MATIASGUARRO

The picture of marriage these days less often evokes imagery of opulent bouquets and fancy soirees.

With the rising cost of living and current and incoming tariffs, grandiose functions more often are taking a back seat to other expenses, like a honeymoon.

Instead, engaged couples, led by Generation-Z, are increasingly turning to the sensible cousin of a blowout ceremony, the “micro-wedding.”

Couples Dropping Big Ceremonies, Not Marriage

While the average wedding ceremony in 2025 (pre-tariffs) cost an engaged couple around $33,000, according to wedding website The Knot, frugal couples are looking for meaning elsewhere in their nuptials.

Also, newlyweds are increasingly trading large ceremonies for more intimate gatherings, with the average guest count down from 184 in 2006 to 131 in 2024, as reported by Axios, citing The Wedding Report.

Even though weddings are shrinking, people still want to get married. An August 2025 Pew Research Center survey found that 59% of LGBTQ+ U.S. adults under 50 who have never married say they want to get married someday, and non-LGBTQ+ respondents in the same age range echo similar sentiments at 63%.

And couples ready to marry are opting to get hitched with micro-weddings, or eloping at city hall.

Pinterest’s wedding trends report found that city hall ceremonies have become a “full-blown aesthetic” driven by Gen-Z.

The platform found that micro-wedding inspiration made headway, with a 128% search increase for “city hall wedding dress,” 190% on “city hall elopement,” and 637% on “civil ceremony photography.”

Even celebrities are tapping into the trend. British pop-star Charli XCX tied the knot with The 1975’s George Daniel at London’s Hackney Town Hall in July.

Pinterest isn’t an anomaly, either. Google search results for “courthouse wedding” have increased over the last decade and now are at an all-time high.

The Best Ways To Save for a Micro-Wedding

While city hall weddings are certainly much cheaper than the average affair, they’re not free. It can still cost a small fortune to arrange the big day. After all, the city hall wedding attire and civil ceremony photographer won’t be free. Couples can save for their ceremony in several accounts:

• Joint checking account: This type of account is for shared expenses (rent, mortgage, utilities, groceries, weddings) that can simplify budgeting and eliminate the need for transfers and reimbursements. Partners can monitor and share responsibility for funds in the account easily and with transparency.
• High-yield savings account (HYSA): These accounts offer higher interest yields than standard savings accounts.
• Certificate of deposit (CD): CDs offer similar interest rates to HYSAs but are often meant for long-term savings, as funds cannot be removed for a fixed term. The upside is that accountholders lock in a fixed annual percentage yield (APY) that helps their money grow steadily. CDs can be a great option for those who are planning a micro-wedding or saving for a honeymoon.