Bride advice on planning your wedding during Covid times.
It is the beginning of 2020, and you recently got engaged. You already visited a couple of venues, and you have chosen a bohemian and relaxed style for your wedding. You will have an intimate ceremony with your close friends and family with the ocean as your backdrop. For your reception, an outdoor venue with an unbeatable view and 100 guests. But all of a sudden, you start hearing about a new virus affecting some countries, and quickly arriving all over the world, your vendors start calling to let you know they need to postpone your event due to government restrictions.
Again, all over the news, you see thousands of cases, curfews, and restrictions to step out of your home and meet with those who do not live with you. It sounds like a horror movie, right? Well, this is what many couples faced during 2020 and part of 2021. The pandemic caused by Covid-19 left us wondering when or if we would ever celebrate weddings as we knew. But as the scientific community worked to find a vaccine, we finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, and we are starting to live somewhat of a normal life.
But what happened to all the couples who were hopefully waiting to say I do? Since for over a year, restrictions have not allowed them to celebrate traditional weddings with a large guest list, dancing, and hugging. Well, somehow, couples managed to keep weddings going, although with some adjustments. For couples who are still struggling to plan their wedding or they had to postpone it over and over, I have the most useful advice from brides who have been there and came out triumphant.
Be flexible.
Brides cannot be clearer in this; you need to find flexibility within your plans because they can change at any minute, and you must quickly decide what you want to do. For example, if you have all your plans ready for your wedding and you are sticking to a small and intimate gathering to avoid crowds and keep everyone safe, but all of a sudden, one of your vendors tells you their staff is sick, and they need to cancel. You must remain calmed and find solutions, ask your vendor if he knows someone who could take your event or what alternatives he can provide. Avoid focusing on the problem and place your energy on finding a solution.
Have a plan.
While planning your wedding, many issues can come up, and you need to be prepared for
different scenarios, especially when you are in the middle of a pandemic. Talk to your vendors regarding cancellation and rescheduling policies. What happens if they are unable to cover your event? Ask them how flexible they are when it comes to rescheduling due to a problem you might have. How could they help you if someone crucial for your wedding is unable to attend? Can you reschedule without a fee, or how does it work?
And most importantly, have a plan as a couple regarding your wishes when it comes to safety. For example, are your guests required to wear a mask? Should they be vaccinated? Are you asking for a negative test if they travelled for your wedding? Those tiny details are important, and you need to have a clear idea regarding your rules to feel comfortable on one of the most important days of your life.
Keep it small.
For couples who want to avoid the hassle of finding a venue large enough to observe physical distance or ask every guest to wear a mask during the entire event, there are a couple of options that have become popular over the past months. Elopements and micro weddings are intimate celebrations that have many benefits. The main difference between them is the size and location.
Elopement.
Eloping means getting married with non or few guests. You will have your Gold Coast celebrant officiate the union, and of course, a wedding photographer. If you wish, you can go to a secluded location since there are not many logistics to take care of. Many couples love to go into natural settings and have nothing but nature all around. After the ceremony, you can go and have dinner at your favourite restaurant or hire a catering service just for you two.
Micro Wedding.
It is also an intimate celebration, but you can include friends and family.
Usually, there are no more than 30 guests to call it a micro wedding. One of the advantages of these weddings is that you will easily find a venue to fit your small guest list. Plus, you get to spend quality time with each of them. And you avoid the stress of finding the right place to accommodate everyone, with enough parking, and so on. Keep your eye on local guidelines.
Over the last year, we went from normal life to being home for months, and we soon found out how fragile we are as humans. Authorities are updating guidelines and restrictions as things evolve. So, one day you could not have a guest at your wedding, and the next week you were allowed to have 10. Therefore, you need to keep informed regarding the local restrictions and guidelines to celebrate your wedding before making any big decision like inviting 150 guests.
Focus on what matters.
As a Gold Coast celebrant, I get to experience the most meaningful moment of a wedding. Where two individuals make a lifelong commitment to taking care of each other with love and respect, finding a person in this world who you love and trust so deeply is not an easy task, and if you already did that, I am certain you will be able to adjust your wedding plans and have the best day of your life regarding how big or small your celebration is.
Whenever you feel frustrated due to not having the social media worthy wedding you had in mind, look at your partner and remember why you are planning a wedding in the first place. All you need to marry the love of your life is your couple, you, and me, of course, your Gold Coast celebrant. So, give me a call, and we can start planning the ceremony of your dreams. I would love to be part of your love story.
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