“What strange times we are living in.” How many times have you heard someone say that in the past couple of years? The Covid-19 Pandemic has taken a toll on many things, including weddings. In the past, traditional weddings were typically an in-person event, bringing all your closest friends and family together for a big celebration. These receptions can include hundreds of people, that is, pre-pandemic. To keep everyone safe, however, we have been mandated to wear masks and keep six feet apart from one another. Some party, huh? Well, before you become discouraged, recent couples have found the perfect way to keep their friends and family involved, and their dream wedding and celebration alive. Virtual weddings are here! But are they here to stay?

When the restrictions were put on in-person gatherings and how many people were allowed to be in a shared space, it significantly reduced the number of people that could attend a wedding. This put a damper on many couples’ dreams to have their loved ones see them marry their best friend. But because our society is so technologically advanced, we were able to figure out how to live stream a wedding so that anyone could still “attend.” This can be done with a simple cell phone, or even with a more advanced videographer. The possibilities with technology are endless, and it has truly helped us all stay connected during these troubling times.

Before virtual weddings, there was still a limited amount of people that could attend the function depending on the venue, and more significantly, the cost of each additional guest. With the option for virtual guests now, your invitation list can be infinite. There are many different ways to keep those virtual guests feeling involved in your big day, such as mailed invitations and gift baskets in theme with the big day. These can include smaller versions of your wedding cake, champagne and champagne flutes for a toast, as well as an array of other wedding favors that they may have gotten if they were attending in person. Additionally, you don’t need to feel guilty for not inviting your third cousin, twice removed, that you have only met twice before. With a virtual invitation, you can make sure everyone is included, with very little, if any, additional cost to you. If you did want to splurge, however, you could have each guest sent a catered dinner, cocktail hour, or even some cake to help them feel really involved in the celebration.

Many couples have opted for the “best of both worlds,” with their closest family and friends attending in person, and their more distant ones joining in virtually. This allows for a more intimate celebration, while still having the support from those afar. This is also more cost effective for both the newly weds and the faces on the other side of the screen. Virtual weddings eliminates any travel and accommodation costs that would have otherwise been paid for by the couple or the guests themselves.

Looking at all the pros and cons of virtual weddings, it seems like a no brainer to us. You can have everything you want, with a significantly lower cost to both you and your guests, not to mention the safety aspect behind it. By keeping things virtual, we can help stop the spread of Covid-19, as well as all other infectious diseases. Even after we get through this pandemic, we believe the pros of virtual weddings will still outweigh those of strictly in-person ones. So, the answer to the question? Yes, we believe that virtual weddings are here to stay, even if it’s just for those looking for a safer, and more cost effective solution!