How to have an amazing wedding during a crisis

HINTS & TIPS

How to have an amazing wedding during a crisis—like a pandemic…

Are you rethinking your wedding plans because of a crisis?

Maybe you’re feeling really disheartened because the wedding you can actually have bears no relation to the wedding you dreamed of having. Or maybe you’re just now totally confused over what you can and can’t have or do at your wedding.

First, remember things are changing all the time— but the reality is that the situation is extremely fluid at the moment. As you’ve probably found, depending on where you live and where your venue is, you could suddenly find either you or the venue back in lockdown, or rules could be very quickly relaxed.

What to do when an unexpected crisis happens?

First of all—don’t panic!

Whatever the crisis that happens (and this doesn’t just apply to pandemics, but to other situations that might restrict your ability to get married as you originally intended.

01.

Reach out to your suppliers

First, remember things are changing all the time— but the reality is that the situation is extremely fluid at the moment. Depending on where you live and where your venue is, you could suddenly find either you or the venue back in lockdown, or rules could be very quickly relaxed.

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02.

Check the latest guidelines in your area

If it’s a global crisis like a pandemic, always double check on the government websites for the country you’re getting married in on what you can and can’t do at your wedding, as well as for your own country if you’re having an international or destination wedding. Also check with your venue and suppliers, as they may have stricter guidelines, especially if it’s a smaller venue or is difficult to move around in and social distance from others.

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03.

What are the latest rules?

I wrote this section in 2020, providing links to the rules and restrictions at the time—however these pages have now either been deleted or archived.

So rather than send you off to a 404 page (page not found), I just want to stress that if you’re getting married in the UK, it’s important to note that the guidelines are likely to be different for each country within the UK. So depending on whether you’re getting married in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, the rules may be quite different.

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It’s important to keep checking what the latest Covid-19 or pandemic rules are, as they can change at extremely short notice.

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What about destination weddings?

Maybe you’re thinking about eloping abroad, after all, if you thinking about a wedding that’s limited to you two, or just a very small group, somewhere warm and sunny and idyllically beautiful can seem really appealing.

Check to find out the latest guidelines on where you go to get married without perhaps having to self-isolate or go into quarantine on your return.

5 options to consider…

If you know what you have planned is your dream wedding, and anything less would be a disappointment, and can’t bear to not hug your relatives, or to see evidence of Covid-19 at your wedding, then you’ll need to postpone.

But what about if you really do want to get married on your original date? Or perhaps you need to for religious or social reasons, but are so scared that you, your family or guests will get sick or worse, as a result of going to your wedding?

When I was planning to get married, a part of me just wanted to elope and tie the knot somewhere beautiful, the Scottish Highlands, on a beach, a castle—just somewhere out of this world, but I didn’t feel I could as it would upset my family too much. But Covid-19 makes this option much more attractive and acceptable.

An elopement allows you to keep Covid-19 restrictions to a minimum, as you can just take a photographer and videographer, they can be your witnesses, and you can combine it with a honeymoon. If you’re willing to make plans very quickly, you may be a able to get married abroad or elsewhere in the United Kingdom for a fraction of what it would have cost.

You might decide that you don’t want a large wedding after all, and have a total rethink. Hiring a small group of cottages just for close family and friends could be an option, so you have a ‘safe’ extended family holiday, with separate accommodation, but they’re at least there with you and the risk is low.

Companies like Group Accommodation specialise in group accommodation.

You then have the option of a pub or restaurant lunch or dinner, subject to restrictions, or having a picnic reception out together if you have nice grounds where you’re staying.

Maybe you don’t want to hold off getting married on the original date but you can’t stand not having all your friends and family together for a celebration?

Why not have an elopement or micro wedding somewhere else for the original date, and keep the original venue for a big party later on with your original guests?

In England, a ‘proper’ wedding has to follow very strict rules to be valid—you have to give notice, you have to get married in buildings that are licensed, you have to say specific words for the marriage to be legal, you have no choice apart from a civil or religious ceremony.

You can choose your own celebrant or even choose friends, who will help you really personalise your vows, and you can get married wherever you want, subject to permission; maybe on the beach, in the woods, or on a mountain – the place is only limited by your imagination!

Maybe you don’t want to (or can’t) delay your wedding. If this is the case, you’re better off not trying to hide the Covid-19 restrictions, but make a feature of them – the masks, the social distancing markers on the ground, the one-way system, the 1m+ or 2m distances, the washing of the ring and the hands.

The creative possibilities are endless, and any wedding film with this will be a historic heirloom to pass down to your children and grand-children.

Do you have more questions? If so, please get in touch with me…

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Covid-19 doesn’t have to be the ‘kiss of death’ for your wedding…

I’d love to hear if you have other ideas, or thoughts, or hear from you how your wedding plans have been affected or changed as a result of Covid-19.

Please please, don’t skimp on having a videographer for your wedding though, it’s such a historic time, and if you are postponing or changing your wedding, you may find your budget now stretches to having a film.

Films have come a long way from the terrible ‘camcorder’ films from the seventies, and they can be tailored to suit you, and what kind of couple you are – whether you’re a total romantic, or the opposite, or a party animal.

I can offer you special packages if you’re planning a split wedding/blessing along with payment plans, so please do get in touch if you’re interested in this.

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