Pandemic Wedding Trends That Should Stick Around
It’s been a weird, hard, gut-wrenching, life-changing 12 months. With the first rumblings of a new deadly disease being heard around this time last year, I don’t think any regular ole person had any clue what we’d be facing an entire year later.
My wedding schedule went from more than a dozen large, high-end, traditional weddings to just five small micro-weddings or scaled-down events (and I’m truly lucky to have been able to work those five considering many photographers didn’t shoot a single wedding all year).
Looking back through the chaos, I see bright little lights. There are some “pandemic wedding trends” that I really do hope stick around!
01. SMALLER CELEBRATIONS
For years I’ve watched couples be pressured into inviting every single extended family member that their parents can think of, their parents’ friends, their colleagues and people they haven’t spoken with regularly in years. We’re all so worried about offending other people or causing drama that we just… give in… and send the invite. But the reality is, it’s hard to spend special time with your own spouse on your wedding day let alone 150+ guests.
I’ve seen the intimacy and joy that smaller weddings can bring this past year and I really hope that sticks around. Not only is it more affordable but it’s so much less stressful. Couples get the chance to have conversations with everyone in attendance and not feel burdened by “making the rounds” to talk to a hundred people for 15 seconds each.
02. HONEYMOON WEDDINGS
Yep… basically destination elopements. When we get back to traveling safely again, I hope more couples choose to invest more heavily into seeing and exploring the world and kicking off their honeymoon with a simple-yet-breathtaking destination elopement. Bring your photographer of course (helllloooo, me!)!
Curious about destination elopements? Check out my post about the Most Breathtaking Places to Elope!
03. OUTDOOR EVENTS
Right now, the science is telling us that outdoors can be safer than indoors when it comes to viral droplet transmission. In a post-COVID world, I hope to continue to see more summertime outside events from couples simply because of the space it often provides guests to wander around along with the abundance of natural light.
I used to be very anti-tent but now I couldn’t be any farther from it. Bonus points for beautiful, preppy sail cloth tents like those from Sperry Tents!
04. VIRTUAL OPTIONS
Okay, okay, I know we’re all sort of sick of hearing about Zoom but this is really one that I hope will stick around! If you’re choosing to have an in-person event there are countless reasons why someone may not want to or be able to attend. However, just because they can’t be there physically doesn’t mean they might not want to tune in virtually!
Instead of RSVP cards saying “Yes, With Pleasure” and “Regretfully, No” I hope that we continue to see the option to join in celebrating the couple from afar using technology!
If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:
A Step-by-Step Guide to Rescheduling Your Wedding
Who Should Be At Your First Look
Why Your Parents Should Sit Diagonal To You During Your Ceremony