The wedding industry is no stranger to change. Every year, new trends take the place of old traditions, requiring the industry to change right along with it. But the Covid-19 pandemic, which is unfortunately still going strong in 2021, has been a bit different. Couples are either canceling or postponing their weddings, and with postponements often come drastic changes to the dream wedding they always expected.
The professionals at Bee Entertainment get this question from wedding couples all the time – can we still have the wedding we want even with a pandemic going on? And the answer is a resounding YES! We work with couples and vendors every day who are rewriting what it means to have a dream wedding, and while you may need to make a few slight changes, you can still have the wedding you’ve always wanted.
Guest list restrictions
Michigan’s restrictions in terms of current gatherings limited the majority of weddings in 2020 to fewer than 50 guests, and most couples moved their weddings outside to tents, wineries, barns, or private residences. One huge upside to a smaller wedding means a more intimate gathering with close family and friends. You don’t have to invite your third cousins, or that great aunt you only see once every few years. For couples who still wanted the larger guest list, they were able to travel North where they had fewer restrictions in place.
Tiny weddings
Another recent trend is a micro wedding. This developed as an option for couples who still wanted a beautiful wedding but may have been operating on a smaller budget, or couples who just didn’t want a huge extravaganza. When Covid-19 hit, the micro wedding took off and allowed almost all of the components of a traditional wedding in a smaller package. A popular local venue, Zingerman’s Cornman Farms is seen by some as the industry standard for having created an amazing amount of enthusiasm for tiny weddings. Their tiny wedding package made beautiful weddings possible at a fraction of the cost and associated planning.
Small changes, big impact
Thankfully, weddings have not been cancelled for good! You can still have your dream wedding with a couple of tweaks for safety’s sake. The presence of hand sanitizer is as abundant as ever, so having a few smartly placed and creatively adorned bottles will go a long way to ensure your guests’ comfort.
Social distancing is another modern consideration that goes against everything a wedding has ever been. You want to hug your guests, have everyone boogying down together on the dance floor, and huddle closely with one another as you leave the ceremony under a canopy of sparklers. But today’s weddings are temporarily putting those traditions on hold. Calligraphed signs encouraging social distancing and a reduced guest list will keep a better distance between partygoers. Your Bee Entertainment DJ can also be tasked with periodically reminding guests to practice social distancing.
And while we don’t expect face masks to catch on as a permanent wedding trend, if your wedding plans necessitate them then you may as well make them memorable! Several Etsy vendors have created the most attractive and endearing styles to make every “I do” as safe as possible. Whether decorated with lace or monograms or florals, the possibilities are endless!
The biggest thing to remember when planning a pandemic wedding is that these changes aren’t permanent! We’re eventually going to get back to the old way of doing things, but for now, weddings will still happen and they will still be beautiful.
