Planning A Wedding During Covid 19
Planning a wedding is no easy feat, no matter the time or date. But wedding planning in 2020 took on another whole dimension with Coronavirus throwing the biggest curve ball imaginable. At the moment it looks like weddings for the foreseeable are going to be different from what we once knew, but please dont be discouraged, 2020 has shown us different can sometimes be better!
In this blog post, you will hear from some of my couples who have gone through it and came out the other side as Mr & Mrs. You’ll see that their photos are still full of fun, love and laughs and at the core, they are no different from my other weddings that I have photographed over the past 7 years. You will also find some top tips to help you be prepare for your wedding day and help you get through whatever Covid throws your way.
Getting Married During Covid 19 – A couples Perspective
My 2020 couples faced unchartered waters and were forced to have to rethink, replan and in most cases postpone their wedding days. However, whilst plans changed- with big celebrations swapped for intimate affairs, churches were replaced with back gardens and hotel receptions changed for bbq’s in the shed, a number of my couples powered through. Here’s some words of advice from my lovely 2020 couples.
Judith & Jonny // The Wool Tower
“We would encourage any couple to go through with their wedding no matter the restrictions.
We all got engaged to become a team forever and what better way to do that than face a pandemic together.
We would say to couples just do it!”
Planning a wedding and getting married during a pandemic is definitely not the experience we ever expected. However, I would say to couples just do it!
From the beginning my now husband and I always said no matter what happens we would just get married whether it was the day we always planned for or us & our parents in the back garden. Then we were faced with the reality that one week before our wedding numbers were reduced to only 25 people and no reception. Many a tear was shed but there was never any doubt that we wouldn’t do it and to be honest that is definitely down to those that were around us. Vendors rallying around us to ensure our day was still special and the best it could be as well as family and friends who were in agreement with our decision. At the end of the day they just wanted us to be happy. The toughest thing that we faced during this time was that close family members were unable to join us due to travel restrictions however, with technology everyone was still able to be a part of it and even others who didn’t make the original guest list. A big thing for us making our decision was also the uncertainty, if we postpone are we going to be faced with the same fate again and be back to square one all over again.
In the end, Our wedding day turned out to be so much more special than I ever could have imagined. With 25 of our closest family and friends beside us, the love and joy in the room was undeniable. The limited numbers encouraged two families to come together who on any normal day would have gone to those they were familiar with. I do not feel in any way that I was “robbed” of the wedding experience on the day, with all the uncertainty around at the minute, for one day it felt like there wasn’t a pandemic going on inside our little wedding bubble. Anyone looking at our photographs say how “normal” and happy the day looks.
We would encourage any couple to go through with their wedding no matter the restrictions. We all got engaged to become a team forever and what better way to do that than face a pandemic together.
Danielle & Ben // Larchfield Estate
“It was still the best day of our lives and we wouldn’t change it for the world!”
I would advise brides-to- be not to worry about what other people think. At the end of the day its about you and your partner. Our day was still amazing. Yes, it was stressful but it was still the best day of our lives and we wouldn’t change it for the world. We had to strip our wedding right back to what really matters and it was still magical!
https://www.larchfieldestate.co.uk/
AMY & RYAN // ROSS HARBOUR RESORT
We both made the decision to go ahead with our wedding no matter if there was
20 people or 120 people there.
It ended up being better than we could have ever imagined!
We both made the decision to go ahead with our wedding no matter if there was 20 people or 120 people there. Once we made that choice it took alot of the pressure off us, as we knew at the end of it, we would still be married and thats all we really wanted. Once I came to terms with the fact it maybe wasnt going to be the wedding I had imagined, with restrictions on no dancing or live music, we got on with it and it ended up being better than we could have ever imagined!
TOP TIPS FOR PLANNING YOUR WEDDING DURING COVID-19
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WORK ON YOUR GUEST LIST
We have to be realistic in our expectations for the months ahead and understand that the Coronavirus isnt going to go away as quickly as we would wish for. I dont foresee wedding of 200 guests being allowed in the immediate future. So be prepared and plan ahead, curate your must-have guest list, those guests who you really cant imagine your day without. Then maybe prepare a list of 25 guests, then perhaps another guest list of 50-100 people. This way you wont be panicking should regulations suddenly change and will be elated should you get to add more guests to your lists rather than stroking names off.
2. BE FLEXIBLE & THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX OR EVEN JUST THINK OUTSIDE!
Everyday things are changing at the moment, so being flexible and adapting is the key to your wedding success. Continue to plan and prepare but accept that your day might look a little different to what you originally planned. Remember you dont have to follow the traditional wedding day etiquette, do what is right for you two. This year I have witnessed couples get married in their back gardens, followed by a bbq with their immediate families. Ive seen wedding ceremonies with no formal receptions but with plans to celebrate big with everyone when the world recovers. At the end of the day, weddings can still go ahead, just in a different way and you will be married and thats what its all about!
3. FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN DO AND KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOUR VENDORS
Try not to get too bogged down by what is standing in your way and look at all the wedding planning that can continue, all vendors are doing online consultations and are more than happy to talk you through all your options. Its imperative if you are thinking of changing your wedding plans that you consult with your vendors, be it a shift in dates or venues, we need to be kept in the loop and can also advise you on creative ways to make your day super special. Look at all the ways your wedding CAN go ahead even with restrictions.
4. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
Its absolutely fine to have melt downs and cry, in fact its only natural to feel worried and stressed. But remember you have your partner by your side and try not to loose sight of whats truly important, thats your love.
Our world has changed as we once knew it, bubbles are no longer only referred to in champagne terms, hand sanitiser is the new must have accessory and face masks a new item in our pockets and the world of weddings hasn’t went unscathed. But just because things are different now, I have witnessed first hand that they can be even better than before. For example, the couples photos below should have been taken in a hotel garden, I think they won with Covid!
If you have any questions or need a listening ear when it comes to planning your 2021 wedding, please just drop me an email or get in touch via the contact page on my website. You got this!
