Is a Pop-Up Wedding Right for You?

Find out about this new trend and see if you should join in.

Perhaps you’ve heard of pop-up shops and pop-up restaurants, but what about pop-up weddings? It’s a trend that’s growing in popularity, particularly in Australia.

By Emily Lasnier

small-floral-arrangements-lining-aisle-white-green-roses-on-white-stands-outdoors-grass-wedding
Photo: Laurie Bailey Photography

Perhaps you’ve heard of pop-up shops and pop-up restaurants, but what about pop-up weddings? It’s a trend that’s growing in popularity, particularly in Australia. However, as with many new crazes in vogue, it’s not always right for everyone. First, you need to know what a pop-up wedding is. Once you have the facts, look at your relationship, your priorities, and your schedules to decide if a pop-up wedding is right for you.

indoor wedding set up in front of fireplace with candles, gold chiavari chairs setup for pop-up wedding

Photo by Lauren Fair Photography; Venue: Oheka Castle

What is a pop-up wedding?
A step above a standard elopement or courthouse wedding, pop-up weddings are almost completely organized by specialized companies.  Typically, these businesses will provide the venue, photographer, bouquet, and officiant. While the guest list can be as small as a witness and as large as 25, the average pop-up wedding has under 10 attendees – only the closest of friends and family. The nuptials consist of a quick ceremony followed by an equally swift photo shoot; no reception is provided. Newlyweds often choose to celebrate with a nice dinner or casual party, but that is up to the couple and not planned by the event company.

When a pop-up wedding is right for you:
- You’d rather have a lavish honeymoon and keep the ceremony intimate.
- You're flexible and like to go with the flow; you’ve never been big on planning.
- You want to get married right away and don’t think you can handle a long engagement.
- You’re very busy and don’t have time to plan a wedding or okay decisions by a coordinator.
- You find yourself overwhelmed by the potential guest list if you adhere to everyone’s wishes.
- You daydream about simply going down to city hall, but you know in your heart that you still want dreamy wedding photos like those you see on Instagram or Pinterest.

For inspiration, view this intimate elopement in Santa Barbara and take a look at more real weddings. Whether you're having a small or large celebration, find countless ideas for any element of your big day in our photo galleries!

Wedding news