Wedding traditions, the future and new options!

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room….

Covid-19 Weddings and how to navigate the new world of social distancing, restrictions and how to still have the wedding of your dreams!

Now first let me stay off by saying LOVE IS NOT CANCELED! If you are a couple who is being forced to make the painful decision whether or not to cancel, postpone or have an alternative style wedding. Please postpone. Your wedding will still happen. It will still be magical and everything you want but it might just have to wait a few more months. Now let’s talk about some options you have.

1. Postpone- You can choose to postpone until 2021!! Most vendors at this point are allowing couples to reschedule to next year with no additional costs. I personally am allowing my couples to reschedule with no additional fees and I am happy to shoot a small private ceremony on your original wedding date if you choose to still get married and postpone the reception. Think of this as extra planning time which could be helpful if there were elements you would want to change. Also, this gives you more time to enjoy your engagement! Once all of the restrictions are lifted, enjoy being together, being engaged and knowing you are still getting married, you are just getting a little extra time to celebrate your engagement!
2. ZOOM WEDDINGS/ VIRTUAL WEDDINGS- Get married now and celebrate later! Now I touched on this topic a little in option 1 but let me explain more. Some couples need to get married now for insurance reasons or because they just want to be married. A lot of couples are opting to have a small ceremony sometimes with family or a few people in attendance and using the Zoom platform to allow other guests to watch virtually. This allows their friends and family to still be a part of their wedding day and then the couple will plan a vow renewal and reception later. As i mentioned I am happy to photograph this private intimate event for you! If you are already a couple of mine and have rescheduled for a later date but still want to move forward with this option as well I am giving this to my couples for FREE. Why? Well because everyone has been through enough and I am trying to help in any small way possible. 
3. Weddings of the future. Micro Weddings, Elopements & Minimony- Now let’s quickly outline what each option means. These are three options couples are choosing to use during Covid-19 but in reality elopements have been an option for many years. (My parents eloped!) However these three options might be the new trend for weddings for years to come. So let’s talk about them. (These definitions are pulled from an article on The Knot) 

• Minimony– A minimony is a mini ceremony or moment of commitment held with your loved ones or just between yourselves. During Covid-19 a minimony is a commitment ceremony between you and your partner, and it can include up to 10 people—as long as you adhere to social distancing measures. After your minimony, continue prepping for your sequel wedding, or the original wedding that you had planned prior to the pandemic.
• Micro Weddings– A micro-wedding will typically include a guest list of up to 50 guests—often immediate family and super-close friends only. Though tiny in guest count, a micro-wedding differs from a minimony. A micro-wedding is for the couple who wants to really focus and spend the majority of their budget on the smaller details, whereas it might be difficult to replicate the same experience for, say, 200 guests. While a micro-wedding can save you money, many couples are turning it into a macro experience.
• Elopement– Traditionally, elopements were considered spur-of-the-moment and unplanned events involving an element of secrecy. Today, couples are using this option as a romantic getaway. Couples are taking the extra steps to personalize the experience. It’s become more thought out and planned. You could make this into an adventure for you and your partner. Choose your favorite destination location or somewhere significant to you and tie the knot there.

These are new options for couples getting married now and in the future and I must say I am here for it! I am not offering wedding packages that cater to these new wedding traditions! 

I hope these options give you some hope, positivity and something to think about! Everyone deserves to have the wedding of their dreams. Mindsets may need to be adjusted and those wedding visions might need to change but you can still have the romance and timeless experience.

For more information regarding these options please read this article from The Knot and take a look at additional resources provided to help see if one of these options are right for you!

https://www.theknot.com/content/what-is-a-microwedding

https://www.thebigweddingplanningpodcast.com/

https://www.herecomestheguide.com/wedding-ideas/wedding-planning-during-coronavirus