In 2020, the pandemic hit the wedding industry like a ton of bricks, with everything coming to a screeching halt. Yet as the vaccines came out at the end of 2020, the industry returned. Many of those canceled/rescheduled events of 2020 came back in a smaller, less traditional form. Hence, the rise of a new generation of weddings: the Micro Wedding, Minimony, and Sequel Wedding.

Here’s a brief rundown of the nuances of the Micro Wedding, the Minimony and the Sequel Wedding.

The Micro Wedding: Is it really just a small wedding?

The name Micro Wedding does imply it is just that: a small wedding. Typically, a Micro Wedding has less than 50 guests. Those types of weddings certainly existed pre-pandemic. So, what makes it a micro-wedding besides the guest list?

Not much.

The Micro Wedding features most, if not all, of the timeless traditions of a standard wedding. So, you have your first dance, parents dance, cake cutting, tossing of the bouquet, last dance and more. The Micro Wedding is simply done in a smaller format. A DJ is just as important to an event whether it is 10 people or 250, as we make announcements, set the mood for dinner, dancing, etc.

How small can a Micro Wedding be and still have a DJ and all the other traditional wedding features? Well, back in December 2020 in Boxborough, MA, we performed and DJ’d at a Micro Wedding for five people. Two of those people were the bride and groom!

While there may be a template for a wedding, it really can be what you want it to be—large, medium or small.

The Minimony:

As the name implies, a Minimony is a mini ceremony. Similar to the Micro Wedding, it typically consists of less than your typical crowd. Let’s say 50 or less—probably much less.

A wedding becomes a Minimony when couples have to change plans regarding the size and possibly the venue of the wedding due to unforeseen circumstances. During the pandemic, many couples kept the wedding date and made it a Minimony/small ceremony and planned a larger event later. That’s known as the Sequel Wedding, and we’ll get to that in a bit.

The DJ’s role at the Minimony is to provide the audio equipment for the officiant so all guests can hear the vows. The DJ will also play special chosen songs for prelude, processionals, interlude, and recessional. To be clear, here’s the definition of those terms:

  • Prelude – the music being played while guests are taking their seats prior to the wedding ceremony.
  • Processional – the music being played while wedding party walks down the aisle.
  • Bridal Processional – the music being played while the bride walks down the aisle.
  • Recessional – the music being played while wedding party exit the ceremony.
  • Postlude – the music being played while guests exit the ceremony.

Things happen, circumstances change. The Minimony may look a little different than the wedding you had in mind. With a DJ providing the equipment and music, it can still sound like your dream wedding.

The Sequel Wedding:

Whether it’s a Minimony, a trip to City Hall, or somewhere else, many couples choose to get married on a date prior to the wedding reception. A friend of mine was telling me about a wedding in France he attended where the couple married at City Hall the day before the church wedding (the reception followed the church wedding). So, the Sequel Wedding was around long before Covid. During the pandemic, it’s become quite common.

What does the Sequel wedding look like? It can take on a number of forms. Essentially, it’s a wedding without the wedding where guests arrive at the reception venue. The event then follows the typical sequence of activities—cocktail hour, arrival of the wedding couple, dinner, dancing, etc. The only real difference might be that the wedding couple might partake in more of the cocktail hour as they will have already had wedding day photos.

Whether it’s a five-person or a 250+ Sequel Wedding event, the DJ plays, figuratively and literally, a prominent role in setting the mood, providing instructions and keeping your event lively and fun.

During the pandemic, you’ve often heard the phrase “new normal.” For the wedding industry, the Micro Wedding, Minimony and Sequel Wedding have become part of the new normal. Yet in many ways, these things already existed. Regardless of when these things started, DJ Dave Gilman will be there to play and get your party started. Contact us today by filling out our contact form.