6 ways to have a wedding during the pandemic
So we decide to get married after 10 years of being together and a pandemic decides to happen.. really?!
Y’all… what are the odds that when my now-fiance decides to pop the question, the world wants to go bananas? God has a funny sense of humor.
So I kind of caught you guys up in yesterday’s post and yes, your girl is about to be a Mrs! Last March, my fiance proposed shortly after my 30th birthday near the rooftop pool of a Miami hotel. It came as a HUGE surprise to me; I was not expecting it at all. He had someone pretend to do social media for the hotel and they wanted to record us talking about our stay. My fiance is going on and on about us celebrating my birthday and how he wouldn’t want to share these experiences with anybody else and you can slowly see the confusion appear on my face. I’m like “where is he going with this” because is he rambling. And then, he starts to step back, pulls a ring box out of his pocket, gets on one knee and I am in TEARS! I still watch the video and cry.
It has been such an exciting time, but also a challenging one. The planning of a wedding has been a whirlwind. We went from having an amazing venue (practically for free) to being told that the building was being sold. It took us months to find another venue that would suit our needs and then we’re hit with a pandemic that requires places to shut down and/or operate at a lower capacity. Our venue still has no idea what October will look like (our date is 10.10.2020!) so we’re back to the drawing board again. I thought it would be helpful to share some of the nuptial ideas we’ve discovered or come up with on our own in hopes that the pandemic won’t put a damper on your special day
Backyard Wedding - Large gatherings seem out of the question (at the moment) so create a beautiful paradise in the backyard of a home with immediate family and/or close friends. You can save money by utilizing the space from a friend or family member or even AirBnB (some hosts have been willing to accommodate small gatherings due to covid-19). For added precautions, have guests wear masks like the ones you provide as both a keepsake and safety measurement.
Zoom Wedding - Why not use technology to your advantage and broadcast your special day for all of your guests to see? Tell everyone to dress to the nines because photos will be taken! Everyone will get a front row seat to your love affair; no placement cards necessary. You can also find ways to have everyone feel like they’re together by sending shot glasses in the mail so everyone can drink together or even sending the ingredients for your signature drink so guests can make it ahead of time and enjoy during the digital ceremony.
Drive Thru Wedding - Have you ever experienced a drive thru movie? Well the same concept could apply for a wedding! Find a large space that can accommodate a big screen and multiple cars and boom! Guests can see your ceremony first hand in the comfort of their car and socially distanced from everyone else. You can play some music to create a vibe and serve cute snacks for guests to enjoy (think popcorn, candy, libations.. the options are endless). Guests can even decorate their cars with balloons and sweet messages for the lovely couple as a way to be festive!
Picnic Wedding - This is similar to the previous idea, but think picnic blankets and charcuterie boards instead. Guests would bring their own blankets and treats (or you could give out blankets as a keepsake) and you can ensure they set up 6 ft apart with designated areas. The menu could consist of pre-packed lunches and signature cocktails. Make it fancy by sprinkling in some lounge furniture for guests to enjoy as they watch your ceremony on the big screen.
Staged Photo Shoot - We all live for a beautiful ceremony and turnt up reception but what we really can’t wait to see are the photos! After everything is all said and done, the images from that day will live on to remind us of the good times we had. Can’t have the wedding of your dreams? Stage it! Find a studio or breathtaking location and pose for the camera. This will allow you to play out all of your wedding fantasies such as multiple outfit changes, different hairstyles or even hoping from location to location. You can even record the day as a fun behind the scenes video to later share with loved ones.
Reschedule - I saved this as the last option because no one looks forward to having to reschedule such a special moment in their lives. If you’re not tied to your wedding date or you know without a doubt that you want to celebrate the way you’ve been planning, think about pushing your celebration back. This will give you even more time to prepare for the big day so that it’s everything you’d hope it would be. You can also make the pandemic work to your advantage by negotiating for discounts and extra perks in the meantime! Should you want to keep your initial date, you can also have a nice civil ceremony with just you and your fiance to make the day feel special and celebrate bigger once everything settles down.
