How to Plan a Small or Micro Wedding in Wales – A Practical Guide for 2027
A relaxed, practical guide to getting married in Wales with just a handful of your favourite people.
You love the idea of getting married, but perhaps a big, traditional wedding doesn’t feel quite right for you.
Maybe you’d rather spend the day with your closest family and friends, somewhere beautiful, without a packed schedule or a hundred things to organise. A lovely little ceremony, a few drinks, some good food and time to actually enjoy being together. Maybe a wander along the coast or into the mountains afterwards. If that sounds like your kind of wedding day, a small or micro wedding in Wales might be exactly what you’re looking for.
I’m a North Wales elopement and small wedding photographer, and over the years I’ve photographed some wonderfully personal celebrations. From intimate ceremonies at historic Welsh venues to picnics in the mountains and spontaneous wedding meals on the beach. One thing I’ve learned is that you really don’t need to fill your wedding day with lots of activities to make it special.
Here’s how to plan a small wedding in Wales, with a few practical tips and some inspiration from couples who’ve done things their own way.
What is a micro wedding?
A micro wedding is simply a wedding with a small number of guests, usually somewhere around 10–30 people, although there’s no official definition. Some couples invite just their parents and siblings. Others have a handful of close friends, their children or a few more family members. The lovely thing is that you can still include all the parts of a wedding that matter to you, without feeling like you need to organise a big celebration. You might have a legal ceremony, flowers, a beautiful outfit, a lovely meal and photographs of everyone together. Or you might keep things much simpler. It’s entirely up to you.
What’s the difference between a micro wedding and an elopement?
Traditionally, eloping meant getting married secretly, often with nobody else there. These days, elopements are much more about choosing an intimate, personal wedding experience. Some couples elope alone, while others invite a few of their closest people. A micro wedding usually includes a slightly larger group of family and friends, but there’s plenty of overlap. Personally, I don’t think you need to worry too much about labels. Whether there are two of you or twenty, what matters is creating a wedding day that suits you.
Why have a small wedding in Wales?
Well, for starters, Wales is ridiculously beautiful! We’ve got mountains, lakes, ancient woodlands, quiet valleys, gorgeous beaches and miles of coastline. There are so many lovely places to explore, and you don’t need to spend your entire wedding day in one location.
You could get legally married at a small historic venue, enjoy cake and a glass of something lovely with your family, then head off for a quiet walk together. Or perhaps you’d prefer a relaxed ceremony followed by lunch with everyone, a few photographs outdoors and a cosy evening at your accommodation. And if you’re bringing your dog(s) or kid(s) along, there are plenty of ways to include them in the celebrations too.
A smaller wedding gives you the freedom to choose what matters most, rather than feeling obliged to follow every wedding tradition.
How to plan a small or micro wedding in Wales
1. Start with how you want your day to feel
Before looking at venues, suppliers or wedding decorations, think about how you’d actually like to spend the day. Do you want something quiet and intimate? A relaxed celebration with family? A little time outdoors? A lovely meal somewhere afterwards?
Think about the things you enjoy doing together in everyday life. If you’re happiest walking in the mountains, spending time by the sea or having long lunches with your favourite people, there’s absolutely no reason those things can’t be part of your wedding day. You don’t need to fill every hour with wedding activities.
Sometimes a little breathing space is exactly what makes a day so enjoyable.
2. Decide who you’d really like to have there
This can be one of the trickier parts of planning a small wedding. Once you start inviting people, it’s easy for the guest list to grow. My advice? Start with the people you genuinely can’t imagine getting married without. Perhaps that’s your parents, siblings, children or a few very close friends. Keeping the guest list small means more time with everyone, fewer logistics to organise and a little more flexibility when choosing somewhere to celebrate.
And yes, dogs (and kids!) absolutely count as important wedding guests in my book!
3. Choose somewhere lovely for your ceremony
One of the nicest things about planning a small wedding in Wales is that you don’t necessarily need a large, traditional wedding venue. There are beautiful little places where you can have a legal ceremony with just a handful of people.
Penarth Fawr on the Llŷn Peninsula
One of my favourite places for intimate weddings is Penarth Fawr, a beautiful historic house on the Llŷn Peninsula. It’s full of character, wonderfully atmospheric and particularly lovely for couples who want a simple ceremony before heading off to explore the coast. I’ve photographed lots and lots of small weddings here, and every couple has made the day their own.
