Planning a Wedding During COVID-19
Hello friends!! How are you? How are you and your family holding up? I don’t know about you, but I am definitely learning how to love life in a whole new way this year. Thanks, 2020 :)
I’ve had some incredible adventures this year that have let me learn and grow more than I could have ever expected. I’ve also had to learn how to be a bit more resourceful and flexible than I’ve been in the past. I’m sure you can relate! Which brings me to a certain topic that has been on my mind A LOT lately as I’ve worked with my L E F couples.
I’m sure you can guess what I’ve been thinking about…
That’s right! Wedding planning during COVID-19.
Do you keep getting the dreaded questions, “So! When’s your wedding? Are you sticking with the same date? What does your guest list look like? What are your plans? Do you have a venue in place? Do you have a photographer booked? Are you postponing? What are you going to DO?!” And finally, the classic, “Are you stressed? You must be stressing about all this uncertainty.” *facepalm*
Meanwhile, your mind is racing and anxious about all these questions, and your dear, dear friend or family member is there looking at you with curiosity and something like relief in their face. Relief because they aren’t having to figure all these details out themselves. Why? Because they decided not to fall in love and get married during a worldwide pandemic.
As a photographer, I am ALL about capturing your romance. I’m obsessed with it actually. Haha! Especially those sweet, magical, butterflies-in-the-tummy moments you have as you and your new spouse look into eternity together on your wedding day. It may be even more important now than ever to have someone there to help you remember these unique times together, even if the wedding is being moved or you’re going through with it as is.
Postponing?
Whether you’ve been planning your wedding for several months or a couple of weeks, no doubt COVID-19 has upended your plans and you’ve found yourself re-planning what feels like a whole new wedding. But it’s o.k.! Don’t panic! I’m here to help. I’ll help you answer all those mind-racing questions. Whether you’ve had to re-plan your wedding, are pushing it back, are starting to plan, or flat-out don’t know what to do or where to start, I can offer some tips and tricks that will get you through this crazy time.
So. You’ve got your date. You’ve told the entire world. You’ve sent out those gorgeous invitations….. but you’ve decided that the best option is to postpone. No worries!
Are you unsure how to announce this big change?
Are you feeling nervous about moving your date around?
Are you worried about confusing friends and family about when to meet up for your big day?
Remember your engagement photos? And those cute “save the date” invitations you sent out to your loved ones? Well. We can meet up for a quick “change the date” session! These are simple, cute, new invites announcing your change in date and inviting everyone to be there or be square! You can send out invitations for your postponed date and relax as we ride out this pandemic together.
EMBRACE THE CHAOS AND GET MARRIED NOW!
Let me just encourage you to STILL GET MARRIED!!! Don’t wait! Being married is the best thing in the world, and you will get through this crazy time so much better TOGETHER! There are safe options for you and your loved ones to explore! Think 1. Small ceremonies and 2. ELOPING! Let’s dive into this together!
Small ceremonies.
Think of a spot on the beach, a scenic place in the mountains, or a friend’s nicely landscaped backyard. These can be the perfect settings for your wedding.
What does a small ceremony entail?
Basically a normal wedding. But scaled back with a lower guest list to fit the suggested COVID-19 guidelines for your state or county. (You can check out the CDC standards here. Or if you’re in Southern California like me, check out the guidelines here).
Hand sanitizer is a must along with masks. I’ve seen several super cute wedding displays with complementary masks for those who forgot theirs. Pinterest has some cute ideas for displaying these essentials as well.
Social distancing. Those 6ft will go a long way to helping people feel comfortable and safe.
Has your venue closed? There are so many alternate locations to choose from for a small ceremony. Need some ideas?
Check your local/county parks to see if they have space/locations available
Get a beach permit
Find a wide-open space in the country, a scenic mountain view, or local gardens
Enjoy a friend’s well-groomed backyard
Worried about having flowers for the ceremony? If you’ve hired a wedding planner, she will work with you to find the perfect solution. If not, your local florist shop will appreciate your help and business during these times! Another trick is to tone down the flowers and just have a special bouquet for yourself and a few others (this helps with both supply and cost!). Finally, you can never go wrong with choosing a venue in a lovely backyard garden or other scenic settings that don’t need extra florals.
As for the reception, you can keep with these guidelines, or have a fun time with a drive-by reception! We’ve all seen parades going through neighborhoods for fun occasions, like graduations, so why not for a reception? Your friends and family can easily drive by, give a quick wave and air hug, snap a pic with the bride and groom, grab a bite to eat if you have that set up down the line, drop off a gift if they choose, and carry on.
Worried about a caterer? Social distancing rules will still apply. Your caterer should have policies in place to keep you in business. If not, because of the nature of the wedding (because it’s small), a restaurant can accommodate outside, or a potluck can be arranged!
Lastly, you can always have a hoppin party later on when COVID-19 is a goner if you don’t want to worry about the reception now.
Having close friends and family there for the ceremony is soooo sweet and memorable. You still get the feel of a normal wedding, just on a smaller scale, all within COVID-19 safety guidelines. Side note: These small ceremony settings also have the upside of saving on wedding expenses!
Eloping!
Okay. I know what you’re thinking. Eloping in the past meant a last-second, maybe not-so-great decision. But now? They’re all the rage. Why?
Embrace an intimate moment with your soulmate in your perfect place. Let your photographer (me) capture the beauty of just you two. Then when life calms down a bit, send out your invites for loved ones to join your reception/celebration of your new beginning! Trust me, your friends and family are still going to want to celebrate with you even a few months from now.
And I’ll tell you a secret:
Just because you decide to elope, doesn’t mean it has to be last-second. You can still plan your wedding in advance.
At this point, your “something blue” might be how you’re feeling about planning your wedding. Don’t worry! Things will turn out just right. Wanna know why? Because you’re marrying the love of your life! I’ve given you a few ideas to get you started planning your wedding during COVID-19. Your wedding might be smaller, but at the end of the day, you and your Love will get to marry each other and start your journey into forever as one.
Although life is different with social distancing and other restrictions, your special day will still be that- special. And even more so now! We have so many beautiful locations here in Southern California to capture whatever you decide to do during the next few months. I would L-O-V-E to be your COVID-19 wedding photographer!
