From micro-weddings with guest lists trimmed down to ceremonies broadcast live into the homes of friends and family, people are finding innovative ways of saying: “I do”.
You don’t have to join the countless couples who have cancelled their wedding celebrations to comply with lockdown regulations.
How to celebrate your wedding during the pandemic:
Minimony
Whether it’s for legal, financial or personal reasons, a lot of couples would like to honour their original wedding date with an intimate marriage ceremony.
The name says it all: a minimony is an intimate ceremony that can be held with just the couple and a few witnesses, followed by a very small celebration to mark the event.
However, most people still plan on having the wedding of their dreams at a later stage when it’s a bit safer to have large gatherings.
Picnic receptions
Rather than hiring a hall at a hotel or wedding venue, plan a picnic wedding reception with your closest friends and family. If your wedding reception is going to be really small, there is no use in hiring out an entire venue for a party of less than 15 to 20 people.
The celebration can be held anywhere that allows you to lay out a decorative set up. From the back garden of your home to quiet beaches and even the garden of an Airbnb would work perfectly as they all offer an intimate outdoor setting.
Patterned rugs, plush pillows and throws, wooden crates and charcuterie boards will work well.
Drive-in wedding
Although the concept of movie-watching from the comfort of your own vehicle has fizzled out during lockdown, drive-ins have made a comeback in a completely reimagined way.
People are getting creative with drive-in weddings as a safe way of tying the knot. The wedding couple marry in the presence of an officiant while their guests tune in from the radio. All the traditional aspects of a wedding can still happen, like walking down the aisle.
Isolation bubbles
For wedding receptions, guests can enjoy the festivities from the safety of an isolation bubble. People can be grouped together according to who they’ve already been in contact with.
The clear domes can be decorated with flowers, lights and will include seating. They look magical in the night as they reflect the glow of fairy lights and resemble something out of a sci-fi film.
Zoom wedding
This list would not be complete without the addition of a Zoom wedding. Video calls have become our way of staying connected with family from across the globe.
From graduations to birthdays and even baby showers, they’ve served as a way to peek into the lives of our loved ones when travel was not possible. If you have family with underlying health issues or who live too far away to attend your wedding, a video call ceremony is the perfect solution.
The wedding can be done completely through video conferencing or partially, it’s all up to the circumstances.
Eloping
Historically, eloping meant “to run away secretly with the intention of getting married usually without parental consent”.
But it has also come to be a big trend within the wedding world, where brides and their grooms have been getting married in private, with focus on the simple aspects of marriage rather than extravagant extras.
From road trips to hikes and even the back garden of a house, the destination can be anywhere and should set the tone for what atmosphere the couple would like to create on their special day.
Covid-19 safety measures to consider for your wedding day:
- Following
- Brief guests beforehand about following social distancing, wearing a mask and following other Covid-19 safety measures. You can include this information on your wedding invitations.
- If family or friends are flying in from different provinces or you have people who may have been in contact with infected people, ask that they test negative for Covid-19 before attending your wedding.
- Have hand sanitiser stations at key points of your reception to remind guests to use them and prevent the spread of germs.
- Have signs to remind guests to keep their masks on, over their noses, especially when in the direct presence of other guests.
- Have your ceremony in a well ventilated area, either with all windows and doors open or completely outdoors.
- Include social distance markers to indicate 1.5 metres where guests can be seated for the ceremony.