I met Greta the same way I have met dozens of my brides… when she was a bridesmaid in a wedding that I was hired to be the wedding coordinator. Its one of my favorite ways to meet my brides because by the time we start to plan their wedding day we already have a connection! A few years after that fate meeting, I got a call that Greta and Greg were engaged!
When we first started planning the wedding Greta knew she wanted to include some element of her home into her wedding. We traveled over to Wisconsin to survey her family cabin property and ultimately ended up deciding that a backyard ceremony in her parents backyard. It was a perfect way to tie in Greta’s dream for her wedding and convenience for the wedding guests. After deciding on the ceremony location, we choose Loring Social for the reception. It’s location was perfect for their guests to be able to enjoy all the city had to offer.
The color pallette that was chosen for Greta and Greg’s wedding was the perfect tone’s for a September wedding. The mixes of blush, Burgandy, and mint green was one of my favorite color combinations I have seen!! And the flowers were stunning. Greta’s parents spent most of their summer getting the backyard all prepared for the celebration and it showed! Sadie’s Floral added cut flowers that complimented the already stunning decor!
The coronavirus situation may have forced us to stay at home, but that doesn’t mean all plans and dreams are crushed for couples looking forward to their wedding. Sure, it may not be the grand celebration of your dreams. The guest list may be small. Your wedding dress may not be the attire you’ve been anticipating.But it’s still possible. Thanks to technology and the internet, engaged couples can now hold a virtual wedding to celebrate their love. It’s still a fresh concept, though, and we’re sure couples, including you, might have a lot of questions about it. That’s why we’re here to help! Here are six simple tips to help you plan the best and most memorable virtual wedding ever.
1. Check-in with your local marriage laws.
States in the US, for instance, have different approaches to marriage and our current situations. Some local laws have deemed virtual weddings legal and official. Some may require you to have an officiant for the wedding. Before anything else, visit your local clerk’s office to learn about the marriage rules and whatnots in your area.
You can still hold a virtual wedding even if your state doesn’t recognize it officially. You can have a grander, official celebration once everything cools down.
2. Consult your vendor(s) for assistance.
Have you already hired vendors for your wedding but got caught in the middle of this virus situation? If yes, then talk with your vendors about a workaround for your virtual wedding.
For instance, if you’re still adamant about having your favorite floral decorations, have a chat with your florist about downsizing your planned number of flower arrangements for the venue.
Even if you’re recently engaged and haven’t hired a vendor yet, getting at least one for your virtual wedding will do you wonders. You can hire a photographer or videographer so you can document the whole event. You can also use the photos from them to create a wedding photo book that you can keep for yourself or give to friends and family.
3. Decide where to hold your wedding.
The platform where you’ll be streaming your wedding is important as your actual venue. It should be easy to access for your guests, so when choosing one, consider the technological know-how of your guest list too.
Fortunately, there are plenty of streaming platforms you can choose from, depending on your preference. Here are the most convenient ones:
Zoom (free version only allows 100 people to participate for 40 minutes)
Google Hangout (up to 25 people can only join in the free version
Skype
Facebook Live
Instagram Live
FaceTime (only allows 32 participants; only iPhone users can join)
YouTube (you can also preserve the video on the platform for future viewing)
4. Don’t forget the invites.
Once all the behind-the-scenes duties are taken care of, it’s time to let your guests know of your celebration. The good thing about virtual weddings is that everything can be done and set up with your laptop or phone and a steady internet connection. You can easily create an invitation and send it via email, chat, or private message on social media.
Whether you or a hired designer is making the invitations, it’s necessary to include what guests can expect during the virtual ceremony. Include the link, time, and date so everyone can join in on the celebration on time.
Also, make sure to provide details answering these questions:
Will the guests need to dress up? What would be the dress code for the event?
Will there be a window time for unmuting guests so they can send their well-wishes to you and your partner?
Should guests bring some wine to the virtual celebration?
Will there be an afterparty? And if so, how can the guests mingle with the others?
If you’re making the invites yourself, you can browse free templates online for some designing help. Take these invitation samples from Canva as your inspiration. They’re easy to customize too!
5. Ready your gadgets, equipment, and other important stuff for your venue.
The day before your wedding, make sure everything’s ready to go. Check your laptop if it’s running in condition and charge if necessary. Keep the charger close in case it needs additional electrical juice the next day.
Test your webcam or any camera you’ll be using to capture the whole event live. You can arrange the settings according to natural lighting, so you’re all set to point and shoot the next day.
If you’re using a smartphone, set it up on a tripod and place it somewhere where it can capture your marriage in the perfect angle.
6. Decide on your final hair and makeup look.
With restrictions on gatherings and distancing still in place, you can expect little to no available hair and makeup artists in the meantime. In this case, it’s best if you work on your wedding look on your special day.
