The Brief

Spring is here and so is wedding season — but what many people consider to be the ideal wedding may be changing.

Marriages have been on the decline, with the average marrying age rising to about 30 for men and 28 for women in the United States. With shifting values on marriage, a looming recession, and the ongoing recovery from the pandemic, a three-tiered cake and hundred-name guest list no longer reflect what many couples want and value.

Enter the micro wedding.

A bride and groom hike up a mountain trail in New Hampshire as part of their micro-wedding ceremony

(

Emma Thurgood

/

Courtesy Emma Thurgood

)

What is a micro-wedding?

A micro wedding, or elopement ceremony, usually has between 25 to 50 guests, typically just close friends and family, and does not follow the standard wedding format. They can be as small as just the couple and the officiant or as individualized as a hike up a local mountain or time spent baking cookies after exchanging vows.

“In the industry, we sort of talk about weddings in a box, or wedding factories,” said Emma Thurgood, an elopement specialist who also plans micro-weddings. “I call them manufactured weddings, where you go to a venue, and the venue helps you plan the same wedding that they do for all their other couples. Elopements and micro weddings are outside of that kind of experience.”

Thurgood said that is what can be so special about a micro wedding: Couples can create a day that represents their relationship and interests.

Thurgood said that what really matters when planning a micro wedding is that the “experience for the day feels like it’s a true reflection of the couple.”

A bride and groom get married on a cliff overlooking the ocean in California

(

Courtesy Jaime Trabert

)

Unusual locations

Micro-weddings also tend to take place at unconventional locations. This is due in part to conventional wedding venues requiring guest minimums that do not accommodate for the smaller scale of a micro-wedding.

But this obstacle can also be an advantage when trying to create a unique and memorable experience.

“It's kind of turned a con of not being able to find micro wedding venues into a pro, because we're really looking outside the box and saying, ‘Hey, let's get married at a bowling alley or a bookstore’,” said Jaime Trabert, co-owner and founder of Our Little Wedding, a California-based micro-wedding planning agency.

Other venues include the couple’s backyard, a favorite restaurant, or a national park.

Although micro weddings and elopement ceremonies can be cheaper than their more traditional counterparts, the main draw is to have a tailor-made experience that prioritizes the couple.

“They like the idea that they don't have to spend as much on an elopement, but then also the money they do spend, they can allocate it to things that they care more about than just feeding and entertaining a hundred people,” said Thurgood.

A new perspective on marriage

According to Shane McMurray, CEO and founder of wedding research company the Wedding Report, the number of marriages in the U.S. has been declining since 1984.

McMurray said that micro weddings have been around for a while — though they’ve just recently become more popular, in large part due to the COVID-19 pandemic requiring large gatherings to be scaled back.

“I think that it goes back to what is the true purpose and sole intent of the event for those that wanted to be married,” said Sarah Beachkofsky-Moore, Executive Director for the Center for Low Country Hospitality Education at the University South Carolina, Buford. “Especially during the pandemic, you couldn't have a group of more than 10 together. So it truly made you narrow down who did you want to have where, and when, and for what purpose.”

Beachkofsky-Moore also said that the pandemic gave people the opportunity to reflect on their relationships and ideas of marriage.

More and more couples are choosing to live together prior to marriage, and younger generations may be viewing a walk down the aisle as an unnecessary affirmation of their commitment to one another — especially one that has such a steep price tag.

A small wedding ceremony in a national park in California

(

Viera Photographics/Viera Photographics

/

Courtesy Jaime Trabert

)

According to a survey conducted by the Thriving Center of Psychology, 73% of Gen Z and Millennials say that weddings are too expensive. The average wedding costs about $35,000, according to The Knot’s 2023 Real Wedding Study.

And, as McMurray said, the easiest way to cut down on wedding costs is to cut out wedding guests.

Still, this new trend towards smaller ceremonies and weddings that forgo the traditional aesthetic and routine may have more to do with shifting perspectives on marriage and its value in today’s society.

Perspectives around marriage, especially amongst younger Millennials and Gen Z, have been shifting away from traditional ideals for a number of years now. According to that same survey by the Thriving Center of Psychology, 84% believe that marriage is not necessary for a fulfilling relationship.

