Micro-wedding ceremonies
Up to 30 guests. A fully ceremonial wedding, shaped around the people who matter most and nothing else.
- 5 000+ ceremonies officiated
- Licensed marriage officers
- Johannesburg and Pretoria specialists
- Couples from across South Africa
What is a micro-wedding?
A micro-wedding is a small, fully ceremonial wedding — typically between 10 and 30 guests — where the focus is entirely on the quality of the ceremony rather than the scale of the event. It is a legal civil wedding in every sense. You leave married. The ceremony is real. The guests are your actual people.
What you leave behind is the rest: the obligation to invite people out of duty, the logistics of a large event, the weeks of coordination for a hundred guests. A micro-wedding keeps the ceremony and removes the overwhelm.
Why couples choose this format
We have officiated over 5 000 ceremonies. One pattern that shows up clearly: couples with small, intentional weddings tend to remember the ceremony better. When the room is full of people who genuinely love you, who were there because you chose them rather than because tradition demanded it, the ceremony carries a different weight.
A micro-wedding is not a budget compromise. It is a deliberate choice to have a wedding that fits who you actually are rather than what a wedding is supposed to look like.
The ceremony itself
We write a ceremony script that reflects your relationship — your story, your values, the specific things that make you work as a couple. Guests do not sit through a generic ceremony with your names swapped in. They sit through something that was clearly written for you.
The legal requirements for a micro-wedding are the same as any civil wedding. Both parties and two adult witnesses sign the DHA-24 register. We submit it after the ceremony. Your marriage is legally valid from the moment of signing.
Where can a micro-wedding be held?
Anywhere suitable for 10 to 30 guests — a private garden, a small venue, a restaurant with a private dining room, a wine estate, a loft space in the city. We work across Johannesburg and Pretoria. See our location pages:
Documents you need
The same requirements as any legal civil wedding apply. See the documents checklist for what to bring. If either of you is a foreign national, read the foreigners guide well before your ceremony date.
A room of thirty people who chose to be there is more powerful than two hundred people who felt they had to be. Keep it small. Make it count.
Micro-wedding questions
What is the difference between a micro-wedding and an elopement?
An elopement is typically just the two of you and your two required witnesses — no additional guests. A micro-wedding includes a guest list, usually between 10 and 30 people, and has more ceremony structure around it — a procession, guest seating, readings, perhaps a wedding party. Both are legal civil marriages.
Can we have a micro-wedding at a non-traditional venue?
Yes. We have officiated micro-weddings in private gardens, art galleries, restaurant private rooms, rooftop spaces, and heritage buildings. If it can comfortably hold 10 to 30 guests and we can travel to it, it works.
Is a micro-wedding legally recognised?
Yes, fully. A micro-wedding is a legal civil marriage. We are licensed marriage officers and we complete the official DHA-24 register on the day. There is no legal difference between a micro-wedding and a ceremony with two hundred guests.
Can we include cultural or religious elements?
Yes. The legal requirements are what they are — identity documents, two witnesses, a licensed marriage officer, the official declaration of consent. Everything else in the ceremony is up to you. Cultural elements, religious readings, traditional rituals, and interfaith content are all welcome.
What's included
- Initial consultation to understand your vision and confirm documents
- Custom ceremony script written around you as a couple
- Licensed marriage officer for the full duration of the ceremony
- Legal marriage registration — DHA-24 register completed and submitted
- Vow guidance and example wording
- Ceremony structure planning — music cues, procession, readings
- Guidance for guest roles and the ceremony flow
- Pre-ceremony run-through for the wedding party
Planning a micro-wedding?
Tell us your date, venue, and who you are planning to invite. We will help you build a ceremony worth having.