Couples with weddings planned this season have some tough decisions to make and my heart goes out to them. Tying the knot is such an exciting experience that the idea of postponing your wedding can be a huge disappointment. 

Because of government restrictions around gatherings due to the COVID-19 / coronavirus pandemic and, of course, the safety of our communities, the big celebration you had planned may no longer be an option. But that doesn’t mean you have to postpone your wedding in its entirety!

Weddings are one area in life where you don’t want to compromise, but sometimes having a little flexibility can open your eyes to so many beautiful possibilities.

While you may choose to have another celebration with friends at a later date, there are still ways to honor your original wedding date and make it a special day to remember. And hey, this way, you may even get TWO special days to celebrate your love!

Make the most of your original wedding date with these ideas, which plenty of couples have already decided to roll with!

Elope instead of postponing your wedding vows

Elopements (and intimate weddings!) were already becoming increasingly popular even before the pandemic. As you’d imagine, we’re seeing more than ever now!

It’s such a beautiful way to honor your original wedding date (especially if the date has sentimental value for you) and you can still host a larger celebration later. 

You can still dress up and have an officiant, share your vows, and even have your wedding photographer there to take amazing photos of just the two of you.

Some couples are opting for a mini-mony—similar to an elopement, but with a few of your nearest and dearest present. 

Others are choosing to celebrate with a commitment ceremony, which means celebrating your love and commitment to each other without necessarily becoming legally married. You can still turn this into a really special day for you and your partner by exchanging love letters and gifts, getting dressed up and having your photos taken, or just having the ultimate romantic day together.

Have an intimate wedding

Intimate weddings are all the rage these days, and I have a feeling they’re here to stay! 

Also known as micro weddings, intimate weddings usually include around 20-50 guests, which means you can still invite your closest family and friends. This allows you to really personalize your wedding experience, and either save some cash or make it the wedding of your dreams.

You can still enjoy all of the typical wedding elements—exchanging your vows, getting dressed up, enjoying a delicious dinner and cake, posing for photographs, dancing the night away—just on a smaller scale. It’s a wonderful way to avoid postponing your wedding altogether, and you’re sure to create amazing memories with the people you love most.

Click here to learn more about the benefits of an intimate wedding!

Have a virtual wedding

Plenty of couples have decided to take their weddings online. It might sound impersonal at first, but when you really think about it, how much cuter can you get?

It’s like the ultimate ‘love always wins’ flex—not letting any amount of distance or even a global pandemic stand in the way of your special day. And how lucky are we that we have access to technologies that make this so easy to do?

Use a video conference software (like Zoom) to offer your guests a virtual seat at your ceremony or hire a videographer to do a professional livestream. That way, they still get to watch you exchange your vows and witness your commitment to each other—but from a safe distance.

You can even host a virtual reception! Play games on a platform like Houseparty, have an online cocktail hour, or even see if you can enlist your DJ for a virtual dance party, I know our wedding DJ (DJ Gatsby) is offering this.

The drive-by wedding parade

If most of your guest list lives locally, the wedding parade may be an option for you!

Instead of postponing your wedding altogether, get dressed up, pop some champagne, and have your guests drive by and cheer you on. Whether you choose to exchange vows beforehand or not, this is a fun, simple, and safe way to ‘get together’ and celebrate. Expect lots of honking!

Enjoy your wedding vendors

Whether you choose to have an intimate wedding with a small group of family and friends, or a cute commitment ceremony with just the two of you, why not enjoy some of what your wedding vendors have to offer?

Get some small arrangement from your florist, request a smaller version of your wedding cake, order a fancy dinner from your caterer, get dressed up for your photographer…it will help make the day special, and since you’re likely working with some local businesses, the vendors will surely appreciate it!

While saving your big wedding celebration for a later date is totally understandable, it’s so nice to know that there are still ways to honor your original wedding date and have something to look forward to!

No matter which option you choose, remember that this day is all about you, your partner, and celebrating the love you have for each other. And don’t forget to make sure that someone is there to capture all the special moments of your day!