“I think people are starting to feel that this kind of traditional American wedding is really performative and micro weddings are allowing people to kind of have a day that's more authentic to them,” said Trabert. “Freeing them up from any rules and expectations.”

Inside the micro-wedding industry

Despite a growing popularity in micro weddings, the percent of weddings that fall within the 25 to 50 guest range is roughly 15%, said McMurray. And for less than 25 guests, it's about 2%. According to McMurray, many weddings are still typically anywhere from 50 to 100 guests.

Although the number of micro-weddings is still in the minority, there is a budding industry dedicated to helping couples create these intimate ceremonies.

A couple kissing at the end of their micro-wedding ceremony

(

Courtesy Jaime Trabert

)

Trabert and her husband started out as wedding photographers with their own company Viera Photographics. They had been doing wedding photography for more than 15 years when the pandemic hit. Since most weddings during that time moved to micro weddings, Trabert and her husband decided to start their own wedding planning company focused on these more intimate ceremonies.

“It also had been an idea that we had had for a really long time, just kind of noticing a trend of couples on these big weddings, not really enjoying themselves and not really being able to be in the moment and enjoy their day,” said Trabert.

Our Little Wedding offers all-inclusive as well as partially inclusive wedding packages.

According to McMurray, photography and videography are one wedding expense that has gone up in the last few years.

This is also true of micro weddings, which is why so many professionals in this niche sector of the industry tend to be photographers. A challenge that comes up when trying to find resources for clients, said Thurgood, an elopement specialist, micro-wedding planner, and photographer based in New England.

A couple kissing after saying their vows in a small sitting room of an inn.

(

Emma L Thurgood

/

Courtesy Emma Thurgood

)

Because micro-weddings go against the established standards of the industry, most wedding vendors and venues do not accommodate for elopements and micro weddings. Thurgood said that most venues, make-up artists, and caterers have a minimum headcount that often doesn’t suit the micro-wedding scale.

“It's a slow tide turn, but it is starting to happen where there are more resources to help couples plan weddings like that,” Thurgood said. “That's the biggest struggle I think couples face logistically.”

One-stop shopping

That's also why businesses in the industry like Thurgood's and Trabert's are often all-encompassing.

Thurgood officiates and legalizes her couples’ marriages herself, and Our Little Wedding offers officiants, make-up artists and floral arrangements.

“And that is in essence just to keep the wedding planning as simple and streamlined as possible for our clients,” said Angelina Apilado, lead wedding planner at Our Little Wedding, who said that wedding planning can be overwhelming.

However, micro weddings also offer some flexibility that traditional ceremonies don’t — namely the diversity of possible venues.

McMurray mentioned that the biggest disrupter to the wedding industry has been the shift from traditional ballrooms and banquet halls to more interesting locations: Think tops of mountains, middle of the woods, barns, rooftops, and sometimes schools.

Trabert noted that beyond venue space, micro weddings allow couples to get married sooner. And there could be a major benefit for the wedding industry as a whole, if venues start accommodating micro weddings on weekdays.

“We're working with these bigger venues to create packages that fit for micro weddings. And we do them on a Wednesday instead of a Saturday. So it helps not only the couples, but it helps the venues and their businesses as well,” said Trabert.

Possibly the biggest hurdle the industry faces is the traditional ideals of many outside the micro-wedding space.

Helping people plan these smaller ceremonies also means helping them navigate “the interpersonal drama that might arise,” as Thurgood put it — primarily from family and friends that want the pomp and circumstance.

Apilado said that the American wedding culture puts a lot of expectations on couples getting married.

“I think the biggest thing is emphasizing to these couples is that they don't have to feel like they have to do X, Y, and Z to have this perfect wedding,” said Apilado. “It is what they want and their partner want at the end of the day.”

A coalition of organizations including the National Iranian American Council, the ANSWER coalition, and 50501 are holding an “emergency day of action” nationwide in reaction to the airstrikes launched by the United States and Israel across Iran. t

Here is a list of local demonstrations across Southern California.

• Aliso Viejo
  Aliso Creek Road and Enterprise
  Starts at 11 a.m.
  
• Los Angeles
  City Hall, 200 N Spring St.
  Starts at 2 p.m.
  
