The thought of a virtual wedding used to seem like such a crazy idea. And to some, they have opted to go this route instead of canceling their big day. Others have chosen to postpone their wedding and some have just eloped instead. No matter where you fall, we know if you have a wedding in 2020 then it is a reality for you that you will have to master virtual wedding planning. To make your job easier, we have rounded up some virtual wedding planning tips from industry leaders. Take our word for it, you will not want to miss these tips!
Image via @generationtux
Tip NO .01
Planning for the biggest day of your life is fun, but complicated. Now it’s even more complicated when you have to figure out how to plan everything in a world that changed overnight. But you’re not alone. The wedding industry is strong, and we’re here to help. So, sit back, relax, and we’ll do all the work. Planning for your wedding party couldn’t be easier than planning with Generation Tux. Do everything virtually from home; design a suit or tuxedo for the groom, order free swatches delivered to you to make sure your color theme matches perfectly, get a free home try-on delivered directly to the groom, design the wedding party looks and manage their progress all from generationtux.com. All this, and we send everything to each person in the wedding party 14 days before your event to make sure there are no last-minute issues. Looking good has never been this easy. –Matt Ramirez, Senior VP of Marketing at Generation Tux
Tip NO .02
Staying connected with clients via virtual chats. We are really staying connected to our clients right now, and we’ve always contacted them via phone calls, email, and texting. We have now found that setting up virtual chats has really taken the worry out of this uncertain time. It’s nice to see venues in person, but our venue managers have been able to set up facetime appointments for potential and current clients to show them around, figure out floor plans, etc. Also, on the catering side, we are planning videos to talk about our cuisine and menus, so there are new and refreshing ways to get to know our business. –Sarah Kuhlberg, Creative Director, Colette’s Catering
Image via @southernsparkle
Tip NO .03
But during the COVID-19 quarantine, many wedding venues are taking it a step further—offering personal site tours via FaceTime and Skype! You can virtually “walk” through the event spaces with the venue’s on-site coordinator, talk through what your wedding could look like at their location, and ask questions as they come up in real-time. What better way to find your ideal venue from home than with a one-on-one virtual site tour? –Jenna Miller, Creative Director, Here Comes the Guide
Tip NO .04
This is a great chance to get to know the venue coordinator and discuss details. Also, since it’s happening on your device, you can screenshot or record key moments of the walkthrough! Treat this just like a normal site tour, and don’t be shy about asking to see everything that you want to see. –Jenna Miller, Creative Director, Here Comes the Guide
Image via @gigiandolive_
Tip NO .05
Consider having a live stream bridal shower or even a bach party-themed virtual happy hour! Just because we’re socially distanced doesn’t mean the socializing has to stop. Take advantage of technology and use it to get your nearest and dearest together now. We promise it’ll lift your spirits and get everyone even more excited for the big day to come! Pro Tip: In lieu of gifts, you can always ask your guests to share their favorite recipe, a memory of the couple, or tip for a wonderful marriage. It will be fun, interactive, and FREE for all! –Jenna Miller, Creative Director, Here Comes the Guide
Tip NO .06
Since you’re getting married virtually, why not go the digital route with your wedding invitations, too? Companies like Paperless Post and Greenvelope deliver elegant electronic invitations that emulate the experience of opening a “traditional” printed invitation. –Jenna Miller, Creative Director, Here Comes the Guide
Image via @moteemaids
Tip NO .07
Virtual consultations are a wonderful way to see gowns from the comfort of your home and much better to see quality than a static online image. Stylists may even try on the gowns to show how they move which gives you a really good idea of how they will look in your wedding videos and photographs. This works so well for bridesmaids’ gown shopping as this is similar to what you would be doing with your girls in a boutique. They can also give you tips on how to get your girls to measure themselves to ensure they order the correct size. –Rosanna Garden, Motee Maids
Tip NO .08
Hold you & your S.O. accountable for their tasks! Online organizing systems like Asana or Aisle planner are great for keep track of deadlines and planning timelines for your big day. Even better, you’re able to assign virtual wedding planning tasks to your fiancé or family members, so everyone is in on your plans and no task gets left behind!
Tip NO .09
For the visual learners – Contact your rental peeps for a Zoom call to discuss layout and coordinating plans. Since you’re unable to view your rentals options in person, this virtual consultation could be great so you can see how things look together in real life before committing.
Cake from Plumeria Cake Studio
Tip NO .10
Order in! Organize a day with your catering company to have cake samples and wedding meal options delivered (or picked up) to try at home! Once you have everything, schedule a time to go over all of your options with them over Skype or Zoom!
Tip NO .11
Put on your dancing feet! For those of you in quarantine with your S.O., there couldn’t be a better time to freshen up those dance moves! Take up a virtual dance lesson, or hire an instructor for a private lesson to practice your first dance number.
Did you love these virtual wedding planning tips just as much as we do? We are so glad. If you are a 2020 or 2021 we have put together a self-care checklist for you that you won’t want to miss!