A Guide to Wedding Planning During A Pandemic
With wedding season right around the corner, and Covid sticking around, I thought some wedding planning tips and ideas might be helpful if you decide to proceed with your original wedding date!
I know the idea of having to change your dream wedding plans to accomodate for these rules and regulations may seem daunting and like a huge bummer, but I promise you can still have an amazing wedding despite some of the restrictions that are in place.
Some of the most meaningful and beautiful weddings I have photographed (even before Covid) have had smaller guest counts and unconventional details. From getting married at your family cottage barefoot to eloping in a local park with your dog, there are a number of ways your day can still feel magical without the huge party. Besides, this is the perfect excuse to host another party later on, wink, wink!
Be sure to check out some of my tips below!
*Ontario’s Covid guidelines and restrictions are always changing, so be sure to check often incase your guest-list and wedding location(s) have to change*
Tip Number One:
Divide up your guest list! Draw up your ultimate guest list; a list of everyone you would love to have at your wedding if no restrictions are in place by the time your date rolls around… then divide that list up! I would make these tiers into around 10-15 people each as this seems to be a normal guest count when restrictions are in place.
This is what it might look like:
Must Haves/First Tier:
Parents and Siblings
Best friends
Second Tier:
Cousins and other family members
More friends/their partners
Third Tier:
Extended family
Acquaintances/work friends and so on…
You can always livestream your ceremony for the guests who can’t make it!
H&N decided to elope in in a beautiful park this year with only 4 guests present and their little fur baby. the day was beautiful with a short ceremony under a willow tree and a little walk around the park after for some photos. we will be celebrating their love again this year with a bigger ceremony and reception at langdon hall!
Tip Number Two:
If your wedding venue can’t host your wedding for whatever reason, have a backyard wedding or go to a restaurant! Backyards (front-yards, cottages, etc.) can make great backdrops for your beautiful day and often feel more personal because the location has meaning. If you don’t have a yard that would work out, choosing your favourite restaurant for a small guest count could also be great!
If backyard weddings don’t sound like your thing because you didn’t want an outdoor or tented wedding, you can always dress it up with tent flooring that looks like beautiful hardwood, draping your tent to cover up the poles and mechanics, beautiful chandeliers and even lounge furniture! Ontario is home to so many great planners and rental companies that would be happy to help you make your dreams come true and make this day feel even more special.
Some other things to think about when planning a backyard wedding are: consider your seating plan and what obstacles might be in the way (i.e. decks, sheds, pool/hot-tub, etc.), where your guests can park, the bathroom situation, and letting your neighbours know your plans! The last thing you want is for the police to show up because your neighbour’s is upset about your music being a bit too loud.
*Permits may be required for a tent depending on where you live so always double check with your city.*
C&D hosted their ceremony at a family cottage because it was a meaningful location, and I mean, LOOK AT THAT BACKDROP!
Tip Number Three:
Figure out ways to entertain guests if dancing is not allowed. E&D’s guests enjoyed live music during the ceremony, had music playing and a huge bonfire to enjoy during dinner. A s’mores kit could be included at each table for guests to enjoy while keeping warm!
Some other great options would be board games at the tables, a comedian, or trivia with all of your guests.
E&D had the most beautiful backyard wedding in 2020 and made their day “Covid-friendly” by spacing out multiple tables for immediate families during their reception, serving dinner in a picnic-esque way where each table got their own little box of delicious food, bottles of wine, and individual cakes.
Tip Number 4: get some beautiful masks so your day doesn’t feel so… clinical.
The first mask is from Clique Online, the second mask is from BHLDN and the third from Canadian designer Narces.
Tip Number Five:
Your wedding day is finally here so it’s time to enjoy it!
Remember the way you felt seeing your partner at the altar for the first time, make that first kiss last, embrace every touch and look because this day will be as special as you envisioned it, no matter what.
The Very Best of 2020
We all know how crummy 2020 was and surely we don’t need a recap…
So here’s to some of the brighter moments of last year. The ones where you got to marry your favourite person no matter how much your plans changed for that day, the ones where you got to spend more time with your growing family, the days where you were able to slow down and enjoy some time just hanging out rather than living at the fast pace we were all used to before.
While my wedding season certainly looked way different in 2020 than it usually does, I really got to enjoy the moments of your life that I was lucky enough to be a part of.
10 weddings, 8 engagement sessions, 1 proposal (she said yes!!), 4 family sessions, 1 styled shoot and 1 engagement party.
Thank you all so much for trusting me to be part of these special times in your life!
Stay safe everyone xo
Check out some of my other Best Of’s here:
https://www.brittanywilliams.ca/journal/2019/8/21/the-very-best-of-2019