Getting Creative With Your COVID Micro-Wedding
Elopements and micro weddings are on the rise as a result of COVID-19, but they’re a trend we don’t see stopping, even after the pandemic is over. The misconception is that micro weddings are small, quick events that make you miss out on the fun of planning, the excitement of decorating, and the fun details like food or drink. Having a micro wedding does not mean you have to cut out all of the details you’ve ever wanted, it just means getting creative to adapt your plans to an intimate number of people.
Downsizing the Guest List
If you began planning your wedding pre-pandemic or you had always dreamed of a large wedding but are starting to rethink what you and your partner really want, it may be time to downsize the guest list you’ve already created. Don’t let the thought of cutting the number down overwhelm you, there are a few ways to downsize the guest list.
The first question to ask yourself is what your long-term plans are. Are you looking to have a mini, family-only ceremony now and celebrate with a large reception down the line as large gatherings become safer? Or are you looking to have an intimate micro wedding now as your sole celebration? This will help you decide what numbers you are comfortable working with, and if you plan to celebrate with those beyond your immediate circle.
If you’ve already invited guests to a wedding that was postponed due to COVID, it’s important to keep them in the loop with direct communication. Let them know if your plans will include them later down the line, or if you’ve chosen to go in a different direction with a small ceremony. Make sure to let them know that they will be missed and that it was a difficult decision, you don’t want to leave any of your uninvited guests feeling hurt.
Having a micro wedding means small in-person numbers, not leaving people out entirely. That long guest list of people you already invited or dreamed of inviting can still be part of your special day in a virtual capacity. You can choose to host an online wedding with as much guest participation as you’d like, from simply tuning into the ceremony online to a full-blown virtual reception.
Livestream Ceremony
If you want your family and friends in attendance but not necessarily in-person, stream the reception online. Offering a live, digital attendance option is great not just for COVID-related reasons, but at any time if you have elderly relatives or guests who want to be part of your day but are unable to travel to your celebration.
At a minimum, you can set up a phone or camera with a webcam and have guests dial-in on Zoom to watch. This will work, but may not provide the in-person feel that having a videographer would. If you have several guests watching from home, consider hiring a videographer to give your Livestream a professional look that will make at-home guests feel more included.
Working with a videographer alongside a wedding planner will take many of the tech logistics off your plate like finding reliable internet to reach your ceremony location (especially if it’s outdoors) and setting up microphones and necessary audio and lighting equipment required for streaming.
Social Distance Seating
Whether you hold your event indoors or outside, it’s important to keep your guests socially distanced for the safety of everyone involved. No one wants their wedding to be the reason guests or vendors get sick.
Set up your ceremony with your chairs six feet apart, seating only same-household guests together. This also applies to the reception. Opt for small, spaced out tables at the reception so guests are not forced to sit with people outside their bubble, especially since masks will be removed to eat and drink.
A popular method for keeping the distance at weddings during COVID-19 has been a stoplight system where red indicates no contact, no exceptions, yellow means cautious, but we can bump elbows, and green says that high-fives and handshakes are okay with frequent hand washing and sanitizing. Guests can designate this in the form of bracelets provided by the couple. colored drinkware, or any other creative way.
The most important aspect of social distancing and overall safety is that the couple and their vendors do all they can to create a safe environment. You don’t want to leave your guests feeling overwhelmed or unsafe. Your wedding day should be a positive celebration for all involved.
Sanitation Stations
Keeping your guests and vendors safe is a top priority. Make sanitizing opportunities readily available to your guests to help slow the spread of germs in-between hand washings. Have hand sanitizer available near the bar, near the dance floor, and at entrances to the venue. Mini bottles of hand sanitizer make great favors to put on each seat at the ceremony or at individual place settings at the reception.
Require masks at all times during the wedding, not just at the ceremony or before dinner. Give guests masks printed with your wedding date on them or in your wedding colors. This will ensure guests have one available to them at all times, especially if they misplace theirs and need one to wear after dinner.
Individual Drink and Food Options
Skip the buffet and offer individual, plated meals. Removing the self-serve portion of the meal will reduce cross-contamination, avoid sharing serving utensils, and lower the risk of guests getting too close together in line for food.
Offering individual meals does not mean you need to sacrifice variety. If your heart was set on a buffet cocktail hour, serve guests plates filled with finger food. Miniature foods are a great alternative to passed hors d'oeuvres. They give the same assortment of opportunities a buffet does but without the sharing. Give each guest a plate of mini appetizers, soup shooters, or small servings of a variety of side dishes to accompany the main dish.
Instead of cutting a wedding cake, give each guest their own single-serve cake. Individual food and drink can also double as favors. For example, cake or other desserts can be served in high-end travel boxes instead of to-go containers so guests can easily take with them whatever they do not finish.
Are you looking to plan a micro-wedding and need assistance? Contact us today for a consultation here.