Wedding Planning During a Pandemic

Wedding planning during a pandemic. I never thought I’d have that to add to my resume. While hundreds of couples are postponing their Spring 2020 weddings, there are many more who are choosing to focus on love during this uncertain time. New inquiries continue to come in and people are ready to begin planning for their futures with their partners. We may not be able to gather now, but what better time to begin daydreaming about your Big Day?

So how has COVID-19 changed wedding planning? Because my specialty is elopements and small weddings, I often work with couples that are spontaneous and looking for something non-traditional. In the past, inquiries from those looking to get married as soon as tomorrow have not been unheard of! Unfortunately spontaneity has taken quite a hit recently. Rather than running away to get wed this weekend, couples are slowing down and spending more time planning their ceremonies.

I have also seen a spike in elopement interest from couples who had planned a traditional wedding that had to be postponed because of the virus. For those who have had to push their wedding into 2021, the Elope-Now-Celebrate-Later style of matrimony allows them to take care of the legal aspect of marriage this year and still have the celebration they had dreamed of at a later date. Additionally, for couples who have had to fully cancel their wedding due to finances or other factors, an elopement or down-sized intimate wedding can be the perfect solution.

The news tells us this is a scary time. But it is also a hopeful time. Like Mr. Rogers’s mom said “You will always find people who are helping”. There is encouragement all around us if we just look for it. I am so proud of the work that is being done by our hospital workers, grocery store clerks, truck drivers, and all others who find themselves fighting this virus from the front lines. And I am also proud of those couples who have decided to focus on hope and love during this unsettling period. We will get through this!

To those who have made peace with their Spring wedding becoming a Fall wedding and for those who are already looking ahead to next year, I’m so glad to be a part of your journey! Once this pandemic is behind us, there will be parties, there will be weddings, and there will most definitely be cake!