March 27, 2020

COVID-19 and Your Wedding | Social Distancing: Things To Do

Most of my couples for 2020 have reached out to me in some way over the last two weeks with some sort of question regarding COVID-19 and your wedding. Either concerns about having to postpone their wedding, changing their plans to end up eloping, or even what they could be doing during their time of social distancing.

During this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, don’t forget that your wedding vendors are still booking! I usually do all communication via email, and occasionally video chat when meeting with my couples. This is still the case! If you’re getting married this year or next, we can still chat and get you on the books! I am still so excited for the wedding season coming up and cannot wait to capture your amazing days. It’ll definitely be different than other wedding seasons, that’s for sure. But it’ll still be amazing as you’re marrying your best friend! That’s what it’s all about.

So, while you’re isolating yourselves at home because of COVID-19, you can definitely still make productive use of your time with your fiancee. Most importantly, you can take the time to really connect with each other and figure out what is most important for your wedding!

Let’s start!

Collecting Addresses

This one is less fun, but necessary if you haven’t sent out invites or save the dates yet! Even make a spreadsheet to divvy up each person who would be invited to bridal showers, bachelor/bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinners, and gift opening brunches. If you have out of town guests, video call them and catch up for a few minutes too! This is a great way to nail down your guest lists and really focus on who matters most. Especially if you’re having to decrease your party size.

Again with the social distancing and isolation that COVID-19 requires, it would be super helpful to check on people you’ve invited to your wedding to verify and solidify their RSVP still stands and update any numbers with your caterer or venues!

Google Hangout With Your Wedding Party

This is a great time to plan out your bachelor and bachelorette parties! Your wedding party can all hop on a video call with each other, get to know one another, and plan some epic nights out! COVID-19 requires social distancing now, but you can still have an awesome hangout to plan things for your wedding! Depending on how long this lasts you may get to do a few of them. Who knows, it might just be easier than trying to meet up every time you need to discuss something!

I was in my SIL’s wedding party last summer, and since she lives in Calgary we definitely had to do this more than once! It was so helpful!

Learn How to Tie a Bow-Tie or a Tie

This is also a good chance for ALL the guys to learn how to TIE A TIE! Or a bow-tie! You don’t want to be late for your wedding because no one knew what they were doing.

covid-19-and-your-wedding

Music Lists

Have an epic dance party with your fiancee and make a list of all your MUST HAVE songs to give to your DJ.

Processional: Family & Wedding Party

Processional: Bride

Recessional

Wedding Party Entrance 

First Dance

Father Daughter/Mother Son Dance

Cake Cutting

End of the Night 

Other things to consider: Pre-ceremony playlist, cocktail hour playlist, and any music you may want playing during the quiet parts of the ceremony (paper signing if you’re doing it in front of everyone).

Work Out Some Family Photo Shot Lists

This is a good time to nail down WHO you want in your family photos. And to video call everyone included to let them know what to expect: when family photos are happening, where they’re happening, and how long they should expect to be present. I would give approximately 2-5 minutes per grouping. The less people included = less time needed.

B+G All Parents

B+G Brides Parents

B+G Grooms Parents

B + Parents

G + Parents

B+G All Grandparents

B + Grandparents

G + Grandparents

B+G All Family (siblings & spouses, children, aunts/uncles, etc) This one is usually best done first, and only as a group shot.

Remember, there will be time later for extra group shots if there isn’t a perfect grouping for family formals!

Designing a Mood Board

Hop on pinterest and put all those gorgeous images into one spot. Use it to REALLY nail down a vibe for your wedding. And definitely send it to me! I can’t wait to see what your unique vision is!

DIY’ing Wedding Signs

I am a sucker for good signage. Watch some letting tutorials on YouTube and try your hand at some simple calligraphy. Throw them onto some acrylic or rustic drops and you’ve got yourselves some really easy projects!

Some signs you may need:

Seating for ceremony directions

Unplugged ceremony

Reception Seating Chart

Bathroom/Ceremony/Reception/Gifts Location Sign

Gift Table Signage

Card Box

Welcome to Our Wedding

Mr & Mrs / Mr & Mr / Mrs & Mrs Signs for Reception Chairs

Planning Your Ceremony

Deciding on whether or not you want any specific verses, songs, memories, or mentions during your ceremony is a good thing to narrow down ahead of time. That way, during your rehearsal you aren’t forgetting things that were important to you.

Not sure what things you could plan or decide on?

  1. Make a list of decor that is multi-purpose between your ceremony and reception
  2. Draw out a plan of how you want things set up. Bonus points if you do it twice for your outdoor ceremony AND your back up indoor ceremony in case of inclement weather!

Check out some Amazon items that I think are gorgeous for adding to your ceremony decor.

Write Your Vows

This is something you may have done already, or may be something you were pushing off until the night before you say ‘I Do’. Sit down and start a little bit of them now! Maybe re-read them in a week after you’ve been holed up with your S.O. for a month… Alone…

DIY Reception Decor

If you’re planning on any sort of arbour, backdrop, or hand designed centrepieces for your reception… Now is a great time to get started on those (for 2021) or finish them up if you’re getting married this summer!

Even if you aren’t DIY’ing anything, it’s a good time to use your mood board and get everything decided on 100%!

Here’s a blog post with some wedding reception items from Amazon that you can get shipped right to your door, since COVID-19 is requiring people to stay home! Check it out! 

Mix Up Some Signature Drinks

This is another fun date night in. Using your favourite drinks, a blender, some fruit, and some cocktails you can come up with some fun signature drinks for your wedding! I think it would pair well with a nice, home cooked dinner, similar to what you’re having catered for your wedding!

covid-19-and-your-wedding

Plan an AWESOME Honeymoon

Obviously trips are not highly recommended at this point. And travelling to another country is completely out of the question. But if things are being postponed and your honeymoon isn’t happening until later now, you’re going to have even more time to plan the most epic adventure.

Now is the time to scour the internet for awesome deals, lock in prices with travel agents, and find excursions and adventures that really excite you! It’s going to be your first trip as a married couple!!

Most Importantly: Don’t Cancel Your Wedding Vendors

There are so many things you can be doing during this time, even booking more vendors. If you are still hiring vendors for your wedding day, make sure there is a clause in your contract about fulfilling their duties on alternate dates or finding adequate replacements. But don’t cancel the ones you’ve already decided on! The last thing I would want for you is to lose out on your top vendor picks just because of this. If you’re needed to change anything about your day, try to postpone for a date later in the year.

I am so excited to be a part of your day, whether you’re going forward with your wedding later in the year or we’re driving out to the mountains for a simple elopement in the spring!

 

So, just because of COVID-19 and your wedding coming up… It doesn’t mean you need to change all your plans! But if you’re feeling stressed: let’s reschedule, let’s hope on FaceTime, let’s just figure out what’s going to be best for you two!

 

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