So you’re here because COVID19 (Coronavirus) has ripped every form of comfort out from under you. Not only that, but you’re planning a wedding and as if planning isn’t stressful enough, now things are uncertain. Can I keep my wedding date? Will this end by the time my wedding rolls around? What are my options? What do I do?

Updates and restrictions went from normal gatherings, to 250 people or less, to 50 to 10 and each time my heart sank a little bit more.. Not because I was thinking of games or concerts, but my couples and their weddings. There is so much uncertainty right now and as much as I’m sure all of us are really over seeing posts, news articles and updates, it’s inevitable. If you’re anything like me you’re using this as an opportunity to do things around and in the home you’ve been putting off for a while and spend less time scrolling social media. Every day for me has been spent wondering how long this will go on, how many of my couples this will affect and when life can get back to normal..

Then, I had a thought.

Why wait? Why wait for normal to celebrate how much you love each other? After all, getting married all boils down to the same thing – marrying the one you love because you want to spend the rest of your lives with them. This whole time is unpredictable, but so are relationships and life. It’s hard, all of it. But it can also be amazing. It’s those amazing moments that make all the hard ones worth it. It’s times like the present that we dig into finding more ways to better life and ourselves. We’re reminded not to take things for granted. It’s times like this that you really hold onto the ones you love. That’s the silver lining we should all be clinging to.

I know you’ve spent many months, maybe even years, pouring into every last detail for your wedding day. The colors meticulously matched, the guest list thought out, the dress perfectly picked. What if I told you, you could have both (while of course, staying safe + healthy)!

If you have the perfect date set, whether it has special meaning to you or it’s what you’ve been planning for this whole time, keep it. Keep it simple. (Following the current CDC guidelines). Get married, wear the dress, share it with those closest to you (that aren’t at risk), or just the two of you, take the photos and be married.

If you need to – reschedule your original wedding, renew your vows with all your friends and family, have that party, cut the cake and take more photos.

This time you can have your cake and eat it too (pun intended).

Should you do an elopement / intimate wedding and celebrate later?
Here are some tips about intimate weddings and elopements that may help you decide if this is right for you.

1. It’s all about the two of you.
   Two words: LESS. PLANNING. When you elope it takes all the messiness out of who is in the wedding party, who’s on the guest list (even though, I have made that step a bit easier for you over on my blog about guest lists), what food are you serving and how much, will there be a bouquet toss, what decorations are you planning on going with? All this can get so easily overwhelming. When you elope you make this day what it’s meant to be, a celebration of your love. It’s just you + your babe, saying “I Do” and with a cozy, quarantined view.
2. Getting married in the comfort of your own home or yard can make this intimate wedding even more special. To wake up in the morning, make your way to the kitchen to walk across the living room where it became official, can really make your home full of more happy memories of how it all started. Saying “I Do” in the front yard or on your deck, so every time you pass the window or go outside, it feels like your back in that moment all over again.
3. The best of both worlds. Saying yes to an intimate wedding isn’t saying no to your other dreams. If you love the idea of celebrating with your friends and family, you can still do that (once this pandemic passes)!

If you’d rather postpone the whole thing – that’s okay!
If you’d rather wait it out and see what happens – that’s also okay!
I’m just here to let you know you can have both. You can still celebrate! 

To all my current couples:
If you opt to do a smaller ceremony on your original date and reschedule your wedding to a later one – I’d love to do photos for you for your smaller ceremony, up to two hours, free of additional charge. We’ll keep communicating, lay out all the options and figure this thing out!

To couples out there who want to do this but are unsure:
Talk to your fiancé and your family! Talk to your vendors. Communicate and see what their plans are and if this affects their services. You can also feel free to message me, I’d love to help out and take photos for you for an intimate ceremony if that’s the outcome. Or if you need to reschedule your original date and need a photographer – let’s chat!

Jump over to my CONTACT page to reach out!