Planning a micro wedding in Europe. It’s intimate. It’s intentional. It’s you.
Surrounded by your closest people, in a place that feels like it was made just for this moment.
But here’s what most people don’t tell you: planning that perfect little celebration on the other side of the ocean? It’s rarely as effortless as it looks.
The options? Endless.
The details? Complicated.
The risk of booking the wrong place and wasting time (and money)?
Very real.
Planning a micro wedding in Europe is much more than just picking a pretty spot. This is a good place to start. In this blog you will find expert advice from Southern Europe’s leading micro wedding planner with valuable tips and time saving ideas. You’ll also learn some general terms and suggestions that can be applied to any micro wedding.
What is a Micro Wedding, really?
You’ve probably heard the term, but let’s be honest: internet is full of mixed definitions. But most wedding world professional agree that:
A Micro Wedding is up to 30 guests.
Is small enough to keep things personal and big enough to still feel like a celebration!
Has the incredible decor, beautiful surroundings, exquisite food and heartfelt moments without the overwhelming logistics of a 200-person event.
It’s not just about scaling things down, it’s about finding the sweetness of life in authentic connection and shared experiences.
Mallorca
Tuscany
Paris
Step 1
Choose your destination with care.
When it comes to the best micro wedding destinations in Europe there is no shortage of postcard-worthy options to match your vision and personality…
An Arabesque villa with views of the Amalfi Coast.
An elegant château in the French countryside.
A rustic hillside finca in Mallorca.
A whitewashed hideaway on a remote Greek island.
But behind every glossy venue photo is a reality check:
How far is the airport?
Are there hotels actually worth staying in?
Is it more expensive?
What reliable vendors will go there?
These are the big questions that can make or break your European micro wedding and they’re exactly why insider expertise matters. Here are some of the first things we consider when discussing destination with our clients:
How long with your guests have to travel? Ideally guests can get direct or one-stop flights to the nearest airport plus not more than 90 minute drive to the venue.
What is the weather like in that destination at the time you want to get married? Beware seasonal winds and prohibitively high July & August temperatures.
Does that destination have a plethora of venues you want? If you want a formal 18th century château, you won’t find it in Greece.
What does the destination mean to you? Your whole experience will be more meaningful if you choose a destination with personal significance.
Is that place good at that time of year? If your dates are fixed, choose a destination that celebrates that season. Dont do Provence in winter.
Step 2
Know What It Really Costs.
Let’s talk about money for a moment. Yes, fewer guests can mean more room in the budget for fabulous flowers. But here’s the thing:
Besides the wedding dinner and party, there are travel related costs plus the price of vendors, suppliers, materials and delivery which means your destination choice will greatly affect these costs.
Cookie cutter all-inclusive micro wedding packages in Europe do exist, and that might be a good route for you if personalization is not important. But the truly memorable experiences are made to order.
The magic is in the personal details and those details deserve thoughtful planning so they are executed in a timely manner. It’s sad when good ideas get lost in the shuffle on game day or the lead up to game day. Have a plan in place for day-of execution or much of the time and effort you spent on planning will be wasted.
We cant give precise prices until we know precisely what you want but the following are the absolute minimum (I mean who drinks only one glass of champagne at a wedding?) costs for a simple wedding you can use for reference to compare our most requested destinations. For a 20 guest wedding ceremony with 4 floral medium arrangements and bridal bouquet, 1 glass of champagne, 1 hour cocktail + 3 canapés + bar rental + bartender, 3 course dinner + 2 glasses of wine, with 4 small floral arrangements, cake from local baker, 2 hour open bar no DJ for after party all with simple decor including venue hire:
20,600€ ~ Paris (less than 1 hour from city)
19,100€ ~ French Riviera (coastal, less than 1 hour from airport)
18,100€ ~ Provence (less than 1 hour from airport)
16,100€ ~ Provence (more than 1 hour from airport)
16,900€ ~ Bordeaux (less than 1 hour from city)
17,500€ ~ Loire Valley (around Tours)
17,200€ ~ Tuscany (Chianti between Florence & Sienna)
15,900€ ~ Tuscany (south of Sienna)
21,600€ ~ Amalfi Coast
19,100€ ~ Lake Como
15,100€ ~ Sicily
24,200€ ~ Santorini
17,500€ ~ Mykonos
15,600€ ~ Crete (less than 1 hour from airport)
19,100€ ~ Paros
16,200€ ~ Mallorca
17,900€ ~ Portugal (around Lisbon)
Step 3
Be Picky about venues.
Finding micro wedding venues in Europe might feel like falling down a rabbit hole. There is so much to choose from (France has 45,000 castles) and so much diversity in appearance, vibe, cost and potential.
The beautiful part? Europe is filled with hidden gems.
