In this time of Covid-19, it’s not just the plans for the wedding day that are being affected, but the typical pre-celebrations are being impacted by the pandemic, as well. Couples holding their weddings in late summer, fall, or early winter of 2020 are faced with the struggle of how to enjoy all the anticipation parties like engagement parties, bridal showers, and bachelor and bachelorette parties, and how to enjoy them in a way that is safe for them and the guests involved.

So how do you work within the parameters of a pandemic and still feel like a bride or groom who gets to experience the full wave of pre-wedding build up?

Go virtual

Some couples are opting to make all of their pre-wedding parties virtual so all of their guests can stay safe at their homes and no one has to deal with travel risks to get to a central location. If you didn’t know how to work Zoom or FaceTime or Skype before any of this, our bet is that you are well versed on all the platforms by now. Send email or paper invites to the guests of your party and give them direction on how they can participate. If it’s an engagement party all guests can be mailed Team Bride/Groom shirts to wear, or everyone can be asked ahead of time to pour their favorite cocktail to cheers with the group during the call. For a bridal shower all guests can be emailed a set of games to be played where everyone cheers and jeers and keeps track of their scores at home – maybe instead of wine bottles the prizes are gift cards that can be emailed to the winners after the shower has ended. And for bachelor and bachelorette parties the ideas are as endless as they are in normal times! Ask your girls to show up on computer screen all wearing a certain color of clothing, or mail cigars to all of your guys to light before their camera phones at the same time. Friends are friends and everyone wants to celebrate the ones that they love. Find a way to speak to your particular group and let the group go wild – virtually!

Go small

There is so much we still don’t know about this virus or the way our local governments want us to behave, but one constant has remained over these last few months and that is that social distancing works. If you can’t hold a massive bash with dozens (or hundreds) of people maybe this is a great opportunity to cheers with the true VIPs in your life. Keeping the guest list tight often cuts out some unneeded drama (and expenses) and no one I have worked with has ever come back to me and said that they wished they had oodles more people to deal with on any given special event. Keep an eye on the rules in your area and craft a shindig with your core faves that you won’t ever regret.

Go local

Had your heart set on a ladies’ weekend in a tropical location? Or a mens’ only trip to a popular hot spot? That all sounds amazing, and we hope you can get the gang together for a remake soon, but those initial plans need to be laid to rest for now. Instead of hopping on a plane and celebrating somewhere far away, this is a great time to find somewhere drivable to post up and party it out. Hotel and AirBNB rates are at an all time low now so why not find a cool spot with some fun features (pool, hot tub, lake views, etc) in a town that is open for take out and other safe social activities. Bonus if you love the outdoors – hiking, boating, camping, etc – since a lot of these activities, especially in the northeast, are cleared for safe activity and wide open for business.

Cheers!!!

Related posts –

Elopement vs. Microwedding – Which Is Best For You?

Virtual Weddings – Now Allowed in NYS

Keeping Your 2020 Date As Is? Here’s What You Need To Know

Photo above by Brian David Weddings