The Coronavirus pandemic has changed the life of all of us. We have spent almost two years inside, which meant family celebrations such as birthdays, funerals, and weddings looked a lot different than before.
If they did take place, the events would be much smaller than before the pandemic. But ‘smaller’ didn’t need to mean worse. Many couples have enjoyed getting married in a smaller setting. Now, two years later, we see that some of these trends will prevail into the post-pandemic era.
Fewer guests, but more fun!
Many couples thought that a real party could only happen with many guests in the past – the more, the merrier. COVID-weddings have proven them wrong. It doesn’t matter if there are 200 guests or just 20 – it’s about who is with you.
Moritz at Schmittat Photography says he has witnessed the most emotional weddings with less than 20 guests present. The immediate families were there and only the best friends. It didn’t need to be more. It’s about quality, not quantity. Such beautiful moments as the bride having a glass of wine with her grandmother during sunset on her wedding day didn’t happen often pre-COVID
More time for the important moments
Pre-pandemic weddings had a trend to be extremely well planned. A typical wedding day would be scheduled to the minute. It would start early in the morning with the bridal preparations, and from there, it would be one long list of events, one following the other. There would be hardly any room at all for any real and natural moments – real encounters without any script or clock ticking in the background. A typical wedding would consist of many individual parts. There would hardly be any space for moments to happen naturally.
Celebrating small-scale
However, ‘stripped down’, COVID weddings opened up new ways of celebrating weddings. Packed wedding ceremonies weren’t allowed. Weddings needed to happen in a much-reduced setting, often with only 20 people (or less) in the room. This meant that each guest had a more prominent and visible role. Everybody knew each other. Every smile and every voice was seen and heard. Instead of oversized banquets, wedding receptions took place in more intimate settings. Cozy evenings replaced loud evening parties.
A new freedom
Wedding professionals such as wedding planners, celebrants or photographers have witnessed a shift to more individual ways to celebrate weddings. It is perfectly OK to invite fewer guests. It is perfectly OK to have a barbeque instead of a three-course meal. Rather than concentrating on what guests might expect, couples enjoy a new freedom to plan their wedding only based on their own wishes.
Dare to be different
As terrible as COVID was, it has also changed us as people for the better. Genuine human connections are now more valued than ever – especially at life’s milestones. Feel free to think outside the box and outdated traditions if planning your wedding. Instead, plan your wedding around the connections and interactions with the people you love. What’s the best way to spend quality time together? Whatever that is – it could be part of your wedding.
Memories not photosRather than concentrating on picture-perfect moments, focus on creating unforgettable memories with the people you love. Your wedding should be as individual as you are. Now is the time to reinvent wedding traditions based on human connections rather than expectations.