• Ventura
  Ventura County Government Center, Victoria Avenue and Telephone Road
  Stars at 3 p.m.

Law enforcement to step up patrol

The office of L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement that the city is closely monitoring for "any threats" to the city and urges Angelenos to voice their views in a "peaceful" way.

“While there are no known credible threats at this time, LAPD has stepped up patrols near places of worship, community spaces, and other areas of the city, and we will remain vigilant in protecting our city," the statement reads.

The L.A. County Sheriff's Department is also stepping up patrol in light of the military action in the Middle East. The department knows of no known credible threats to the community.

"We are in communication with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners and will continue to assess any potential impacts to Los Angeles County," the department says in a post on social media.

What local lawmakers saying

A number of state and local lawmakers are weighing in on the attacks.

• Rep. Judy Chu

“President Trump has launched an unlawful war with Iran despite no imminent threat to the United States, no long-term strategy, no support from the American public, and no authorization from Congress.”

Chu is a Democrat who represents California's 28th Congressional district, which includes parts of the San Gabriel Valley.

• Rep. Young Kim

“President Trump took decisive action in response to refusal by the Iranian regime to take diplomatic off-ramps, dismantle its nuclear program, & end its reign of terror against the United States & our allies. I stand with the Iranian people who have made their desperation & courageous struggle for freedom clear. I hope for a swift & decisive operation that will pave the way for a more peaceful Middle East & a safer world. My prayers are with our brave US service members risking their lives to protect our nation. I look forward to Congress being briefed on Operation Epic Fury.”

Kim is a Republican who represents California's 40th District, which includes parts of Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

• Sen. Alex Padilla

“At a time when millions of hardworking families face higher costs of living and skyrocketing health care to pay for tax breaks for billionaires, Donald Trump is now pushing the country toward a war that risks American lives without presenting a clear justification to the American people or any plan to prevent escalation and chaos in the region.”

Padilla is a Democrat who has represented California in the U.S. Senate since 2021.

• Sen. Adam Schiff

“Trump is drawing our country into yet another foreign war that Americans don’t want and Congress has not authorized. The Iranian regime is a brutal and murderous dictatorship. But that does not give Trump the authority to unilaterally initiate a war of choice. Congress should immediately return to vote on the Kaine Paul Schiff Schumer War Powers Resolution.”

Schiff is a Democrat who has represented California in the U.S. Senate since 2024.

• Rep. Jimmy Gomez

“By launching this operation on his own, the president has put Congress and the country in the worst possible position. He started a war first, and now Congress is being asked to deal with the consequences instead of deciding whether the war should begin at all.”

Gomez is a Democrat who represents California's 34th Congressional district which includes downtown L.S. and many neighborhoods in the central part of the city.

The U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday after weeks of threats from President Donald Trump over Iran's nuclear capabilities

Here's what you need to know about the US and Israeli attacks on Iran:

Israel and the US launched military strikes against Iran

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the goal of the joint US-Israeli strikes is to quote "remove the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran."

Netanyahu said in a video: "Our joint action will create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands."

A person briefed on the operation told NPR it was expected to last a few days, with Israel's military focusing on targeting Iran's missile program.

Trump announced what he called 'major combat operations'

President Trump announced what he called "major combat operations" that are "massive and ongoing" in Iran in a video posted to Truth Social at 2:30 a.m. Eastern. He said the objective was to "defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats" from Iran.

Attacks came after a week of US-Iran negotiations over the country's nuclear program

A third round of indirect negotiations between Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner failed to produce a diplomatic solution Thursday.

The Israel strikes targeted Khamenei and the Iranian president

The Israel strikes targeted Khamenei and the Iranian president, trying to assassinate them, a person briefed on the operation told NPR's Daniel Estrin. A person briefed on the matter told NPR that Israeli assessments are that Khamenei was hit.

Iran's news agency IRNA says the US-Israeli strikes hit a girls school, killing at least 53 young female students and wounding dozens more.

Trump encourages overthrow

Trump encouraged innocent Iranians to "take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will probably be your only chance for generations" once what the Pentagon is calling "Operation Epic Fury" is over.