Registry offices
A registry office can be a brilliant option if you’d rather keep the legal part of your wedding simple. You could have a short ceremony with your witnesses and closest family, then spend the rest of your day somewhere completely different. Add a lovely lunch, a mountain walk, a picnic beside a lake or a few hours exploring the coast to make it completely your own.
Small wedding venues and accommodation
There are also beautiful barns, country houses and smaller venues across Wales that may suit an intimate celebration. If you’re considering a particular venue, ask about guest numbers, ceremony arrangements, accommodation and whether they offer smaller wedding options. You might be surprised by what’s possible!
4. Understand the legal requirements for getting married in Wales
This is an important one, particularly if you’re dreaming of exchanging vows somewhere outdoors. In England and Wales, a legal civil marriage normally takes place at a register office or an approved venue, with a registrar present. Outdoor civil ceremonies can also take place in suitable areas within the grounds of approved premises, subject to the necessary permissions and arrangements. But you can’t simply choose a mountain summit, secluded beach or woodland clearing and have a legally recognised civil marriage there.
The good news? You can separate the legal ceremony from your personal vows.
For example, you could get legally married at Penarth Fawr or a registry office with your family, then head into the mountains to exchange private vows together. You can write your own promises, take your time and choose somewhere that means something to you. For most civil marriages, you’ll need to give notice at least 29 days before your ceremony. Some circumstances, particularly involving immigration requirements, can mean a longer process. You’ll also need two witnesses for your legal ceremony. If you’re travelling from overseas, check the relevant marriage and immigration requirements well in advance.
For the latest official information, visit the GOV.UK marriage and civil partnership guidance.
5. Plan a relaxed wedding-day timeline
One of the biggest advantages of having a small wedding is not having to squeeze everything into a traditional wedding schedule. You can leave time for the things that matter to you.
For example, your day might look something like this:
10:00 am – A slow morning getting ready at your accommodation.
12:00 pm – Your legal ceremony with family and friends.
12:30 pm – Drinks, cake, congratulations and some relaxed family photographs.
2:00 pm – Lunch together or a little celebration somewhere nearby.
4:00 pm – Head off for a coastal walk, explore a favourite location or exchange private vows outdoors.
6:00 pm – A few photographs in the evening light before heading back for dinner.
Of course, that’s just one example. Depending on what time of year you’re getting married, your day might start much earlier, finish much later or involve absolutely nothing more adventurous than a lovely lunch with your favourite people. I’d also recommend keeping travel distances realistic. Wales might look small on a map, but winding country roads, busy summer routes and mountain weather can make journeys take longer than expected. A little flexibility goes a long way.
6. Decide what you’d like to spend your money on
A smaller guest list doesn’t automatically mean a cheap wedding, but it does give you more freedom to choose where your budget goes. You might decide that photography, beautiful accommodation and a really lovely meal are your priorities. Or perhaps you’d rather spend less on decorations and put more towards a few days exploring Wales together. Think about what you’ll genuinely enjoy and want to remember. You can still have flowers, a cake, special outfits and all the lovely little wedding details if you want them. You just adjust everything to suit your budget and don’t need to include anything because you feel you’re supposed to.
7. Make room for the unexpected
This is one of my favourite things about smaller weddings. When you’re not working around a huge guest list and a tightly packed schedule, there’s often a little more room for spontaneity. Take H&Sadie, for example. They planned their small wedding at Penarth Fawr in just a couple of months, with their closest family and friends. After their ceremony, there was Bollinger, homemade carrot cake baked by S’s mum and a trip to the beach. And completely by chance, they stumbled across an RNLI fundraiser where they ended up having burgers for their wedding meal!
The afternoon was spent playing games on the sand, enjoying everyone’s company and making the most of being by the sea. Such a lovely, wholesome way to spend a wedding day.
Click here to read Harry & Sadie’s full small wedding story at Penarth Fawr.