The tricky part? Not all of them are created equal.
Here’s what we look for in a micro wedding venue:
Privacy because this isn’t a tourist attraction, it’s your wedding day. You’ll want a venue you can privatize or semi-privatize.
Comfort your guests should love where they’re staying just as much as the ceremony itself. This means air-conditioning, en-suite bathrooms and wifi - not always on the menu in Europe.
Local connections experienced vendors who know the area, the venue and the little details that make everything run smoothly.
Location because "remote" sounds charming… until it means all your vendors are charging 1000€ for travel costs.
Where to find the best micro wedding venues in Europe? Many of the most remarkable venues for intimate events are private estates that you won’t find on Google, but they do exist, if you know where to look. How do you know it’s the right one? Here are some tips to do your due diligence:
Make a check list of the amenities you want in order of importance and identify the deal-breaker must-haves.
Check the reviews and see what other people are saying about that venue.
Search online for wedding photos of that venue to see how it looks in photos by a professional wedding photographer. If the venue doesn’t look good in these photos, it’s never going to look good for your wedding.
Make sure the venue has appropriate spaces for each part of your celebration; welcome dinner, ceremony, cocktail, wedding dinner, dance party, day-after brunch, pool party…
Hire a professional that knows the destination to find the perfect place saving you time and avoiding expensive mistakes.
Photo by Jessica Feiden
Photo by Molly Carr
Photo by Molly Carr
Step 4
Find the right team.
Finding the best vendors for a wedding in Europe is essential to have your vision come to life on cue. Obviously, look for professionals with a proven track record, good google reviews and who serve your destination. But with so many to choose from, how do you find the right ones? From the make-up artist that gets your idea of pretty to the photographer that puts you at ease in front of the lens, it’s also important to find vendors that are a good personality match for you and your beloved.
Ideally you’ll find local vendors who dont have to fly in from far away to serve your dream. This can be tricky because vendors may show a lot of pictures of Tuscany on their social media, but actually you have to pay for them to fly from California. On the other hand, some non-local vendors may be very motivated to work in that destination and be willing to waive their travel costs.
Step 5
Don’t just plan a day,
curate the Experience.
Planning a European micro wedding isn’t just about the ceremony.
It’s a destination experience:
Arrival drinks on a terrace with a view.
A private boat ride along the coast.
A welcome dinner under the stars.
A crazy-fun pool party the day after with your favorite people.
You’re asking your best people to travel overseas to celebrate with you. Make it worth their time with enticing local flavor. Maybe this means a wine tasting and winery visit or a perfuming making workshop or a vintage car rally. You’ll have faster RSVPs and a deeper connection with your guests when you can share a variety of cherished memories. Coordinating all of that across countries, languages, currencies and time zones, does mean work, but with the right connections, an understanding of local logistics, a lot of patience (European vendors and venues are slower to respond) and a little creative thinking you’ll have a irrestiatble itinerary that will mark a milestone in your family life.
WE GOT THIS:
The truth? You could spend hours researching venues, second-guessing hotel options, worrying about flights, figuring out local vendors, fumbling currency exchanges and timelines… Or you could have an expert who already knows the ins and outs of European micro weddings handle it for you.
Travellur Weddings designs small, bespoke weddings in France, Italy, Mallorca, Morocco, Croatia and Greece for couples who want the experience to feel personal, elevated, and entirely unforgettable without the anxiety. We know the good, the bad and the ugly venues. We know which vendors are truly local and which one will happen to be in the area shooting a wedding the week before and will not charge a travel fee. We know which cake will not melt at your beach wedding. We know what time the ceremony should be for your June wedding in Provence and why you dont want to have a wedding in Mykonos in August. Learn more about our Mirco Wedding planning service here with prices starting at 3995€. See some of our past event here.
Moreover, our travel planning team at Travellur can provide seamless travel planning for you and your guests from the moment your flight lands and create a spectacular honeymoon itinerary for you after the wedding.
Visit us at @travellurweddings on Instagram to see what we’re up to and scroll through the "Destinations" highlight see our favorite wedding destinations where venues and vendors and plentiful and flights are easy. From the first "we’re thinking about Europe" conversation to the last glass of champagne, we’ll help you find the sweetness of life, minus the hassle and expensive missteps. Schedule your complimentary 30-minute consultation and let’s see if we’re the right fit to bring your European micro wedding to life.
If you liked what you read here and want to support ad-free content, share this blog with your friends and leave a comment. It really helps us.
All photos copyrighted.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE…
Lavender Elopement
Let Travellur help you plan your magical Lavender elopement
Need a romantic escape or honeymoon? We deliver romantic itineraries!
Thinking to make a stop in Paris? Check out our blog for ideas à deux.