Tips For How to Throw A Virtual Wedding When COVID-19 Ruins Your Original Ceremony

The wedding planning stress is real right now. 

If these questions sound a little too familiar to you, don't worry - we're here to help. The coronavirus pandemic is putting a heavy burden on real brides everywhere that were planning on tying the knot this year. Questions of postponement to downsizing the original ceremony guest list are beginning to swirl through the minds of couples, and the pressure to make a decision regarding your nuptials is probably starting to feel particularly overwhelming. 

Considering all of these factors, virtual weddings are becoming an increasingly popular option amongst couples whose original date was spoiled by COVID-19. There are definitely perks to hosting your ceremony online: you get to include everyone from your original guest list, you can keep your original wedding date and you're ensuring that everyone stays safe by keeping your wedding event small! 

If you're considering hosting a virtual wedding, check out these steps below to ensure that your new wedding day plans are just as special as your original vision. 

Announce Your Change of Plans

First off, let everyone know that you've decided to change your initial wedding day plans. Cover all of your bases so that your guests know exactly how you're handling your ceremony and how you would like them to attend (i.e., what platform you're using to stream your wedding, what time they need to tune in and what the etiquette should be). Definitely post on your wedding website, send out an e-blast (or updated invitations if that's in the budget) and maybe even post on your Facebook and Instagram if you want your ceremony to be more public. 

Decide on Your Venue

Next step is to decide on where you want your intimate ceremony to take place. Do you have a cute garden in your backyard that's the perfect backdrop for low-key nuptials? Or maybe you have a gorgeous balcony that overlooks your city! If your home isn't the ideal place to host your wedding, reach out to family and friends that would be willing to throw you a private ceremony. You can also talk to your original wedding venue to see if they would allow you to still have your ceremony, only with much fewer guests in attendance. Just remember that you have options!

Choose the Right Platform for Your Ceremony

This step is extra important! You want to make sure that you pick a platform that will accommodate all of your guests. While Zoom is the most popular option at the moment because it allows people to simply click on a link and tune in to your ceremony, there are other options you can choose like hosting a live video in a Facebook group. Whatever you decide on, make sure your instructions for watching you tie the knot are clear and concise so that you don't get bombarded with confused text messages right before you walk down the aisle. 

Go All-Out and Dress Up

Just because you're throwing a virtual wedding doesn't mean that you can't wear the wedding dress of your dreams! This is your moment to finally say "I do" to the love of your life, so you should dress for the occasion exactly how you've always imagined. If your makeup artist isn't available or can't attend the wedding because of COVID-19 precautions, study up on makeup tutorials and perfect your wedding day look. It may seem daunting, but we promise that once you capture your dream bridal style, your intimate nuptials will feel just as special as any large-scale event. 

Create the Wedding Scene of Your Dreams

Even if you're having to rearrange your wedding day plans to fit into your backyard or cozy living room, you can still create the wedding scene of your dreams! Call your florist and wedding planner to see if they have any ideas for how to make your small ceremony feel more romantic. More than likely, they'll be able to help coach you through this difficult time and maybe your florist can drop off some of the arrangements you've had your eye on for your wedding day aisle. 

Take Photos of Everything

We can't emphasize this enough - take photos of everything! Talk to your wedding photographer to see if they're comfortable with attending your ceremony at a distance. If not, get one of your wedding guests (we're looking at you brothers and sisters) to be in charge of capturing your special day on an iPhone. After all, this is the moment you get to finally tie the knot with the one you love, so you better make sure you have some memories of it!  

Getting used to the idea of throwing a virtual wedding can feel daunting. More than anything, we just want to be with all of our family and friends, but since that's not the safest option at the moment, a virtual wedding is a great way to stay true to your original wedding date while still including all of your loved ones. If there's one thing to remember right now, it's that love will always shine through in even the darkest of times.