elopements at The Museum of Life & Science

The Museum of Life & Science is one of our favorite Durham event venues, and we’re so excited they have a special rental package just for microweddings! The Intimate Wonder Wedding package is a three-hour rental option that allows you to choose from two of the museum’s main event areas: the Butterfly House or indoor exhibits at the Main Building. You’ll enjoy a cake, chairs, tables, florals, heavy hors d’oeuvres and more, plus guidance from the museum’s venue coordinator and support staff.

Intimate Events at The Matthews House

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!

Raleigh Microweddings at Whitaker & Atlantic

At Whitaker & Atlantic – Raleigh’s posh warehouse 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). This fee includes a three-hour rental with an additional hour of rehearsal time during the week of your event. You’ll also have access to 60″ round tables, basic linens, china, stemware and flatware plus chairs and cocktail tables.

At Whitaker & Atlantic, your custom menu by in-house caterer PoshNosh Catering can include two passed hors d’oeuvres for cocktail hour and a seasonal dinner menu with a chicken or pork entrée, two sides, a salad and bread and butter. A three-hour open bar with beer and wine is included, plus staffing for your event to include servers, bartenders, and a facility manager for the event.

If you want to upgrade your Whitaker & Atlantic microwedding, choose a specialty cocktail for $9-$13 per serving, basic full or premium full bar (pricing upon request), additional hors d’oeuvres for $10 per person/per addition or other special menu options. You can also add rental time for a rate of $1000 per hour.

Small Wedding and Microwedding Packages at Oakland Farm

Oakland Farm has special all-inclusive packages just for microweddings! Have your intimate celebration at this sprawling farm. These packages are designed for up 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 available. Choose from a six-hour microwedding rental for up to 25 guests, or 10-hour small wedding rental for up to 50. The small wedding package includes rentals, florals, your officiant, dessert, entertainment and beer and wine vendor in the rental fee, which starts at $17,000.

Your total cost will vary based on your exact selections and guest count, but these all-inclusive microwedding packages are a fantastic way to streamline planning and enjoy celebrating with your closest loved ones at a beautiful venue! Oakland’s team will handle all the details of your big day while you soak up every beautiful moment.

Triangle Photographers for Your Microwedding or Elopement

downtown Durham engagement photo session

Fancy This Photography offers hourly coverage for $475 per hour for small weddings and 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.

JoLynn Photography offers microwedding and elopement photography starting at two hours of coverage. Events must be within a 90-minute radius of Raleigh and on a non-Saturday, and packages start at $2,000.

If you’re seeking an elopement photographer who will provide an exceptional experience, we recommend inquiring with Joe Payne Photography. Joe offers weekday elopement photography starting at $1,995. But, he only takes on a limited number of weddings per year to give his clients the best possible care and attention. So if you’re interested, don’t wait to reach out to reach out!

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.

More Elopement and Microwedding Packages at NC Wedding Venues

Microweddings 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 package takes all the work out of your wedding planning experience. It’s perfect if you want 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). It also includes your ceremony officiant and a seasonal floral package. This package is for up to 30 guests and 6 hours of rental time with add-on options.

C&D Events and The Parlour at Manns 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 specifically for this beautiful chapel, this wedding day is an intimate gathering complete with design and vendor planning provided.

Mountain Elopements at Overlook Barn

Overlook Barn offers 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.

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