You may have rescheduled your wedding for a later date, but that doesn’t mean you have to wait to tie the knot! While it may not be the 200-person wedding you have been planning for months, you can still say “I Do” in quarantine, and here’s how!
Photo courtesy of Lauren Peele Photography
The Marriage License
First and foremost, to make this thing official, you’ll need a marriage license. We strongly encourage you to call your local County Clerk to ask what their protocol is for issuing marriage licenses as every county is treating this differently, and it is changing as mandates come out. In the State of Texas, you do NOT need to obtain your license in the county you live in or that you are getting married in, which means if your local county is not open or issuing licenses, you can check neighboring counties. We recommend checking their website too because they might have the info more accessible there. Remember, you must get it 72 hours before the ceremony unless you are active duty military.
Photo courtesy of Moth + Moonlite Photography
The Location
Second is the where! Always remember to follow your local restrictions, but here are some options to consider:
- Your home – whether inside or outside, you can always make it special
- A local park (but make sure to social distance!) – choose your favorite spot or see if there is a gazebo
- A beach (if you live near one, and again social distance!)
- A Rooftop – does your apartment complex have access and a great skyline? Use it!
Photos courtesy of Menary Wedding Photography
The Officiant
Third, you need someone to make it official. Here you have a couple of options:
- Ask your officiant to marry you through a video call.
We talked with Rabbi David Gruber, the Interfaith Wedding Rabbi, to get more information and he confirmed it’s as simple as sending the zoom link to the officiant and they can perform the legal ceremony. You can mail them the marriage license so they can sign and send it in to the county clerk’s office for filing. (Check out the news story on Rabbi Gruber’s first video wedding here.)
- If your officiant is not on board for an online ceremony, have a friend or family member get ordained online. This is a very fast process and as simple as filling out a form. Universal Life Church a multi-denominational religious organization who make is super easy to become ordained, and they provide training to those who want it!
Photo courtesy of Kristin Manson Photography
The Details
What else do you need? Well, if you want flowers, a small cake or a photographer, it may not be legal for your vendor team to provide services right now. While we consider them essential, the local authorities may not. Enter the Friendor:
“Friendors” (Friend·ors, Noun, a friend that you use as a vendor)
While we typically encourage hiring professionals, this is the perfect time to call in the friend that dabbles in photography or the cousin that always makes her own pretty floral arrangements. If they are willing to risk it, it might be a great idea to give them a call to drop off a bouquet or practice social distancing with a camera.
Photos courtesy Apryl Ann Photography
The Guests
Last, but certainly not least, what about your family and guests? One of the best ways we have seen our couples involve family and friends is by live streaming.
- Choose Zoom for a more selective/private option. Send out a cute evite or email with the link.
- Broadcast your wedding through Facebook Live to bring high spirits to your whole friends list or create a Facebook group with your guests and stream it in a more private space.
Don’t forget to have some fun with it! Ask all your loved ones get dressed up, tell them to have their drink of choice in hand to cheers at the end and maybe send them a cute confetti popper. You can absolutely still celebrate your love over video with those closest to you!
With all this said, you can still have your big wedding with all your family present later, but you don’t have to wait to say “I Do”.
Want help setting all of this up? Our Intimate Ceremony Package is designed with just this in mind. It includes:
- A Planning Kickoff Meeting to determine your needs and decide on details
- Resources for an officiant, floral, a small cake
- Ideas and options on how to help guests celebrate at home
- A Zoom meeting for the ceremony
- Coordinating no contact pick up or drop off of all products
Contact us today for help with your ceremony!
Megan Burkett, Certified Wedding Planner