How to Celebrate Your Wedding Day in Quarantine Pt. 2
Quarantine and safe social distancing has us all a little lost when it comes to sharing important moments with loved ones. Many of us just want a little joy to brighten our days, to make the isolation a little easier to handle, and to alleviate some of the pain of having special celebrations cancelled. We encourage you to take the time to celebrate your wedding day or anniversary, even if your party has been postponed. Here are some ideas to focus on your love and bring in celebration to your quality time indoors.
While Pt. 1 focused on ideas to bring forward the ceremony of the day, Pt. 2 focuses on calling in fun. Below are a few ideas we have gathered to bring the party to you, without flying in the face of current shelter laws. We love these ideas for your original wedding day or even a stay-at-home anniversary. If you’re ready to call in some positive vibes despite the social distance, then read on, friend! We hope that they bring some laughter, romance, and excitement to a day that will be yours, no matter what’s going on in the world.
IDEA 1: SHARE VIRTUAL TOASTS WITH YOUR FAVORITE HUMANS.
The beautiful thing about a wedding? People set aside time for them. And while you may not be able to physically gather together, that doesn't mean you can't share the day with one another. We love the idea of hosting a virtual happy hour with toasts for your closest people. Think about the energy you want on this day. Do you want to include people that are sentimental? That will make you laugh? Invite the people that lift you up in the way you want to be supported, whether that be your family, friends, or a combination of the two. Don’t hesitate to create rules or boundaries for the get together, especially if it helps guide the purpose of the gathering and protect from unwanted energy.
After inviting with intention, create a structure for the chat. We recommend starting with a welcome and note of gratitude for those you invited, then rotating around the group for their contributions. You can even include some silly wedding reception games that you were planning on doing during your big celebration. Give people a heads-up so that they can prepare a speech, performance, show-and-tell, or mini-cooking show to share. Then sit back and enjoy having all your favorite people show up for you on your day.
If you are not in the same time zone and are unable to share toasts with your friends and family, ask them to record their sentiment and share it with you. You and your boo can cuddle up and listen to your favorite people wish you the best. The great part about this plan is that you can keep the videos forever as pseudo-wedding memories.
If food is an important way you celebrate love and togetherness, consider coordinating a dinner together. If your family is close, you can order a meal or cook one up that you can drop off at their door and share over video with all the toasts of a traditional important family dinner. If your family is far, you can all prepare the same meal to enjoy together. We love finding ways to incorporate values and love languages into your celebration.
IDEA 2: PLAN FOR THE NEXT ADVENTURE.
If wanderlust is your love language, brainstorm destinations for your next trip. While booking the trip may not be possible now, you can use this time to zoom out and create adventure lists or prioritize existing lists. If you already are big travelers, make some decisions about the next getaway. Think about what you want to do when shelter in place mandates and social distancing is over. How will you celebrate your marriage? Will you go away for the weekend? Gather at a favorite spot with friends? These ideas can be big and international or small and local.
Another great practice during this time of planning and travel is to make a list of the local places you miss visiting regularly. Be intentional about returning to them when it’s safe. You can make plans around re-entering society with deliberate choices regarding your marriage and family goals.
If you just can’t wait, take an evening to travel from home. Many museums, aquariums, zoos, and parks have virtual tours you can do from the coziness of your couch. Pick a destination on your bucket list and get a taste of that trip right now!
IDEA 3: COMPETE IN A WEDDING CAKE BAKE-OFF.
If you are ready to shift gears and do something that is wedding related and leaning towards the light-hearted, this is the activity for you. This playful idea allows you to spend quality time together and eat sweet treats. Decide on a cake, cookie, or pie and compete to find out who is the ultimate baker in your household. Points can be awarded for overall taste, creativity, design, height, and, of course, Instagram likes. Don’t forget to stuff your treats messily into each other’s mouths ;).
If baking isn’t your style, but sweets sound good, order a small wedding cake from your original vendor or another local bakery and enjoy it together. Many specialty bakeries are still offering tasting kits, orders for pick-up, and decorating special orders.
All photos courtesy of Lionlady Photo.
IDEA 4: CREATE YOUR WEDDING IN YOUR HOME.
Decorate your favorite space (living room, backyard, bedroom) for your wedding with either decorations you’ve made or flowers from the grocery store. Get inspired by your wedding colors with streamers or paper cut outs. The fantastic thing about this idea is that you can put as much or as little effort into it as you like, and share it with as many or few people as you want. You can combine the traditional elements of a wedding any way you like — here are some elements to focus on at home:
First Look
Put on your wedding clothes in separate rooms, or facing away from each other, and turn around at the same time. Pay attention to each other’s faces and the love that shines through. You can even record your reactions to playover later and enjoy, like first look photos.
Make a Vow Ceremony
We discussed the intricacies of this moment in depth in Pt. 1, but basically, find a tradition, a time of day, or place that speaks to you. Take that moment to recite the vows you have been planning on sharing with one another. This can be done in front of a camera streaming to your family or it can be a private moment.
Share Toasts + a Meal Virtually
Use our first idea as a base for sharing virtual toasts with your favorite people. Order a meal from one of your favorite restaurants or pre-cook something you can pop into the oven that day and share laughter and memories over drinks and food.
First Dance
Slip on your wedding shoes and dance around your living room to your first dance song. Whether it’s a choreographed routine, a sensual sway, or rockin’ around with all the spins and dips, celebrate the beauty that still lies in love and life. If having an audience is your jam, plan a virtual dance party with your wedding party, and, after your first dance, everyone can join in, bopping around their own homes. If dancing isn’t one of the best ways to get everyone’s spirits rising, we don’t know what is!
Cut the Cake
Whether you held a cake bake-off the day before (see Idea 3) or bought a cake from a local bakery, you can finish off your night with a fat slice of cake and celebrate the sweetness to come in your life together.
Just because you can’t celebrate with your loved ones doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate at all. If big parties are your style, host one for yourself (the ultimate self-care) to celebrate your significant other, your love together, and the fact that you have each other during this crazy time. At the end of the night, remember that this day is for you. Reflect on what about this day was special, how it made you feel, and what it made you look forward to in future celebrations. This day is a part of your love story, quarantine and all, and we hope you find a way to bring joy and ceremony to these memories.
These are just a few ideas about how to take time on your day to bring some joy and celebration, despite the circumstances. Let us know how you are planning on adapting your special day safely here!
— The Tapestry Team