You can’t cancel love—and even though the Covid-19 crisis has meant gatherings aren’t possible in most states, some couples have figured out a way to circumvent the cancellation or postponement of their planned spring weddings. These are the only weddings happening now, and they all have the same venue in common: Zoom. That’s right. If you’re tying the knot in Spring 2020, you’re likely asking friends and family to click a link.
Earlier this month, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo put an executive order into effect, which allows couples to apply for marriage licenses and get married over video platforms like Zoom through May 18th. When you love someone so entirely, completely, and wholly—it only makes sense to love them virtually as well. Given these special circumstances, couples are getting creative, turning hallways into wedding aisles and front stoops into altars. You might not be going to the chapel, but you’re still getting married after all! Here are some ways to make your virtual ceremony a true fete.
Consult A Wedding Planner
Elevate your expectations for an online wedding because wedding planners like Modern Rebel Co. offer virtual wedding services! With their virtual wedding coordination, they can serve as a “virtual stage manager” for the big day. “Party in-person at a safer, later date but celebrate now and we promise to make it extraordinary even in these unprecedented times,” Amy Shack Egan from Modern Rebel & Co. says. She even suggests you consider having an online wedding “not as an alternative but as an addition” to your wedding experiences. Given the circumstances, few things sound more comforting than this!
Paperless Invites for All
Browse online invitation selections like Paperless Post to find affordable and stylish invites you can send to as many people as Zoom will allow. (You can have 100 people on a Zoom call for 40 minutes for free before you need to buy a “pro” version of Zoom. Check out this New York Times article on how to livestream your wedding and decide which video platform is best for you.)
Perfect Your Speech
Having trouble finding the right words to say? Let the team at Speech Tank find them for you. Alternatively, if your Best Man or Maid of Honor is struggling, maybe send them Speech Tank’s link . . . they’ll get the hint!
Doll Yourself Up
Even though your camera isn’t HD and your guests won’t see you in person, styling shouldn’t be overlooked. Reach out to hairstylists and makeup artists—they may be able to provide a video tutorial and walk you through your wedding day look.
Photo Album
Designate someone to be the wedding photographer. Essentially, all they have to do is screenshot the ceremony. Ask your guests to send in pictures of them at your ceremony. Compile the pictures of your guests from their vast and different locations and make a virtual photo album.
Tablescape
Social Studies offers divine rentable tablescapes that are perfect for any wedding size. Their Quarantine Cutie Kit, however, makes Social Studies perfect for the Zoomly-wedded couple isolating at home together. The kit is available for any of their tablescape designs and includes two place settings, and $25 from each purchase is given to ROAR NY. We can toast to that!
Take Out Catering
Indulge and support local businesses by ordering from a delivery app. Urge your guests to do the same. Oh, and don’t forget the cake! (We highly recommend Caroline’s Cakes for all of your cake delivery needs.) People always say you never get to eat the food at your wedding . . . well, they haven’t had an online wedding!
Don’t Forget The Playlist
Make a Spotify playlist of all your favorite hits and share it with your guests. That, or pass the aux to your most music-savvy friend to curate the evening’s tunes.
Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse
It might not be the rehearsal dinner you imagined. Before your wedding ceremony, it is in your best interest to review the run of show with any key participants. If you have people designated for speeches, make sure they know how to control Zoom’s features. Send an email ahead of time, reminding guests to keep their microphone muted during the ceremony. (Hey, another plus to virtual weddings! Because of the mute feature, you won’t have to worry about anyone coughing during your ceremony or voicing an objection to your marriage!) You don’t want to confuse wedding bells for the sound of Twitter notifications.
Also, brace yourself for technical difficulties. Not all of your guests may be acquainted with Zoom, and as anyone who has used it knows—there is a definite learning curve.
Congratulations to all of the Zoomly-weds! For the couples still debating whether or not to say “I do’ online, Governor Cuomo said, “There’s now no excuse when the question comes up for marriage. No excuse. You can do it by Zoom.”
