The Growing Trend for Minimonies
When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit in early 2020 it more or less stopped the traditional wedding industry in its tracks as mass gatherings were forbidden. Many couples were forced to cancel or at least postpone their weddings. However, others were determined that while their big wedding plans were canceled, their love for one another was not and they would find other ways to tie the knot! For those couples, so-called ‘Minimonies’ became the hero of the hour!
You might be wondering what exactly ‘minimonies’ are, but this is actually a topic that I have touched on in the past when discussing alternative names for elopements and small weddings! The new buzzword is a portmanteau that combines ‘mini’ and ‘ceremonies’ to create a new way to describe small and intimate wedding ceremonies. The new terminology began trending on Google Trends in late Spring, around the same time there was a spike in Google searches for ‘elopement’ and ‘micro wedding’.
How Did the Trend for Minimonies Get Started?
I recently read an article on AZ Central regarding the growing trend for minimonies and micro weddings and how it got started. It focused on some of the small weddings that have been hosted in Arizona throughout the pandemic. It seems to suggest that these were among the first minimonies to spark the trend. However, what they were describing were elopements and micro weddings. Just like those we have been helping to plan for many names! As show in this article from The Knot, the minimonies trend did not start in 2020 – it just went mainstream and took on a catchy new name!
As described in my latest book BIG Weddings SUCK!, minimony is the same as any other elopement, mini wedding, tiny wedding, micro wedding, and so on. It takes the full traditional wedding experience and strips it down to a more intimate affair with fewer guests.
How Safe is it to Host a Wedding?
The latest guidance from the CDC states that during gatherings such as weddings it’s important to observe proper social distancing. This can be achieved by keeping a minimum of 6 feet between people from other households. Masks also need to be worn and it is recommended that you should be outdoors if possible. It is also advised that you should not travel out of your local area for gatherings to avoid spreading COVID-19. Even with such guidance being followed there is always a risk, that is why many states have capped gathering numbers. The fewer people in the gathering, the smaller the risk, especially indoors where you have less room to socially distance. Minimonies give couples an opportunity to make their wedding safer without missing the experience of a proper wedding day.