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Getting Married During a Pandemic: 5 Real Weddings With Advice from Real Couples
Wondering about how to plan your micro wedding, or how to downsize your guest list? Or maybe you’re just curious how other couples have dealt with recent restrictions? We’re happy to be featuring 5 real “Covid” weddings from 2020 with local couples sharing all about their experiences getting married during a pandemic and local vendors sharing awesome advice when it comes to planning your own wedding!
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This Couple Ended up Loving Their Downsized Wedding at Fairmont Lake Louise
Lia and Richard downsized their 200 person Calgary wedding to a more intimate affair at Fairmont Lake Louise, and ended up loving it! We chatted with them and their photographer, Nicole Field, about the wedding day, and what their planning experience was like!
What was the downsizing process like for you?
From the couple, Lia & Richard:
The process was first very hard, as it isn’t easy to come to terms with how you envisioned your wedding going changing so drastically. However, we realized quickly that the most important thing to us was to be married to one another, and to have our parents, siblings and grandparents see that happen. Once we made the decision, all of our vendors were amazing. They were all so accommodating in changing our date and location for us, and we felt so much more at ease!
Do you have any advice for couples currently navigating wedding planning during a pandemic?
From the couple, Lia & Richard:
For any couples going through the postponement and/or downsizing process, we are sorry that your plans are changing, we know it is hard. Every situation is so unique, and it is important to do what is best for you and your soon to be spouse! None of our family had to travel, so we knew that we didn’t have to postpone if we didn’t want to. If you are in similar shoes to us, downsizing might surprise you! We originally thought we wanted a big wedding, but there was something so special and so intimate about having our small one. You may end up feeling the same way! Plus, there is always time for a huge party in the future!
Do you have anything to say about this year's wedding season?
From the photographer, Nicole Field:
This year has solidified my belief about the importance of what really matters. It’s not the STUFF you have at your wedding, it’s the moments you have and the people you share it with.
A creative solution to Covid wedding restrictions meant not one, but two wedding receptions for this Calgary couple! Lauren & Braden decided that splitting their reception into a double header was the best way to be able to celebrate their wedding with both friends and family. We asked them, along with their photographer, Sue Moodie, about their wedding planning experience and here’s what they had to say!
What was the planning process like for you?
From the couple, Lauren & Braden:
Our original wedding was scheduled for October 11, 2020. We were able to keep our original date but the plans for the day changed drastically. Our original plan was to have the typical wedding ceremony, 125 guests (50% who would require travel to attend), catered reception, open bar and a BIG party. Those plans were sadly dashed by COVID.
In early Spring, we reached out to our vendors and asked them to hold a date in 2021. Everyone was very willing to hold two dates for us. We sent out numerous updates to our guests to let them know about the potential date postponement and when we would officially decide our course of action.
When gathering restrictions increased to 50 people for a reception, we deliberated and decided that things may not change in 2021 and we didn’t want to delay our marriage. While we could have all 75 guests at the ceremony, we had a hard limit of 40 guests we could have for dinner, and we knew that was not going to cut it. We tossed around many hair-brained ideas, but thought a double-header reception would work best. We would have our ceremony on our original date, followed by a reception with family, and a second reception the next night with our friends (with immediate family also in attendance). This way we were able to celebrate with all those who could attend! While we weren’t able to have a dance, our wedding felt intimate and personal. The gathering restrictions and double-header meant that we had more time to spend with each group. A true silver lining of COVID.
We sent out a “pre-invitation” to our guests to reply to, letting us know if they were comfortable and able to attend both of our wedding celebration days with the double-header. We would have all guests attend our ceremony on October 11th and break the receptions into two smaller groups. Once we had a final tally, we notified guests which dinner they were invited to attend. Thankfully, we only had to make two calls to notify guests that we had reached our occupancy maximum for the dinners.
Do you have any advice for couples currently looking at downsizing their wedding?
From the couple, Lauren & Braden:
Get creative! We came up with many different alternative scenarios and our vendors were great sounding boards for what would work and what wouldn’t. Having thought through all the options gave us the space to be able to pivot as needed and not be blindsided by changing restrictions.
What made this wedding special?
From the photographer, Sue Moodie:
What made this wedding special was that the pandemic had no chance of ruining this day for our couple or their family and friends. Even though everyone was in masks and taking all necessary safety precautions, it still felt like a perfect wedding day. From the moment I started corresponding with this couple and the multiple changes we needed to make, both Lauren and Braden stayed super optimistic that it was going to be the best day of their lives, and it certainly was. Attitude really is everything.
