If you got engaged during lockdown, congrats! We're so happy that you and your fiancé(e) are taking the next step toward joining your lives together.
If your wedding plans have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, it's essential to remain positive, be realistic, and be honest with your partner about your options.
As you and your future spouse continue to navigate future wedding plans, it’s essential take action and make the best decisions amidst the ever-changing conditions.
In this article, we share some important things to consider to ensure you, your wedding party, and everyone involved in this process is safe and healthy.
Love always prevails
While you experience ups and downs in this process, remember that you are not alone right now. Countless couples have been impacted and have had to revise their wedding plans to adjust to the current situation.
This is a challenging time for engaged couples, families, and wedding industry professionals, and it's ok to want to bury your head in the sand, but don't.
Instead, focus on want you can do.
Virtual wedding planning
While Covid-19 has created unpredictable conditions that have made it almost impossible to make long-term, concrete wedding plans, you can still continue planning.
As you rethink the wedding celebration you initially imagined, remember to stay open, flexible, and practical.
Finding and choosing your vendors
Choosing the right vendors for your wedding is always a must. In these pandemic times, the right vendors should take enough safety precautions to make you comfortable.
Carole Grogan, owner and Head Event Producer and Designer for Bright Blue Events, shared her business's experience during the pandemic.
"We were set up to do [about] 70 weddings in 2020; it was going to be a fantastic year. We ended up doing 3 1/2. All but 2 of our weddings were postponed to 2021, 2 canceled. As a courtesy to our heartbroken clients, we rescheduled all of their vendors and sorted out [COVID-19] adjusted contracts without additional charges for all of the additional planning labor."
When checking out your options, make sure you're looking for the essential things – the last thing you want is to hire vendors who aren't the perfect fit for you!
Keep in mind that each vendor will have different stipulations around future postponements and cancelations.
Here are the top 3 things to keep in mind when choosing which vendors are best for your social distancing wedding:
Sanitization protocols: If you want your wedding to be an in-person event, you'll want to make sure your vendors can provide sufficient sanitary measures.
Think hand washing stations, hand washing breaks and reminders, and hand sanitizers readily available to your guests. Healthy guests are happy guests!
Food and beverage safety measures: Instead of traditional self-serving buffets, try opting for plated dishes or carefully designed meals that reduce the chance of cross contamination. The fewer others touch your food, the better!
Covid-19 concerns, questions, and fees: Undoubtedly, the vendors you choose should be transparent about their approach to postponements and cancellations. The pandemic has made scheduling future events tricky, so finding vendors that are upfront is essential.
Choosing the right wedding photographer
For couples choosing to celebrate an in-person wedding during this pandemic, the stakes are higher when selecting the perfect wedding photographer.
Be sure to follow these surefire tips to make the best selection:
- Thoroughly research, browse through their wedding portfolio and meet with all of your potential wedding photographers.
- Identify and communicate your wedding priorities and needs to your potential photographer ahead of time.
- Hire a photographer specializing in the wedding photography style you're looking for and makes you feel comfortable.
- Ask about the safety measures in place to ensure newlyweds and their guests remain safe.
While you live through the whirlwind of emotions on your wedding day, it's important that you trust your photographer to be there to capture every precious moment.
Trimming down your guest list
If you want an in-person celebration, you'll need to curate your guest list down to the bare essentials to follow government-mandated social distancing and small gathering guidelines.
This likely means limiting your guest list to the family and friends you can't imagine your special day without. The Knot's Covid Guidelines by State can help you stay up to date on the latest capacity guidelines and travel restrictions in your state.
If you can't see it in yourself to exclude people from your list, consider separating your guests into groups and inviting each group to a different part of your wedding day.
Wedding celebrations
Planning the perfect fairytale wedding can sometimes be a rollercoaster and generally takes a lot of time and energy. For couples who wanted to celebrate their wedding in 2020 or early 2021, the road hasn't been easy!
Postponements and cancellations
Couples around the world have had to postpone their in-person wedding date – multiple times!
