I was on the phone with my son Drew catching up when I asked him how the wedding planning was going. There was a pause, then he said, “Ambur and I have decided to have a minimony.”

“What’s a minimony?” I asked.

“It’s a scaled-down wedding with just closest family and friends,” he explained. “We’re thinking of having the ceremony in our backyard.”

Soon I learned there would be no rehearsal dinner, reception or a dance. I felt a mix of confusion and concern about deviating from the traditional wedding I had always imagined for him.

Thoughts of me dancing with Drew at his wedding started fading, and were replaced with worries about what our relatives might think about not being invited to the wedding.

I never imagined I’d see my son’s wedding in a backyard. I come from a family that loves large gatherings and traditional weddings that can exceed 200 guests. My own wedding had around 150 guests. So how could my son and his fiancée whittle down their guest list to only 12 people in attendance, including the bride and groom?

A quick Google search landed me at The Knot wedding planning website where I learned a minimony retains some of the structure of a traditional wedding with 15 or fewer guests. It’s a way to throw a wedding for less than the cost of an iPhone.

I also learned minimony weddings have grown in popularity since 2020 when the pandemic prevented us from attending big gatherings, and decades-high inflation is leading many to opt for a minimony.

Further discussions with my son revealed he and Ambur didn’t want the added stress of orchestrating a large event. They both prefer simplicity and more intimate gatherings, and avoiding the spotlight. They also like to save money.

According to The Knot’s 2022 Real Weddings Study, the average cost of a wedding is $30,000 (excluding the engagement ring). That’s a lot of cake, cocktails and canapés.

There’s also evidence minimony weddings are linked to marital longevity. A pair of economists surveyed more than 3,000 people who were or had been married and found those who spent $1,000 or less on their wedding were far less likely to divorce than couples who had spent much more.

In time, I became comfortable with the idea of a minimony. I finally realized you don’t need 100 people to have a beautiful and meaningful wedding. Any worries about a guest list, reception, food, and money all vanished.

On the day of the minimony their house was filled with 12 of us. It was a gorgeous October day and the fall foliage was in full color with leaves of crimson reds, lavish oranges, golds and browns on display. Warm sunshine spread a carpet on the lush, green lawn.

A simple handcrafted arch decorated with flowers was anchored below a magnificent maple tree. Chairs were arranged so there was an aisle for the bride to stroll down. My granddaughters, ages 9 and 4, waited patiently to bring forth the rings. My daughter, who is a professional photographer, stood ready to capture the nuptials.

The ceremony itself took less than 15 minutes and was officiated by Ambur’s mom. It was intimate, memorable and affordable ― exactly what Drew and Ambur had wanted.

For me, it was the most relaxed and enjoyable wedding I’ve attended.

After the ceremony, photographs were taken of our tiny wedding party and then we headed to Drew and Ambur’s favorite restaurant for dinner. I watched my son and my new daughter-in-law as we all laughed and lingered at the dinner table. Their faces shone with love for each other in sheer happiness. It was a day we’d all cherish forever.

Looking back on the event, I would recommend a minimony wedding to any couple looking to save money, have less stress, and spend more quality time with their guests.

It’s the perfect opportunity to do something different than a traditional wedding, and it lets couples focus on what’s important — sharing magical moments with the love of their life with people who matter most to them.

When all was said and done, I was glad Drew and Ambur had a minimony. I cherished seeing first-hand how they took their ideas and recreated them on a smaller scale to fashion a wedding day they will treasure forever.