It doesn’t matter if you have little experience with makeup and hairstyling. There are plenty of tutorials on YouTube today that can teach you a thing or two about the perfect look. You can search online for the perfect hairstyle according to your face shape and makeup based on your skin or eye color.
As a general rule, simplicity is queen for a wedding getup. Wear lighter makeup, so you look perfect on screen. You can start with your everyday look and add some touch-ups from there.
You can practice doing your hair and makeup a week or few days before your wedding. Keep polishing your look until you’re confident enough to do it in a small amount of time.
Love will still win, no matter the situation.
No pandemic or any crisis can stop love from prevailing, and you’re no exception to that! A virtual wedding may require a bit more preparation and careful decisions. But when done right, you’ll have quite a tale of love to share with your future family and friends.
When you decide to go for a virtual wedding, never forget to follow safety precautions all the time. Wear your face masks, and keep your distances as much as possible. Love wins when everyone’s safe enough to celebrate it!
There are not a lot of people that initially call me to ask about wedding planning assistance and start with saying “We want to come to Minnesota in January to get married.. because we love winter!!” This statement not only stunned me on my first phone call with Ellie and Matt… but it also gave me an indication of the amount of fun we were going to have while planning this unique wedding. Matt and Ellie lived in Washington DC and planned this beautiful winter wedding over the course of a year with a few trips back to Minnesota to attend the tasting, pick out floral and fine-tune the wedding details. Every time they came, we had a great time and I always admired their overall sense of calm they had!!
Fast forward to the second week in January.. .WEDDING DAY!! We got very lucky with the weather considering most of their guests were flying into the cold Minnesota Winter to celebrate. Emerald Green Bridesmaids dresses and wedding stationery gave a warm feeling to the cold weather outside! Snowflake decals were falling in the background while they said their vows, a custom Minnesota Shaped Ice Sculpture also incorporated the winter theme. The guys all got scarves from the local Fairbault Woolen Mill Company as gifts to wear on the wedding day and everyone ended the night with the couple’s favorite Sebastian Joe’s Ice Cream!
Thank you to Minnesota Bride Magazine for naming Lasting Impressions Weddings Best Planner in 2020! It is a huge honor to win this award and I am so grateful to receive it for the 8th time!!!
Thank you to our friends, family, couples, and vendors that voted for us. And a HUGE thank you to our team of planners that work for Lasting Impressions Weddings for al of their hard work!!
I am sure its no surprise when you look at Leigh’s infectious smile that I loved working with her and Matt to plan their Summer Wedding at Minikahda Club in Minneapolis. The couple was sweet, bubbly and so thoughtful throughout the whole planning process.
While I have worked many weddings at Minikahda Club in the past, this was the first time I had a ceremony on the lawn and we could not have asked for a better day!! With the beautiful backdrop of Lake Calhoun in the background Leigh and Matt said their vows and then guests proceeded to the rooftop deck for Cocktail Hour. The amazing dinner was topped off by Cake From Farina Bakery and the guests then danced the night away!
Thank you to WCCO for sharing this story about couples planning during a Pandemic. Here is the news article.
‘This Isn’t Going To Happen’: Reality Sets In For Minnesota Couples Hoping To Get Married Amid COVID-19
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — It’s the time of year when summer wedding season should be in full swing, but the COVID-19 pandemic has sent Minnesota couples scrambling to make new plans. WCCO takes a look at what changing restrictions for celebrations will mean in the months ahead.
Makaela Egan remembers the optimism she felt just a few months ago. After two years of planning for 200 people to celebrate their big day at Aria in Minneapolis.
“At first I was like there’s no way this is going into June it’s going to be fine,” Egan said. “We are bummed we can’t have the day we’ve been dreaming about for two years — or, at least, I have. He just thinks we’re already married.”
As time went by, her fiancee and NFL player J.C. Hassenauer had to help his bride-to-be face reality.
“End of May we’re like, we have to tell everyone this isn’t going to happen,” Egan said.
Instead, they’ll have an intimate ceremony somewhere else this month and the big party next summer.
“I really think it’s important for people to save their date and have it be special for them and not put off getting married for a whole year,” Sarah Trotter, wedding planner with Lasting Impressions, said.
Sarah Trotter plans 50 weddings a year. COVID-19 has postponed 30 of them. “We’re just trying to stay on top of all the different ordinances,” she said.
Now, church ceremonies can be at 50% capacity in Minnesota. But receptions at indoor venues can only be at 25%.
“I think it’s definitely given people more of a positive outlook on what the summer is going to look like and what they can plan for,” Trotter said.
Trotter is still hopeful the rescheduled weddings for fall and winter will go on as planned. But as for Egan and Hassenauer, they’ll be ready to party a year from now.
“We want to be married. That’s the most important thing. Why wait another year when we can still have the day celebrate each other and move forward with it,” Egan said.
Trotter expects the pandemic will have a long-lasting effect on the wedding industry as a whole, as people plan for smaller weddings and re-evaluate their priorities.