He previously said he was concerned about the Iranian regime's killing of protesters and has previously cited that as potential justification for US strikes.

Iran's response

Iran's foreign ministry has called the airstrikes by the U.S and Israel a "gross violation" of its national sovereignty and vowed to respond decisively.

The UAE's Defense Ministry says Iranian ballistic missiles targeted the country, which hosts U.S. troops at several locations in the country

Qatar, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan have all been targeted by Iran. All of them have US troops present.

US Navy's Fifth Fleet service center in Manama, Bahrain, was hit according to the government there. The other countries say the missiles were intercepted. The UAE says debris from a missile interception killed an Asian migrant worker. Loud booms have been heard over Dubai according to our correspondent there.

Copyright 2026 NPR

For decades, the Miller sign greeted drivers on the 210 freeway passing through Irwindale.

But, a year ago, during January’s wind storms, the crimson red and white “Miller” logo was damaged.

Then in December, a new sign — "City Brewing & Beverage” — went up, leading many commuters to wonder what happened.

To answer that question, let's go back to Irwindale's history.

An aerial view of the wind-damaged "Miller" sign at the Irwindale brewery in September 2025.

(

Iris Espino

/

City of Irwindale

)

More than a brewery

Irwindale was once best known for its mining quarries, which were older than the city itself and were integral to the construction of L.A’.s freeway system.

Most of the quarries ceased operations in the 1970s, and with them, so went much of Irwindale’s industry.

Around that same time, the site of the old Irwindale Raceway, which used to be one of the few racetracks in the San Gabriel Valley, went up for sale.

And here came Miller beer.

“So Miller, according to legend, bought the property for a dollar and then they built the brewery,” said Anita Hernandez, communications manager for City Brewing who used to work for Miller.

As it turns out, the $1 land acquisition isn’t just a legend.

“No, that's actually true," said Iris Espino, assistant to Irwindale’s city manager. "So while it was just a dollar, the city thought it would build wealth over the next 30, 40, 50 years. And essentially, it did."

The Irwindale brewery under construction.

The Irwindale brewery under construction.

The Irwindale brewery at the beginning of construction in 1977.

(

Iris Espino

/

Irwindale Public Library

)

The Irwindale brewery in the middle of construction in 1978.

(

Iris Espino

/

Irwindale Public Library

)

The Irwindale brewery under construction.

(

Iris Espino

/

City of Irwindale

)

Miller purchased the lot in 1977. The deal included 230 acres of land to build the brewery, which opened in 1980.

Three years later, the sign overlooking the 210 went up. The 48-by-34-foot structure rolled into Irwindale on three separate rail cars.

It rotated until the late 1990s, but faulty gears led the company to make it stationary. It's been facing both sides of the 210 Freeway ever since.

A sign of identity

Ownership of the brewery — which locals just called Irwindale brewery for convenience — changed hands over the years.

In 2021, City Brewing & Beverage moved in.

They decided to keep the “Miller” sign for all that it had brought to Irwindale.

“Over the last few decades, we have seen the jobs, the infrastructure and this economic identity that Irwindale is now this large industrial hub. And it started with Miller Brewery,” Espino said.

Other big manufacturers came in following Miller. Q & B Foods, which distributes Kewpie mayo in the U.S., moved there in 1986. Huy Fong Foods, the maker of
sriracha, broke ground on a new factory in 2010.

Ready Pac Foods moved there in 1993 and has become one of Irwindale's largest employers.

But Miller started it all.

“The sign, definitely iconic to residents, to just people that drive that 210 freeway every single day,” Espino said. “And we hear it. I can't tell you the amount of times we hear about that sign.”

The old "Miller" sign along the 210 Freeway.

(

Iris Espino

/

City of Irwindale

)

For people in Irwindale, it’s still a point of pride to have worked at the business that started the economic boom.

Ben Maillete is plant manager for City Brewing. He started working at the brewery in 2014, back when it was owned by Miller. He said there was one easy way to explain to people where he was employed.

“I was like, ‘Well, you know that sign on the highway?’ " he said.

Three construction workers inside the Irwindale brewery sign work on replacing the old "Miller" sign with the new "City Brewing & Beverage Irwindale" sign, December 2025.

