Covid has been causing havoc with weddings, leaving couples unsure as to what direction to go in. Guidance changes constantly and if you are still considering getting married in 2021, you need to seriously think about how you are going to downsize your celebration.
Firstly, let me start by telling you if you have a smaller, more intimate wedding, it is more personal and emotional with everyone in attendance being completely invested in your love for one another. For everyone struggling with how to start the process of downsizing your wedding I have some tips and a little advice that may help you in your decision.
Start with sitting down with your fiancé and create a spreadsheet of your guests. Put them in categories. These categories can be if you are at 50 guests, 75 guests, and so on. Rate each guest based on their importance on who is the most important and cutting anyone you have not seen, talked to, or hung out with in a long time. This could be a cousin, aunt, friend that you have not seen you in years.
If you are eliminating guests all together, some couples are eliminating plus ones to the wedding. If you do not know who that guest would bring, you can politely let them know that you want them there, but due to Covid you need to keep the guest list down. Another route is eliminating children at the wedding. Some guests could have up to four children. Eliminating the option for them to be there can adjust the list greatly. Another option is eliminating coworkers. Most couples want to include coworkers, but by reducing the guest list to no coworkers not only would Linda not get upset for not being invited like Ashley, but it would also cut your guest list. If you have guests from overseas, chances are, they will not make the trip. It is better to eliminate them from your guest list as well.
Finally, the next thing to do is to reach out to your guests and find out who would prefer to watch virtually. I have had a lot of couples cutting the list by reaching out to everyone two months prior asking who prefers this way. It gives the guest the option to make the decision without feeling bad for not being there in person. Couples are doing zoom or hiring a videographer who has the capability to live stream. Some couples are sending save-the-date virtual style kits to these guests. It gives instructions on how to view virtually and you can send them a cute favor like a small bottle of bubbly to celebrate when you say, “I do!”. This option would be good for any vulnerable guests as well. The zoom or live stream could be set up in specifics areas and the guest who is watching virtually can log on during the specific times on the timeline and watch you say, “I do,” first dance, or even toasts.
Photography by Out Of Twig Photography
Venue - Tuckahoe Plantation
Floral by Marylee