Choosing an Airbnb for your micro wedding is becoming a popular trend, and for good reason. The benefits are endless, including being able to find a location for your wedding no matter the destination, ability to rent the space for longer periods of time, and can also be a budget-friendly option.

We chose to have our wedding at an Airbnb (we actually found it on VRBO), and I think it was the best decision. We were able to rent the space for the entire week (for less than the cost of a traditional venue) which allowed us to host all our friends and family traveling from out of town every night for dinner, giving us even more time together. Additionally, having the space for several days leading up to the event allowed us to adjust for anything we didn’t think of, get last minute supplies, and use the kitchen to prep our taco bar. We were so used to the space by the time the wedding came around that it felt like we were just having friends over for a party which made the event feel so much less stressful.

In the Complete Guide to Airbnb Micro Weddings we’ll cover everything you need to know to pull off an amazing event including how to find one that allows micro wedding ceremonies and receptions, what you should consider when selecting an Airbnb, how to plan, and some unique ideas to make your micro wedding extra special and unique.

Benefits of Having Your Wedding at a Private Residence

• Privacy——renting an Airbnb means you’ll have the space all to yourself
• Personalization—you can find private homes in almost any aesthetic to match your desired theme
• Potential Cost Savings—a lot of times, you can rent a private home for much less than a traditional wedding venue
• You can find them almost anywhere—Airbnbs are literally everywhere
• Doubles as lodging, rehearsal dinner space, and ceremony and reception space
• Can provide a great place to gather in the days surrounding the event

Choosing the Perfect Airbnb Venue

Airbnb vs VRBO and other sites

First, we’d like to clear up the confusion that often comes up around renting an Airbnb for your wedding. A lot of people wonder if they can rent an Airbnb for their wedding and the answer is, it depends.

Years ago, Airbnb put restrictions on events at their properties which made it more difficult for hosts to approve parties that exceed the home’s capacity. However, you can still find Airbnbs that are big enough to rent for your event, as long as the host allows it. The smaller your wedding, the easier it will be for you to find something on Airbnb.

The good news is that VRBO and other private home rental sites are a little more liberal in their event and party policies so I recommend looking there first. Throughout the blog, you’ll see us referring to private home rentals as ‘Airbnb’ just because that is the commonly used term these days. Just know that can mean any number of private home rental sites.

Find the Perfect Airbnb for Your Micro Wedding

We go in depth on this topic in our blog, How to Find Private Home Wedding Venues, but here are the highlights:

• Check all private residence rental site
  • Airbnb
  • VRBO
  • Vacasa
• Use filters to find locations that allow events, have capacity for your guests, or other amenities such as mountain views or a hot tub
• Use Google to uncover other private home rental sites

Use this checklist to be sure you’ve covered all your bases when interviewing hosts about their location.

‍

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Venue

Consider Location and Style

Choosing a location might be one of the toughest decisions. With so many incredible options across the country, it can feel overwhelming to decide! If you haven’t chosen a theme yet, we recommend starting with our guide to establish your micro wedding vision before starting your venue search. It will also help you zero in on your location, making the venue search a little easier.

Once you have your theme nailed down, you can use the filters or search functionality in the private home rental sites to find a great fit.

Look at Capacity and Amenities

Airbnbs are perfect for weddings that are smaller in size which is why you see us talking about them a lot here at microWED. Capacity will vary depending on the size of the home, local ordinances, and available amenities. Be sure to consider things like the number of bathrooms, accessibility (especially if you have guests with mobility issues), parking, and nearby accommodations (if everyone is not staying at the property) when selecting your location.

Aesthetic and Theme Compatibility

Choosing a venue that aligns with your wedding theme can not only ensure a consistent look and feel, but it can also help cut down on decor costs as many private home rentals suitable for a wedding have their own personality and charm that will contribute nicely to your event.

Host Communication & Contracts

I cannot stress enough the importance of being upfront and honest with your host about your plans. There are plenty of properties all across the country (and the world!) that are more than happy to host your wedding day so don’t feel like you have to be secretive about it. In fact, most hosts that allow weddings are super accommodating. Ours offered to supplement some of the amenities and infrastructure to ensure our wedding went smoothly.

Additionally, you’ll want to be sure there’s a solid contract in place to protect you and the host, beyond what the rental site provides. The contract should outline additional terms and conditions that are relevant to hosting an event in the space.

Planning and Logistics

Budgeting

Choosing a private residence for your wedding venue will come with expenses that you may not have had to pay for had you chosen a more traditional space, but with some careful planning you can supplement any missing amenities to make it complete.

Here are some of the things you’ll want to be sure to include in your budget:

• Home rental fee
• Insurance, cleaning and rental fees: as you’re calculating the cost of the venue, be sure to check in on these commonly added fees
• Event Rentals for your micro wedding: tables, chairs, tents, and supplies for serving meals
• Amenities: you may need additional amenities such as bathrooms or audio equipment
• Transportation: if the property is not easily accessible or enough parking is not available on site, you’ll need to consider transportation for your guests

Neighbor Relations:

The contract should clearly state any noise or other ordinances you’ll need to follow. You’ll want to make sure the rules don’t conflict with your vision for the day (ie, all night party, live music, etc.)

Personalizing the Airbnb for Your Micro Wedding

Micro Wedding Decor

Choosing a location that matches the aesthetic you’re going for goes a long way in creating the desired vibe for your micro wedding and can even help cut down on decor expenses. You can choose to go simple or extravagant with your decor as long as it aligns with the rules of the property. Some ideas to enhance the aesthetic of the space:

• Florals: Choose dried florals or hire a micro wedding florist
• Decor Boxes: Parcel Events offers amazing decor boxes filled with beautiful, well-designed, and reusable pieces of decor

Vendors and Services

Hiring Vendors

Whether you’re planning to hire just the essentials or a full-blown wedding team, keep these things in mind as you’re selecting your location:

• Check out options for wedding pros in the area to ensure you can get service in the location where you’re planning to host your wedding. We skipped this step and were left without a catering option that fit our budget…don’t make the same mistake we did.
• If you can hire at least one wedding pro who has worked in the space before, that’s a huge plus, especially if you are unable to view the property before arriving.

Mobile Bars and Extra Facilities

As private home rentals have grown in popularity for use as wedding venues, so have unique event offerings to accommodate the needs of these non-traditional spaces. Things like mobile bars, luxurious port-a-potties, full-service catering on wheels, and more are often available. As long as your location allows it, you can supplement your space to become the perfect space

Ensuring a Smooth Experience

• Pre-Wedding Preparations: If you can rent the space for a day or two leading up to the wedding, I highly recommend doing that. That will give you time to ensure everything is in place to ensure the day goes smoothly.
• Post-Wedding Cleanup: Same goes for post-wedding clean-up. Having the space for a day or two post event allows time for the event rental company to pick up their items, xxxxx

We always say that one of our favorite things about having a small wedding is that you end up having so many more venue options. Choosing to have your micro wedding at an Airbnb allows for more flexibility, personalization, and potential cost savings. If you're ready to find the perfect Airbnb for your micro wedding, head over to the next blog in the series, How to Find Private Home Wedding Venues.