(

Anita Hernandez

/

City Brewing & Beverage

)

A sign for a new era

Employees at the Irwindale brewery debated on whether to restore the sign or make a brand new one when it was damaged during last year’s January wind and fire storms.

A third of the City Brewery's current employees worked for Miller and felt a connection to the original sign, so the company decided update the sign but keep the iconic structure and shape as a tribute.

The new Irwindale brewery sign near the 210 Freeway January 2026.

(

Anita Hernandez

/

City Brewing & Beverage

)

“I don't think anybody knew that City Brewery and Beverage was operating here, and now they do,” Maillete said.

He said it’s their way of giving a nod to the past while also looking toward the future.

News came this week that a buyer is in sight for the so-called "graffiti towers" in downtown L.A. — known in its better days as Oceanwide Plaza before falling on hard times to become, to its critics, a landmark of shame.

The purchase, priced at $470 million, is subject to final court approval that could happen in a couple of months.

Construction of the $1 billion luxury high-rise residential and hotel project began in 2015 with the aim to transform downtown Los Angeles. Four years later, the three towers sat skeletal after their Chinese developer ran out of money to finish the job. The buildings gained worldwide notoriety in 2024 when a video of its thoroughly tagged up exteriors, sprouting hundreds of feet above ground, went viral.

For the would-be joint owners — KPC Group and Lendlease — one of the first orders of business will be to strip away all the graffiti.

A view of the so-called Graffiti Towers, where graffiti writers tagged 40 floors of an unfinished luxury skyscraper development on March 20, 2024 in Los Angeles, California

(

Mario Tama

/

Getty Images

)

So how would it be done?

Dustin Coad is the owner of Kaptive Construction and Preservation, a firm that mainly specializes in restoring the facades of historic buildings.

"So tile, brick stone, marble, terracotta, concrete, and then also any type of historic windows," Coad said.

Kaptive, which has been in the business for more than three decades, has done graffiti removal work on a number of architectural gems, including the Merritt building on Broadway in downtown L.A.

With Oceanwide Plaza, as with any other structures, graffiti removal methods depend on the building materials.

If the frames of the towers were made with poured concrete, Coad said you could apply a chemical stripping agent on the surface and leave it soaking overnight.

"And then you kind of peel them off," he said. " And that's hopeful."

Another option is to blast the paint off with tiny little beads of glass.

 "[They] are pressurized and hit the building and kind of explode and would pull the paint off without damaging the concrete or the substrate," Coad said.

That's the method Kaptive used to remove decades-old graffiti from the marble facade of the Merritt building — a more damage-prone material than concrete.

"We deal with concrete all the time — but old concrete — newer concrete is more solid and should be easy to remove," he said.

The so-called Graffiti Towers in 2024.

(

Mario Tama

/

Getty Images

)

The tough part

While the exterior — if it is indeed poured concrete — is a relatively straightforward job, the windows are not.

"The vast majority of the graffiti is on the windows," he said. "I have no idea what films or elements or whatever [else] may be on that glass. The chemical agent may work poorly with whatever is applied to that glass."

So the first thing Coad would do is to call up the manufacturer for recommendations, and then test things out.

"Option 1 is to remove it. Option 2 is to replace everything," Coad said. "And Option 1 will be significantly cheaper, but it will not be cheap."

Above all, safety first

The so-called Graffiti Towers behind Crypto.com Arena in 2024.

(

Mario Tama

/

Getty Images

)

Another major consideration is safety. After all, each of the towers is more than 500 feet tall, with graffiti on multiple floors.

"Number one is looking at it from how would we access all of the panes of glass from the exterior of the buildings," he said, adding that he would work with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) from the get-go to put in place the safest possible work environment for his crew.

"Everybody will be harnessed in. There'll be the main line, there'll be a safety line, and I think we would want to erect some sort of netting or railing," he said.  "I want to make sure if they slip that nothing's going to happen to them other than maybe a bruise."

Time line and price tag

Coad said it's going to require spending time out at the towers, followed by mockups and sample strip tests to arrive at an accurate quote and timeframe for the project. Ballpark-wise, " hundreds upon hundreds of hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not in the million range."

One thing he is certain about.

" It's not gonna be cheap," he said. "It will take a very long time."