Virtual Happily Ever Afters
How to plan a virtual wedding
2020 has unexpectedly changed life how we know. The Covid 19 global pandemic has had a major impact on social gatherings closing restaurants, bars, churches, unnecessary travel, and has most people locked inside their houses. Couples who had planned weddings and starting their married life have had to cancel and postpone indefinitely as nobody really knows what the future holds. However, just because couples can’t have the traditional idea of a wedding does not mean they can’t still get married in front of their friends and loved ones. You can plan a virtual wedding!
Resilient and savvy brides are turning to virtual wedding planning in 2020. It is currently impossible to have your wedding in person but you can still have an amazing wedding day complete with the jaw dropping dress, photos, speeches, vows, and be able to interact with your guests live. Technology is keeping us all connected during these days of social distancing and there is no reason it can’t help couples tie the knot almost as they had planned. The good news is RSVPs are a breeze as there are almost no excuses for attendees missing the event!
The first step is to pick a platform to use for the guests to attend. Zoom is the most popular meeting platform right now. It’s used for everything from work meetings to homeschooling by most people. You can post with Facebook Live but your guests won’t be able to react in real time or add to the event. Explore your virtual options before deciding. Also, make sure you have a tripod and the right lighting before the big day. Don’t skip a rehearsal, you need to work out any lighting, timing, or sound issues before the ceremony.
Next, you need to invite your guests. There are all kinds of virtual invites available making it possible to have the gorgeous invite even if it is virtual. Evite is free to use if you already spent your invite budget on paper ones. The most popular for weddings are Greenvelope and Parperless Post. Make sure you post the log in information and dress information. People are yearning for an event to get dressed up for as they sit around the house. You want to make it memorable-make it dress formal, pick a theme, or even require hats. Communicate the dress code in your evite, you don’t want anyone in yoga pants and a messy bun.
Even though we are only going out to buy essentials right now the internet can deliver anything to your door. A gorgeous wedding dress could be at your doorstep in a day. Contact local bakeries for a scaled down wedding cake, you don’t want to forget the traditional cutting of the cake at your wedding. Local photographers can shoot the wedding while following social distancing rules. An officiant can be tricky but they can lead the ceremony in person or online-the important thing is the paperwork is done and filed. A roommate or family member can get ordained online with American Marriage Ministries and perform the ceremony for you.
Just because you are getting married virtually does not mean you have to forgo the reception. If you have attended a Zoom cocktail party in the last month, you know how fun it can be. Most areas have alcohol delivery so instead of an open bar-have a bottle of wine delivered to your guests. Even more fun would be to have the ingredients to your signature wedding cocktail delivered with instructions and a custom glass for a wedding favor. Add wedding “cupcakes” so your guests can enjoy the cake cutting with you as well. There are so many avenues for deliveries, the sky is the limit for making the event fun for everyone.
For so many engaged couples 2020 has been a year of anxiety and disappointment while preparing for their wedding. It does not have to be! Couples can embrace the new normal and create a wedding their guests will never forget. Think of the story you’ll have to tell when people ask what did you do during the pandemic of 2020? Hidden River Events wants to help you with your virtual wedding. Transport your guests to your dream mountain wedding in the comfort and safety of their own homes. Hidden River Events has an elopement special that would pair perfectly with Zoom for a virtual wedding planning. Contact us today for a virtual tour and pricing information. Right now, you can book an elopement or a small wedding before June 1, 2020 at Hidden River Events and receive a free 7 night stay at one of several different resorts, worldwide:
- an ocean-front condo in Maui, or Virginia Beach
- visit the Grand Canyon and Red Rocks Sedona, Arizona
- the amazing beaches of the Balearic Islands in Spain
- Celebration (Orlando) and a visit to Disney World
- or other locations worldwide (e.g. Mexico, France, Outer Banks, etc.), as available
We Specialize in All-Inclusive
At first, we thought all-inclusive meant just having all the infrastructure ready to go for the couple, so what looks like such a simply beautiful, largely outdoor wedding could be as clean and simple as the lines of the tent. There should be no hassles about getting in all the infrastructure and having it ready for your wedding. We did not want to witness a rental truck showing up at the last minute and a mom or bridesmaid, or the couple themselves, setting up chairs and tables–even mowing the yard–on the morning of the wedding. These were all things Jeanne witnessed repeatedly over the years. No wonder people were exhausted before their wedding even began…