This Calgary wedding is packed with personal details and covid wedding inspiration, like the bride’s hand-lettered jean jacket and the couple’s customized “wifey” and “hubby” face masks, to name a few. Despite a myriad of Covid restrictions and the threat of rain, Kait and Cameron were nothing but smiles; we asked the couple and their planners, Opal and Oak Occasions, all about their day and advice on how to plan your own wedding!
What were your original wedding plans and how did they change?
From the couple, Kait & Cameron:
Our original plan was to get married in July 2021, I had figured out who I wanted as my photographer, but hadn’t figured out a venue yet. Once Covid hit, a 2020 bride moved her date to the date I had in mind for 2021. So I took advantage of all the dates freeing up and moved our wedding up to 2020!
Do you have any advice for couples currently looking at downsizing their wedding?
From the couple, Kait & Cameron:
At first you may feel guilty about downsizing your guest list for your wedding – but you shouldn’t. It was the best thing we could have done. Originally we were going to have all our aunts and uncles, cousins, and family friends. Of course it would be NICE to have them, but it was also making our guest list 2-3x more than what we ended up having. Even at 35 people, it seemed like there were a lot of people to talk to and visit with. All while trying to enjoy the day and take it all in. Downsizing our guest list was probably the best thing that Covid imposed on us. It made us be a bit more particular with who we invited, so we only had our nearest and dearest with us on our day!
As a wedding planner, do you have any advice for couples currently navigating planning their wedding during a pandemic?
From the planners, Opal & Oak:
Our advice for any couple having to postpone or downsize their wedding is to just embrace the unexpected and roll with the changes. There are always special and unique moments that come from having to pivot your wedding plans that you may not have expected with veering from the traditional wedding plans. Your day will be so special and forever remembered for so many reasons regardless if it is your original or a new plan!
We adore seeing couples crazy-in-love and showcasing their own unique style – especially when the bride’s hidden talent includes making her own modern bouquet for this minimalist micro-wedding! We asked Montana and Kyle and their photographer, Katelyn Anne all about their day and what made it so special!
Do you have any advice for couples currently looking at downsizing their wedding?
From the couple, Montana & Kyle:
I think our one piece of advice for anyone thinking about downsizing, is that if it’s something you’re able to do and have any desire to do, you should just go for it. You will undoubtedly worry about people being upset that they’re no longer a part of your day, but they will understand. We feel so lucky that we were able to have such an intimate day, and really enjoy everyone’s company. It was really what we wanted, and didn’t feel like a compromise.
What was the most important thing to you when planning your wedding day?
From the couple, Montana & Kyle:
Because this was a wedding in 2020, the most important thing to us was safety. That still feels like a weird thing to have to plan for with a wedding, but it was absolutely top of mind for everything we did. If we couldn’t have figured out a way to make everything safe, we wouldn’t have done it.
What made this wedding so special?
From the photographer, Katelyn Anne:
The couple. Montana and Kyle hands down made this day. These two are just crazy in love!! The way they look and interact with one another is so beautiful to witness. It was a relaxed, no stress day and they truly enjoyed every second of the day together!
If you can’t bear the thought of waiting another year or even another minute to marry the love of your life, planning a micro-wedding this year might just be the perfect option for you! Photographer Amy Creech captured every wild flower filled detail of this intimate micro-wedding experience in Moose Jaw, Saskachewan, and shared with us about Callie & Brett’s special day!
What were your original wedding plans and how did they change?
From the couple, Callie & Brett:
We originally planned to have a big wedding in a beautiful Valley on the outskirts of the town we live in. We dreamt of inviting 200 family and friends, having bridesmaids and groomsmen, a ceremony, a big meal and a bigger party to follow. But covid swept through and our plans came to a halt. We couldn’t bare the idea of waiting another year to get married, so we made the decision to have a small ceremony this year. It was a difficult decision for us to make, but we are so, so happy we went through with having our wedding this year. We changed nearly every detail of our wedding, we decided to invited only 10 people, our parents and siblings only, no bridal party, we changed our schedule for the day and the location of wedding. It was different then we ever imagined but it was intimate and perfect.
Do you have any advice for couples currently planning their wedding?
From the couple, Callie & Brett:
The best will come to those who make the best of the things that come. We never imagined we would be getting married durning a global pandemic and at times it was hard on our hearts. But this year we got married and more than anything that’s what mattered to us.
Do you have any advice for couples having to downsize their wedding and guest list?
From the photographer, Amy Creech:
Take the opportunity to invest a bit more money in the details, such as a beautiful tablescape design like Brett and Callie’s!
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