Micro-Weddings: The Unexpected Gem of the COVID Era
Discovering the Intimate and Personal Charms of Smaller Gatherings.
Daisy had always dreamed of a wedding fit for a fairy tale—crystal chandeliers, a five-tier cake, and at least three hundred guests. But the universe, it seemed, had other plans. Enter the age of micro-weddings: where the guest list barely hits double digits, and ‘big and flashy’ gets traded for ‘intimate and meaningful’. For Daisy, this was a daunting switch, but little did she know, it was about to become her favorite plot twist.
In the heart of Chicago, there’s an old bookstore called “Hemingway’s Haven.” It’s an enchanting place, with oak shelves lining its walls, filled with books that have seen better days but tell the most magnificent tales. Daisy and her fiancé, Leo, had their first date there, lost amid Austen, Dickens, and Wilde. With large gatherings off the table, Leo whimsically suggested they marry there, surrounded by literary legends. Daisy hesitated at first but then thought, “Why not?”
With just 15 of their closest family and friends, Daisy’s wedding transformed into a tale straight out of a storybook. Guests received vintage book invitations, each one handpicked by the couple based on the recipient’s personality. Aunt Clara, an avid mystery lover, got hers tucked inside an Agatha Christie novel, while Cousin Mike, the sci-fi enthusiast, found his invite within the pages of Asimov.
On the big day, amidst the smell of aged paper and leather, Daisy walked down an aisle made of vintage rugs, with soft jazz filling the air, echoing the bygone era of the 1920s. They exchanged vows under an archway crafted from Shakespearean sonnets, each word chosen for its resonance with their journey.
The dinner, set up in the bookstore’s cozy nook, featured a ‘book and dish’ pairing. ‘Pride and Prejudice’ came with Earl Grey tea and scones, while ‘The Great Gatsby’ was paired with champagne and canapés. The pièce de résistance? A cake designed like a stack of their favorite novels, with each layer telling a different flavor story.
However, the highlight—and the twist—of the evening was the gift Daisy had arranged for Leo. Knowing his adoration for Mark Twain, she had managed to find an original, signed copy of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.” But as Leo unwrapped it, out fell a letter from none other than Twain himself, detailing a short visit to Chicago and an amusing anecdote involving a lost shoe and a mischievous cat. The authenticity of the letter was dubious at best, but its charm was undeniable, adding another layer to their unique love story.
As the night drew to a close, guests departed with custom bookmarks, reminding them of the chapters they’d shared with the couple and the tales yet to be written.
Daisy’s grand ballroom wedding might have been the dream, but her micro-wedding at Hemingway’s Haven was pure magic—proof that sometimes, the universe’s plans are far better than our dreams. It was intimate, personal, and bursting with surprises, much like the best stories in those age-old books.
In the world of COVID-inspired changes, micro-weddings emerged not as a compromise, but as a hidden treasure, revealing that size doesn’t define the grandeur of love stories. After all, the most captivating tales often come in the most unexpected packages.
