Wedding Planning During COVID
Photo by Jeremy Wong
During these uncertain COVID times, wedding planning becomes an arduous task to do. Wedding dates, venues, and even the guest list is at a questionable state. Some people would go ahead with a smaller wedding whilst some would outright postpone their wedding. It is important to pause and take a breath, it is incredibly easy to feel overwhelmed and stressed during times like these. It’s fine to feel unsettled and agitated but don’t panic, take a moment to deliberate what the best option is for the future.
Just because the restrictions held by the government are being eased it doesn’t mean we are able to start putting people at risk. The more vulnerable part of the population like the elders, immune and respiratory compromised people rely on the compliance of other people to the restrictions placed. Weddings are important, but protecting these people during these times are also crucial. That could mean postponing to a later date, creating a smaller wedding, or even just the bare basics civil wedding.
The decision to make depends on many things, such as the number of guests you’re planning to invite, the venue, and of course the availability of the wedding supplier. Some of your guests might still choose to self-isolate, unable to fly in from overseas or interstate, or are anxious about attending events in the coming months. Assess the situation and make your decision from there.
If you are still set on having a wedding during these times, here are a few things you can do:
1. Civil Wedding
This wedding would only involve a registry wedding, where you would only worry about the legal requirements and the wedding certificate. The ceremony would only take about 15-20 minutes where wedding vows and rings are exchanged, along with the signing of the certificate of marriage along with two witnesses. This way would allow you to get married as soon as possible whilst abiding to the restriction of just 5 people in attendance. If you are having trouble deciding who your guest are going to be with a smaller wedding, this could be the ideal solution.
Photo by Andre Hunter
2. Downsizing
Curating a smaller wedding to comply to government rules would be a great way to get married. This would create a more personal and intimate moment for you and your spouse. This option would allow you to have more guests compared to the first option, but the chances are you’re still going to downsize to some respect. To downsize your guest list, start with your closest family and friends and then slowly branch out from there. It might be difficult to break the news to the people that you might potentially cut, but we’re sure that they will understand.
3. Livestream
For guests who are unable to come physically, there is always the option to livestream the wedding. Applications such as Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, IG Live, Facebook Live is ready to be used at your disposal. There is also a chance that your videographer is able to do this for you.
Once you’ve decided what you next step would be, be sure to update your guests. Even if just to say: “We don’t have any new plans set just yet, but we’ll update you as soon as we do!”
It is essential to remember that although your wedding is an important occasion, plans are able to be adjusted and changed. It’s completely understandable to feel upset and disappointed as the wedding you will have might not be exactly how you had planned in tour head. However, remind yourself to stay calm and that the most important thing is that you have someone who loves you and wants to get married, that in itself is worth celebrating.