While this can be upsetting (and for good reason), it's important to remember that you and your future spouse aren't the only ones who have to manage these difficult times.
The pandemic has led countless couples to postpone saying their "I dos," having to reschedule their wedding celebrations for a later date or cancel their ceremonies altogether.
To alleviate this situation, our team at Lotus Wedding Photography has worked very closely with our clients to reschedule their wedding photography services for a later 2021 date.
Wedding insurance
Now more than ever, wedding insurance is a must.
While every insurance plan is unique and should be assessed on a case-by-case basis, purchasing an insurance policy for your special day can provide a much-needed safety net. This is especially true if you have to cancel or postpone your wedding plans due to Covid-19 or another unforeseeable factor.
It's only natural to have many questions and very few answers – no one becomes an insurance whiz on a whim!
Micro weddings
Micro weddings are a trend that has picked up speed during this pandemic. As many couples plan to trim their wedding budget and guest list, their ceremony becomes more intimate.
Gina Jurlando, Head Coordinator of The Nomad's Direction, sees the current micro-wedding trend continuing well into 2021.
"Many engaged couples don't want to wait to see when the pandemic will finally end, so they have smaller celebrations with plans to have larger anniversary parties or reception re-do's when it's safe for everyone. Zoom weddings, drive-by receptions, and other creative ideas for sharing a celebration safely have popped up and will most likely stick around for some time.
I think the rising trend of elopements and micro-weddings will continue into 2021 as we won't be seeing large scale gatherings for at least another year. I feel more couples will continue to do these smaller events even after it's safe to gather as they offer a budget-friendly, more personalized experience that couples realize works for them."
For newly engaged couples looking into 2021 to celebrate their nuptials, a micro-wedding seems to be the safest bet.
If you're considering this an option, remember it's still a wedding celebration!
So, let your imagination and creativity run wild and get dressed up, hire a wedding photographer, and focus on making your event special.
Virtual weddings
Over the past year, the pandemic has inspired wedding trends like virtual bridal showers, micro-weddings, and virtual weddings.
Couples who choose to have a virtual wedding are often very conscientious of social distancing measures and want to ensure their family and friends can share their special day with them while staying safe.
If you are looking for a safe and budget-friendly alternative to a traditional wedding celebration, opting to have a virtual wedding during the current pandemic may be an excellent option for you!
Zoom wedding ceremonies
Some newlyweds have opted to hold their wedding ceremonies on Zoom, allowing their guests to attend by merely logging onto the call.
Much like an in-person wedding celebration wouldn't be complete without a wedding photography service, Zoom weddings are the same way!
Jessie Whitfield, Creative Director of MISGIF, shared how her company has adapted to the growing trend of quick virtual weddings.
"Back in April, my company MISGIF, which provided high-end photo, GIF and video experiences for weddings, had to reschedule all of our weddings and rethink the way we provide our services safely to our clients.
[In April], we launched our Virtual Photo Booths and offered couples an option for their wedding guests to capture memories online from the safety of their homes. We've had a few successful Zoom weddings and provided couples with a gallery/online album of all the images captured afterward."
Like any wedding, a virtual ceremony will require a bit of preparation.
Be sure to consider the following:
Legal aspects: Make sure your state and county laws allow you to be legally married via a virtual wedding and that you can obtain a marriage license and ordained officiant to conduct the ceremony.
Equipment: Live streaming your wedding will require equipment such as a laptop, smartphone, or tablet. Make sure the device you choose has a high-quality camera. Using a tripod and quality microphone will ensure your guests get the best experience.
Quality backdrop: Finding the perfect backdrop to live stream your ceremony from is a must. Make sure the lighting is good, and there's no visible clutter.
2021 brings high hopes
The pandemic has swept the world over and transformed how we live our lives, interact with others, and celebrate our most significant milestones with family and friends.
In the same way, it will also be remembered as a year that brought people closer together while staying physically apart.
Despite the uncertainties about your future wedding plans, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
You can choose from many wedding options and vendors aplenty that are eager to accommodate your needs and safety concerns for you to have a memorable wedding day.