8. Think about the Welsh weather
If you’re planning anything outdoors in Wales, it’s worth being prepared for a little bit of everything. You might have beautiful sunshine, low cloud drifting through the mountains, rain or all three in the space of an afternoon. But that doesn’t mean your plans have to be ruined. Choose clothing and footwear that work for your plans, have somewhere sheltered to retreat to and be open to adjusting your timeline if necessary.
If you’re planning private vows in the mountains, I’d recommend having a couple of possible locations rather than relying on one particular spot. Sometimes a sheltered valley or a quiet lakeside can be just as beautiful as a mountain viewpoint. And the slightly unpredictable weather is part of what makes the Welsh landscape so lovely.
9. Include your dog(s) if you want to
If your dogs are a big part of your life, you might not be able to imagine getting married without them. And why should you? A small wedding can make it much easier to include them, particularly if you’re planning time outdoors afterwards. Just think about what would work best for your dog. An energetic collie might love a long walk in the mountains, while an older dog might be much happier with a gentle wander beside a lake. Check your venue and accommodation’s dog policies, consider having someone responsible for your dog during the ceremony (they are allowed to roam free at Penarth Fawr :)) and make sure you’ve planned around their comfort and needs. After all, it’s their day out too!
Real small and micro weddings in Wales
If you’re wondering what a small wedding in Wales actually looks like, here are two lovely examples.
H&S – A relaxed small wedding at Penarth Fawr
Family, friends, Bollinger, homemade carrot cake and a completely unexpected wedding meal supporting the RNLI. H&S’s day is a brilliant reminder that you don’t need a complicated schedule to have a wonderful wedding. Their ceremony at Penarth Fawr was followed by beach games, burgers and a sunset walk.
View Harry & Sadie’s wedding story.
H&F – A winter micro wedding on the Llŷn Peninsula
H&F chose an intimate winter wedding at Penarth Fawr, with their dachshund Gus joining the celebrations. Their day included a legal ceremony, dinner in Abersoch and a wonderfully atmospheric adventure along the Llŷn Peninsula coast. A lovely example of how beautiful and personal a small winter wedding in Wales can be.
Read Holly & Fab’s winter micro wedding at Penarth Fawr.
Frequently asked questions about small weddings in Wales
How many guests can you have at a micro wedding?
There’s no official number, but micro weddings commonly have around 10–30 guests. Some have fewer, and some have a few more. The right number is whatever works for you, your chosen venue and the sort of celebration you’d like.
Can you have a legal outdoor wedding in Wales?
Yes, at certain approved premises where outdoor civil ceremonies are permitted, and the appropriate arrangements have been agreed. However, a legal civil ceremony can’t simply take place anywhere in the mountains, on a beach or in a forest. You can still exchange symbolic or private vows in those places, provided you have any necessary permissions and follow local access rules.
Can we get married at a registry office and celebrate somewhere else?
Absolutely! It’s a lovely option for couples who want to keep the legal ceremony simple and spend the rest of their wedding day doing something more personal. You could have a small ceremony with your closest people, then head off for a meal, a coastal walk or some private vows in the mountains.
How quickly can we plan a small wedding in Wales?
Potentially within a few months, depending on your circumstances, venue availability and the legal notice requirements. H&S planned theirs in around two months. If you’re hoping to get married sooner rather than later, I’ve also written a guide to Planning a simple wedding quickly in the UK.
Do we need a full-day wedding photographer for a micro wedding?
Not necessarily. If you’re having a small ceremony followed by a relaxed celebration or a little time outdoors, shorter photography coverage might suit your plans beautifully. The important thing is choosing enough time to enjoy everything without feeling rushed.
Planning your own small wedding in Wales?
If you’ve made it this far, hopefully you’re starting to see just how much freedom you have when planning a small wedding. You can have your family and friends there, include your dogs, enjoy a beautiful ceremony and still make plenty of time for the things you love doing together. And you don’t need to turn it into a big production.
I’m based in North Wales and photograph elopements and very small weddings across Eryri (Snowdonia), the Llŷn Peninsula, Anglesey and the surrounding areas. Alongside photographing your day, I can help with finding lovely locations, putting together a relaxed timeline and working out how to make everything fit together.
If you’re looking for a little more information about my approach, take a look at my small wedding photography in North Wales page. Or, if you’ve already got a few ideas, get in touch and tell me what you’re planning.
I’d love to hear about it.
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