Like any newly-engaged couple, Amber and Jake Rainbow imagined their wedding to be extravagant.
The couple, from Victoria, envisioned a big celebration at a fancy venue with “all the bells and whistles” — but what they ended up with was a “totally different outcome”.
A positive pregnancy test sparked the idea to ditch their lavish $60,000 wedding plans for an intimate ceremony of just 30 guests.
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The bride, 25, and her groom, 29, tied the knot in their dream micro wedding in June 2023 — costing just less than $15,000.
“We couldn’t have really asked for a better day,” Amber tells 7Life.
“We got to have everyone we loved there, we got to have the wedding party, it was really relaxed, calm and just fun. It was everything we could have dreamed of.”
After becoming engaged, the pair began looking at a big wedding — with costs rounding up to between $50,000 and $60,000.
They didn’t have a budget in mind but, with the rising cost of living, the opulent wedding they wanted was getting far-fetched.
“The high cost made us stressed and honestly made us not want to worry about a wedding,” the mum explains.
“Then, a positive pregnancy test changed all that… We felt like we were never actually going to get a wedding because the costs ended up being so high.
“It was upsetting and a lot of pressure.”
With a baby on the way, the pair looked into a downscaled celebration to cut costs.
In Australia, the average cost of a wedding is upwards of $65,000.
Micro weddings, which can start from as little as $5000, have become increasingly popular in recent years — with Narvi Jewellery identifying a growing trend of couples opting for smaller ceremonies.
The top three states with the biggest demand for ‘micro weddings’ are Queensland (+57.14 per cent), NSW (+20.68 per cent) and Victoria (+19.35 per cent) with searches significantly increasing year-on-year.
“The prices of a regular wedding are becoming pretty unrealistic for the average couple,” Amber says.
They discovered a micro wedding was the perfect option after they started researching elopement.
The couple opted for a smaller, more intimate ceremony at Amber’s parents’ property, followed by a cocktail-style reception.
“My favourite part about having a micro wedding was that it wasn’t overwhelming,” she says.
“It was really intimate and special, and we were able to give our time and attention to each person who came because you didn’t have 100 different people pulling at you.
“The only challenge I found was finding catering companies that would cater to under 100 people, especially getting them to travel to the (Mornington) Peninsula at a decent price.”
Here, Amber shares her budgeting secrets to keeping her dream wedding under $15,000.
Mini nuptial
Amber and Jake planned a mini nuptial in front of just 30 guests.
“We had a micro wedding which was through an elopement company,” she says.
“That cut the cost dramatically. We paid $750 for the celebrant, marriage fees and ceremony.
“We were only allowed 30 people but that was more than enough for us. We had everyone else come to the reception after.”
A micro wedding allowed Amber and Jake to have a less stressful day, all while saving money.
“You don’t have to break the bank to have the perfect day,” she says.
“It should be about making your beautiful commitment special for yourself and your love.”
Backyard wedding
The biggest saving for the couple was being able to host the ceremony and celebration on the bride’s parents’ property on the Mornington Peninsula.
“One of the biggest ways we saved money was we opted to do a backyard wedding,” Amber says.
“Most venues ranged from $10,000 upwards, and that’s in off-season, so you can imagine how much money we saved just doing it at someone’s house.
“I was really shocked when we first started getting quotes for the wedding — with the total cost coming to over $20,000 for the majority of the places we inquired with.”
The couple were lucky to find the perfect place for their micro wedding — Amber’s parents’ backyard.
“It went hand-in-hand with the micro wedding and it seemed to work out great,” she says.
Amber says there were some challenges choosing who would attend the ceremony because they could only have 30 or fewer people.
However, the couple managed to keep everyone happy by having a larger celebration post-ceremony.
“It was difficult but the way we organised the ceremony was to invite immediate family, so parents, grandparents, siblings and our best of friends, who would be in the bridal party,” she says.
“Everyone else was very understanding as we invited them to the reception for the celebration, which worked out amazing.”
Cocktail-style reception
Breaking wedding traditions, the couple opted for a cocktail-style party, rather than a formal sit-down dinner, to accommodate the extra numbers — saving them a further $3000.
“We did a cocktail-style reception, so finger foods and canapes,” Amber says.
“Honestly everyone was so full and the food was amazing but the price per person between the seated dinner and a standing cocktail-style is honestly ridiculous.”
It cost about $19 per person — compared to $50 per person for a sit-down meal.
“It was a big saving and it was great,” she says.
“Our friends and family are mingling people, so everyone likes to wander and have a chat with one another.”
Wedding dress
Amber purchased a “gorgeous” wedding dress for just $210 from online Australian boutique retailer Hebeos.
“The dress fit really well… I felt beautiful,” she says.
“Honestly, I don’t see the need to spend thousands of dollars on a dress when mine looks like it could cost me thousands.
“I was so happy with the quality — it’s amazing. The only thing that needed altering was the top area but I got that done, no problem at all.
“The retailer made it to my height because everything is made specifically for the person when ordered so I highly recommend if you’re looking for a wedding dress on a budget.”
DIY décor
The savings didn’t stop there for the savvy bride.
When wedding planning, Amber turned to social media for all her DIY decoration inspo, saving her $1500.
“I made my own welcome sign, that was a big money saver,” she says.
“I got quoted for $300 for something similar to what I made.
“I went down to Kmart and got a clothing rack for $10 and some $2 gold spray paint.
“I then printed out a sign from Canva which was about $20 to print.
“All up, it cost me like $60 to make the sign, that was great.”
Amber says doing your own décor where you can “will save you heaps”.
“I also DIY’d my wishing well using a $15 Bunnings indoor mini terrarium and a personalised sticker from Etsy for $3,” she says.
“I also found some $2-$5 frames at the op shop with some 50c paper and wrote our table signs with a white marker from Officeworks.”
Faux flowers
Amber was able to save money by using fake flowers.
“I was getting quoted over $1000 for real flowers for the day. So to cut cost, I sourced the flowers myself,” she says, explaining how Jake’s auntie helped out with the floral decorations.
“I got faux flowers from the $2 shop and Kmart. It cost me maybe $25 in total and that decorated the backdrop, the table, the welcome sign and the staircase.
“I thought the fake flowers looked just as beautiful in photos.”
Non-traditional cake
The couple opted for a non-traditional wedding cake, which also helped cut down expenses.
“We just went through our local bakehouse and the cake was amazing,” she says.
“It was beautiful, it was $200, it fed about 60 people and it tasted so nice.
“I was really happy with it, so that was another thing that helped us cut cost dramatically.”
No videography
The couple hired a wedding photographer for just $500.
“We chose not to have a videographer but we did have a photographer — we only did two hours worth of photos,” Amber says.
“Honestly, the photos were beautiful and I don’t really regret not having a videographer.
“Everyone took videos on the day and that was good enough for us and it was just an extra cost we personally feel we didn’t need.”
Where to start
For those looking to create a micro wedding but don’t know where to start, Amber suggests going through elopement companies.
“Read what they provide and what’s included in their pricing,” Amber says.
“Some offer photography in their packages, some have hair and makeup artists too. Start there and then work out what you need.
“Also, go into it with a pre-written budget and key points of what you want in your wedding.
“Once the ball is rolling it’s really easy to do, just check the list off as you go.”
The couple has since used the money they saved to buy a caravan so the family can enjoy holidays together in the future.
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