With so many changes happening in recent months, many couples have had to adapt to closed venues, smaller weddings and new precautions. We asked a few of our Wedding Shoppe brides to share their virtual wedding stories with us, along with some of their best advice.
Nearby Venues
With many venues closing their doors this year or heavily limiting their availability, many couples were forced to get creative with their wedding venues. Alissa McComas didn’t want to wait any longer for places to open and said “it was special to us to get married in the front yard of our first home.” Some other venues our brides chose were their local church, a nearby park and a simple backyard wedding.
Smaller Weddings
Small weddings have become the new normal this year. Not only do they make it easier to stay socially distant, it can also make the planning process a lot less stressful. A majority of our brides had 10 guests or fewer at the wedding, as well as live streaming the ceremony for friends and family who couldn’t attend. Raeonna Irwin was married at their local park with only ‘our parents, maid of honor, best man and officiant” attending.
Going Live
Since many couples are opting for smaller weddings, or no guests at all, live streaming is a great way to celebrate with those who can’t be there in person. Nearly all of our brides live streamed their ceremony using everything from Facebook to Zoom and Twitch. Jessica Edmondson and her husband also live streamed their reception and “had everyone sign onto a Zoom meeting to do toasts and chat.”
Staying Safe
Extra precautions have become necessary for any couples planning their special day, from wearing masks to social distancing. Many of our brides provided guests with their own masks upon arrival, along with any individuals working at their venue. Raeonna Irwin also provided hand sanitizer and “wristbands that are green, yellow and red to show your comfort level of people being near you.”
Make Memories
Your wedding day is something you’ll remember forever, and nothing can take away those special memories. Many of our brides enjoyed having a smaller wedding because they were able to tailor everything completely to their own vision in an intimate setting with those closest to them. Katie Benjamin said that “despite the stress of planning everything, the day itself was very low stress, which was very nice. It made us more able to focus on each other and just getting married.”
It’s YOUR Day
Nearly all of our brides shared the same piece of advice for planning a virtual wedding: it’s your wedding day, do what YOU want to do! Jessica Edmondson said, “People are going to be giving you a lot of opinions but this is about you and your partner’s love. Make it the priority!”
Need a little extra help planning your own virtual wedding? Check out some of our best tips for hiring a virtual wedding planner to make your day truly unforgettable!
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