Micro Weddings Don’t Need Witnesses

Firstly, how are you all?

I know this weekend brought news that you probably didn’t want – Lockdown 2.0.

For some, this will mean wedding plans are impacted once again and for this, we are so sorry. Our hearts are with you.

For those of you just starting out on this rather crazy wedding planning journey, I know it all seems a little uncertain searching for and booking your venue right now. But if you’re keen to crack on, and think a smaller, intimate celebration sooner rather than later might be right for you, then this feature is the one.

Katy and Kirsty from Happy Valley, a stylish glamping venue in Norfolk, explain why weddings don’t need many witnesses… Oh and expect and abundance of micro wedding inspiration thanks to recently married couples Fran + Connor and Asha + Tom, beautifully captured by Aurora Grey Photography.

Katy + Kirsty say…

We run our lives to be as efficient and convenient as possible. Long, Sunday roasts exchanged for a fast-food drive-thru, a restful soak in the bath traded for a quick, hot shower and leisurely walks replaced for Fitbit watches and a squeezed-in session at the gym. There are, however, rare ‘lightning bolt’ moments, that throw our efficient, convenient lives off balance for the better.

The beginnings of love are one of these moments; difficult to detect, it’s slow and then all at once. The funny thing is, in any film we watch, book we read, song we hear or experience we’ve had, the crowd always fades into the background. Bystanders become a blur, furniture melts into the walls and everything is stripped back. The only thing that matters is the one person who has brought a riot of colour into our world of grey. We can understand what it’s like to be so struck by one person that no-one else in the room matters – it’s a lightning bolt moment that only has space for one person to shine.

When getting married, could it be possible to return to the scene and keep your person at the centre of your story?

If the love you feel is shared between just you and your other half, could you allow everyone else to take a virtual back seat? If your memory of meeting your person doesn’t include intricate details of a mass audience, could you have a micro wedding without many witnesses? Is it possible to say yes to just one person and let your journey be about the two of you against the world, come what may? If you know that when you look into their eyes, no-one else in the room will shine as bright or make you feel as brave or make your life feel as important, could you live with the rest supporting from the side lines?

Some have answered with a resounding yes. At Happy Valley, we have had the honour and privilege of hosting micro weddings this year and though their numbers are small, their love is mighty. Our hearts have grown, our tear ducts have run dry, and we’ve run low on tissues. Though you might not be able to make out the beaming smiles beneath our masks, the smudging of our mascara is a good indication of what we feel for these couples. Covid has not diminished their love or cancelled their day and when they looked into each other’s eyes, we knew this would be their lightning-bolt moment and they would never even recall us being there.

Covid is not efficient or convenient, it is destructive and messy, but a micro wedding is one for the win against this disease as we see love triumph and happiness prevail.

Venue + Glamping Happy Valley Norfolk

Photography Aurora Grey Photography

Props The Little Lending Co.

Catering Sally Godfrey Afternoon Teas

Fran & Connor’s Wedding (6 guests in total)

Bride’s Dress Enzoani

Flowers Floral Sistas

Hair Michelle Ann Bridal Hair

Makeup Cristina Lazzarotto