As a wedding dress designer who just got married in an intimate ceremony, I can say, planning a wedding is stressful enough and even more challenging during these COVID times. Knowing a second wave of COVID could be upon us soon, we looked for ways to get married now, stick to the rules, make it safe, have our friends “there” somehow and party later. I married my best friend two weeks ago with 15 of our family and 50 friends watching on Zoom. It was small, it was intimate, it was beautiful.
People dressed up as if they were going to a wedding, they could all chat to each other too and we had virtual guests from as far away as Italy and Florida. There were tears. There was laughter. There was love. The most important thing to us was making a special commitment to one another. I got to marry Stu, who’s been my lockdown rock. Really looking forward to the big party later, when we get to do it all over again.
As with any wedding, there were things that didn’t go quite right(!). Hindsight is always a marvellous thing!
Here are my Zoom wedding tips
(You could also use Google Meet or Insta-live)
1. Invest in a good HD camera and microphone to record the call on Zoom and also on your laptop via ‘Camera’ app on PC or ‘Quicktime’ app on macs.
2. If you record it on Zoom, think about the
view you’d like recorded – gallery or speaker view!
3. In “security”, turn off ‘unmute participants’ so
your virtual guests have an uninterrupted view.
4. Turn off the annoying bleeping noise that zoom
makes each time someone joins.
5. Make sure there is no ‘Waiting Room’ as you’ll
have to individually admit all your guests one-by-one.
6. Careful of nervous face – it will show on camera!
Mine certainly did in the beginning!
7. Check the surroundings where the microphone is,
how it sounds and do a road test a few days before.
8. Fairy lights in the surroundings can make it look really
pretty and ethereal in the pics and zoom call.
9. Consider keeping the zoom call on after the ceremony for the reception, or use insta-live so your virtual guests can hear the speeches.
10. Take time to send everyone cards to thank them for joining so they feel more part of your special moment.
#SmallandIntimateWeddings
Here are two of our own real brides who said I do beautifully and virtually too… Hannah (top image above) got married just as lockdown was about to happen. She had no music, not many guests, but it was the most beautiful day. Read Hannah’s story here.
Amy (image below) had a small ceremony in Scotland in August, but was originally planning to marry in April just as lockdown was happening which ended up being postponed. To honour her original wedding day, she had a little virtual celebration on Zoom which was ultra-special.
Read the whole Sabina Motasem experience here. Article was released on behalf of Sabina Motasem website.
