Due to the recent Coronavirus outbreak, many couples are having to postpone their weddings to a later date. However, despite the restrictions on large gatherings at the moment, many couples still want to get married. This is causing some couples to consider celebrating their weddings by alternative means by eloping, or having micro-wedding until they can have the larger wedding they originally planned.
By planning this type of ceremony and reception couples can have a small wedding virtually, or if their location allows it with a handful of guests to say their vows and have a mini-celebration. The traditional wedding model has continued to evolve over the years.
Couples have opted to elope, have small wedding ceremonies and receptions, have destination weddings, or small intimate dinner gatherings. This is being seen even more this year, where many couples have been forced to postpone their traditional wedding. However, with a little planning, you can still get married now and have your traditional wedding later.
If you are engaged and found yourself in a position where you have to postpone your wedding or want to have a non-traditional wedding, keep reading to discover some alternative means of celebrating your wedding a bit differently.
A micro-ceremony is a small ceremony that may include just you, your fiance, and an officiant, and maybe a couple of witnesses – like your parents. In some cases, couples choose to have their ceremony virtually and have their officiant perform the ceremony over a virtual chat platform with guests watching over video as well. Many states have now allowed wedding officiants to perform weddings virtually, making this a feasible option for many couples.
Couples who choose to have a micro-ceremony often have a full wedding ceremony later in front of a larger number of guests, followed by a traditional wedding reception. These weddings are often referred to as a “sequal wedding” in which couples may have the wedding ceremony they originally planned and had to postpone due to various circumstances.
In the event, you’re able to have a small gathering, you may consider having a micro-wedding reception in which you host a small dinner for you and your guests. These micro-weddings usually have a small number of people in attendance. Couples who host a small reception often choose to have this ceremony serve as their only wedding celebration.
A micro-wedding reception refers to the number of guests you have in attendance, it doesn’t mean you have to skip out on traditional wedding formalities like hiring a photographer, videographer, florist, and DJ.
These weddings are ideal for couples on a budget, or who don’t like the idea of having a large number of guests at their wedding. A micro-wedding frees couples up to be more creative with their wedding planning and invest more of their budget into things like wedding photography or entertainment for their wedding day.
For couples who are choosing to elope or have a virtual wedding ceremony ahead of time, the micro-wedding is still a great option because it offers financial benefits having a traditional wedding reception doesn’t.
For couples who aren’t a fan of fanfare, elopement is an ideal option as it allows you to celebrate your wedding quietly and privately. There are no set rules on how either of these weddings should be, they can include just you and your fiance, or some close family and friends.
Keep in mind that even if you decide to elope or have a destination wedding that doesn’t mean you need to skip out on taking traditional wedding portraits. Many couples opt to elope privately and hire a wedding photographer to take traditional wedding photos at a later date. This is a great opportunity to get dressed up again and capture special memories.
If you’re faced with deciding on delaying your wedding, changing your wedding plans, or skipping on wedding tradition completely, you should first consider all of your available options.
Second, you need to decide what you really want when it comes to your wedding. You need to decide on what is more important – do you want to get married right away and have your traditional wedding at a later date? Or do you want to wait and get married with the traditional ceremony and tradition that you had originally dreamed up?
Once you decide on what’s right for you, you’ll be able to either adjust your existing plans or continue with your current wedding plans.