Virtual wedding isn’t a dream scenario for the bride-to-be, but it’s a great alternative to postponing or canceling. Wondering who should be invited and when to send the invitations? Here’s how to plan a virtual wedding.
Marriage licence
There’s a lot of gray area when it comes to the virtual marriage ceremonies. Google the requirements and laws for your state. Check with your local clerk’s office to be sure you’re handling the obtaining of the license properly.
Platform
When it comes to virtual weddings, Zoom is the most popular platform, but there are several others you can choose from – Houseparty, Facebook live, Google hangouts…
Invitations
You can send digital or physical invitations. Don’t forget to include the link for the virtual meeting.
Dress code
White looks great on camera – so you can wear your wedding gown, slip dress or even pajamas. Encourage guests to dress in bright colors and not to wear stripes (stripes can look distracting on the screen).
Hair and make-up
Your stylist can’t provide the in-person service – but you can still doll up for the big day. A lot of stylists are offering virtual hair and make-up trials. They’ll go over several different looks and styles with you and teach you how to make them yourself. For best results, practice a couple of times before the big day.
Flowers
Reach out to your florist and see if they can make and deliver a bouquet to you. Maybe they can set up a Zoom tutorial to help you make your own wedding bouquet? For the boutonniere, take flower bud and pin it to a shirt or jacket.
Ceremony
Make sure the event link is sent to your loved ones, officiant and a witness (if a witness is legally required in your state). Ask a friend to help with muting/unmuting guests – as directed by the officiant. Here’s a sample of events:
- Couple, officiant and witness sign in 10 minutes before the start time. Guests are in the waiting room until the beginning of the ceremony.
- At start time, guests are unmuted – so they can greet each other.
- The officiant tells everyone that they will be muted – only the couple and the officiant will be heard.
- The officiant performs the ceremony. There can be a point in the ceremony where the guests are unmuted – so they could cheer when the couple shares their first kiss.
Pictures
If the photographer is comfortable, he can photograph the ceremony from a safe distance. If the photographer isn’t able to capture the virtual wedding, use a tripod and a timer to take pictures. You can also record the wedding via Zoom.
Cake
Find the recipe for the simple cake and decorate it with flowers, fruit or chocolate. If following the recipe sounds like too much trouble for you, get the cake mix and pre-made frosting or find a baker who is willing to make a small cake for the virtual ceremony.
What are your thoughts on how to plan a virtual wedding?
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