Wedding planning during Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Don’t stop wedding planning during the Coronavirus (Covid-19)! As wedding photographers, this time is very hard for everyone, including us, as we are a small business that makes our living photographing weddings. However, just like most things, this will come to pass and we should take the time to plan for the future.

So what are you going to do with the extra time on your hands? If you are planning a wedding in the future, this is a great time to start, here is how.

Rest & Create Clarity

Find rest to create space and clarity for what you want on your wedding day.

Nature Walks

Nature walks are perfect to clear your mind and social distancing. Avid hikers have been practicing this for years and it is well known that a brisk walk can improve feel-good hormones and relieve stress.

Thank You Cards

Write thank you cards! I actually learned this from my own wedding. I was so busy planning it, that when all was said and done I did not want to do anything else. Pre-writing thank you cards to all the people who helped plan your wedding, RSVP’d, and the guests is a good idea to get ahead, This is such a feel-good action, that by the end of it your heart will be filled with lots of gratitude.

Get Wedding Ready

Using this time to create an ideal exercise routine that will get you wedding ready, isn't a bad idea. It's safe to say that wanting to look dazzling on the wedding day is not a sin, especially when all eyes will be on you. Fitting into that perfect dress is the best feeling in the world, but sometimes, there is work that has to be done for this to happen.

When it comes to exercise, you have to prepare and plan ahead, and with plenty of time on your hands, now is better than ever!. I know, in-home exercise is not always preferred or ideal, but it can be a great, slow start to your wedding ready journey.

Ideas & tips for a successful wedding-ready exercise routine

Prepare mentally, for self-motivation.
Drink lots of water first thing in the morning.
Do bodyweight exercises.
Use YouTube for budget-friendly routines (Les Mills).
Use Amazon Prime to access to some free guided video classes.

Make Decisions

This spare time is also great for making important decisions with your partner and family. It is essential to prioritize certain things for the wedding day because decision fatigue is a real thing. Through the course of your wedding planning, you will have to make many decisions, such as picking the right wedding venue, choosing a photographer, the dress, the flowers and the list goes on. It can become quickly overwhelming while attending your full-time job, finishing school, etc. So it's important you and your partner make the decisions together. Therefore, knowing what questions need to be answered before the wedding or while planning, is essential. Here are a handful of recommendations for you.

How do we want to remember the most important day?
Do we want photography? Videography? Or both?
Do we want a wedding album as our first family Heirloom?
How many guests are we inviting?
Custom made invitations or DIY online?
Outdoor or indoor wedding venue?
If an outdoor wedding, what will be the rain back up plan?
Can we get ready at the same time on wedding venue grounds?
Does the venue allow lit candles on the property?
What are the cancellation policies?
Full Bar or no bar?
What time should we have the ceremony?
Do we want a first look before walking down the aisle?
Are we reading our vows in front of all our guests or during our own private time?
Sparklers, flowers, or bubbles send off?

Meet Vendors By Video

Hopefully, our last point helped you find some prioritization. Now that you have some clarity, it's time to make things happen! Meeting with wedding vendors virtually by video call can make the best use of your time, remember, you will have time to do this.

Let's say you need a wedding photographer, how do you start the search of finding a local wedding photographer? You type into Google “city name + wedding photographers”. Normally, this will give you all the local photographers in the area. I will say the first 4 google pages are great resources to aid in your wedding planning.

Open each photographer’s website and go by first impressions, this will give you an idea of what style you like the best. Choose your top 5 photographers and read more in-depth about their wedding day approach. Of course, there is more to just glancing at a website, you also probably asked yourself “How much should I spend on wedding photography?” or “What questions to ask a photographer?”.

Scheduling Tips

Schedule video call appointments with your top wedding vendors.
Schedule them close together with a 30-minute buffer.
Make sure you and your partner are available, this is a mutual decision.
Remember to ask plenty of questions. Leave no stone unturned.

Okay, I have given you a lot of homework, let's get it done! We are all in this together and we will get through it together. Stay healthy and safe.