Pandemic Wedding Issues
Planning your 2021 wedding from home may actually be a great thing! I’m not sure we should be so negative to call it a Pandemic Wedding Issue. In theory, you now have more spare time to think about the details and make the process less stressful. There are so many fun things to keep your spirits up while checking off those to-dos!
I have teamed up with Wedding Planner, Jodie Lupo of Particular Planner, to give you the needed advice you’ve been searching for. We have both worked in multiple aspects of the wedding industry before we started our full-time companies and have both recently been brides ourselves! Jodie and I have combined our love for weddings with our experiences, and researched advice from some of the top industry resources. Peach Photography and Particular Planner are here to give you one consolidated source to help solve your Pandemic wedding issues!
- Secure the most important vendors ASAP
With many 2020 weddings now postponed to 2021, vendors are having their calendars book up quickly and much quicker than under normal circumstances. Create a list of your top 3-5 vendors and be sure to secure those as soon as possible. Once your top vendors are secured, move on to the remaining vendors.
Ask to video chat or have phone calls with them to make sure you like not just their price quotes but them as a person too. Being that there are some vendors who will be with you the entire day of your wedding, it’s really important that you both have a good connection from the start!
Many venues are giving virtual tours! Take advantage of being able to see multiple spaces all in one day. See, planning your 2021 wedding from home can be fun!
2.) Create your guest list
If you aren’t eloping, one of the biggest tasks and most important is creating a guest list. This will determine the venue size you need, the number of tables for the florist, invitation count, your budget, transportation, etc.
When creating your guest list, you may want to think about making an A & B list. We are not completely positive that weddings will immediately go back to the free-will luxury event they used to be before March 2020. If your wedding cannot legally be the larger size you would like it to be, you will easily be able to decide who is mailed save-the-dates or invitation first.
Collect not just their address, but phone numbers and emails too. You may need to reach out to them in multiple ways in the case of changes or updates. Traditional mail is not always the fastest or most reliable.
3.) Start a wedding website
A lot of couples feel that they do not need a wedding website, and this can certainly be true. However, we are finding that when unexpected situations arise, like a global pandemic, you need to update your guests quickly. Wedding websites are a great way to keep guests informed and being proactive will save you so much time and energy later!
4.) Start your registry
Can you say, date night? Sip your favorite drink or enjoy your favorite snack while on your sofa in those jammies. Open the website of your favorite stores and you will probably find that they will allow you to create an online registry. You can link to them on your wedding website or look into using zola.com where you can centralize multiple stores in one location.
Honestly, most stores have more options online than in person anyway. Don’t be afraid to click everything you love on impulse! You can go back and widdle down later.
5.) Gear up your beauty rituals
Now’s the time to test those beauty products you’ve had your eye on. We’re talking about the in-home self-tanners, the exfoliating face masks, special hair treatments, or maybe a new line of make-up. There’s no better time than now to do a little experimenting, safely of course! If you’re looking for a few ideas, we love referencing this article from Brides, it’s perfect because it outlines top industry beauty tips and offers you a wedding beauty regimen and timeline to follow leading to your “I do’s!”
We also know that many of you (us included!) may not know where to start when it comes to applying your own make-up or what skin products are best for their skin types. That’s why we love the idea of reaching out to a professional for guidance. Samantha Linn, Owner of MakeUp by Samantha Linn servicing NJ and NY, offers 30-minute mini-sessions via Zoom. She’ll also answer questions about makeup and skincare, what tools you need, and even provide a mini makeup demo.
Samantha says, “Now is the time to do some spring cleaning of your makeup bag & skincare! Ditch any old or unused products and take some time to research what’s missing in your routine.” She goes on to explain that, “During most of my Zoom sessions, I’m helping my clients go through each piece of their beauty routine. Deciding whether it’s working, how it can be used, or whether it needs to be replaced with something better!” Brides will walk away from each session with a custom shopping list of products and expert advice. It’s a win win! If you’re interested in taking Samantha’s free skin care quiz click here!
6.) At home dance lessons or do in-home workouts together
Pro tip – rehearse in your wedding shoes and definitely make it an at-home date night.
If you have dance lessons or starting a workout routine on your wedding to-do list, there are many local studios and gyms providing live-streaming classes at incredibly low prices! For dance lessons, you can also search Youtube for short videos and learn the basic steps now. Peloton is offering a free 90 day trial of their workout app. It’s worth the download!
7.) Meet with your officiant via video
If incorporating religion into your ceremony, talk to your place of worship or officiant, and see if you can take your pre-marriage meetings via online video. We’re all familiar with zoom, houseparty and facetime by now. Use this amazing technology we have at our fingertips and check this task off your list!
8.) Intimate Weddings aka Micro Weddings – Are they for you?
When it comes to size, no wedding is too small and even the most intimate weddings are special. An intimate wedding or you may have heard the term “micro wedding”, is what we anticipate seeing as a top trend in the 2021 wedding industry. More and more couples are deciding that having an intimate gathering with their closest loved ones is all they need and may decide to plan accordingly from the start. Having an intimate wedding still includes all the same special details and yet opens up the doors (literally!) to unique wedding venues you may not have been able to consider previously. It also allows the opportunity to have very personalized details. Everything from custom invites, personalized notes in welcome bags, and unique place cards at every seat. You may find that this is the perfect fit for you.
You can read more Pandemic Wedding advice on “Postponements” and “How to Celebrate.”
Vendors we would like to thank:
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