An old song from your great-grandparents’ time says, “Love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage.” So, if you are in love and feel that she is the one for you, go and get married.
The Knot 2020 Real Weddings Study [COVID-19 Edition] found that the pandemic affected the plans of 96 percent of over 7,600 individuals who planned to marry in 2020. Yet, 93 percent of those weddings were not canceled. The couples either reset the date or changed the details of their event to comply with health and safety restrictions and regulations.
A little over 40 percent of them continued their adjusted wedding in 2020, while 32 percent only had their wedding ceremony and postponed their reception to 2021. Fifteen percent decided to move the entire wedding to this year or later, with five percent opting to postpone the event to 2022 or beyond. Of the couples who got engaged in 2020, 73 percent set their wedding date for this year. This goes to show that love and life go on despite Covid-19.
Before you drag the love of your life to a bridal store, though, do not forget that you must first propose to her. She must answer “I will” after you ask her to marry you and before she says “I do” at the altar. Let us not put the horse before the carriage here.
Plan Your Proposal
The pandemic is not an excuse to propose to her in your ratty pajamas or sweatpants. Many high-end restaurants are already open for business, and you can take her on a fancy date.
Tell her that it is an excuse for both of you to get all dressed up after being indoors for many months. Being glammed up in posh surroundings should set the right mood for you to get down on one knee, take out the ring, and pop the question.
If you still feel wary about dining out, then the proposal must happen at home. Maybe a pajama party could work, after all, provided you invest in a spiffy new pair. Think of the kind of pajamas that dashing leading men wear in films. Buy her beautiful lingerie and give this as a gift. Tell her that you want a special date night. Order in champagne and her favorite gourmet food, as well as a dozen or more of her favorite flowers. Then go down on your knee and do what you have rehearsed.
Plan Your Wedding
Assuming, of course, that she agreed to marry you, both of you can start planning the wedding. First, make sure you have updates on the guidelines for weddings and receptions in your locality.
Despite the rollout of vaccines, do not be too optimistic with your guest list. It is still not safe to assemble in large numbers. Keep your gatherings small and intimate with your closest family members and friends. You can share the event with other relatives and friends online through a live feed or a recorded video.
Some data from The Knot 2020 Real Weddings Study [COVID-19 Edition] can give you more ideas for your reception. Among couples who got married last year, 88 percent arranged tables and chairs with physical distancing, 90 percent offered their guests hand sanitizers, 71 percent gave face masks to their guests, 13 percent had someone take the temperatures of guests before they entered the event, 15 percent did not include dancing in the program, and four percent required guests to take and pass Covid tests to attend the wedding.
Among the couples who will wed this year, 36 percent said on The Knot’s Instagram poll that they would also require guests to pass Covid tests before the wedding. Almost 20 percent said they intend to further require guests to get a vaccine before the event.
Even if everyone in the gathering had a vaccine shot, physical distancing, hand sanitizing, and wearing a mask are still necessary. It would be a nice idea for the bride to wear a white mask and for you to wear a mask that matches your suit. For 2021, the trend for grooms’ suits and tuxedos are dark and colorful jewel tones like deep green and burgundy, wedding planner Bianca Hall told Insider.com.
You can decide on one color for the mask of all the ladies and another color for the mask of all the gentlemen. Send these to everyone as early as possible and ask them to wear these to the event. This will also give them enough time to plan their outfits to match or complement the mask.
A buffet is risky for now, and it is safer to have a sit-down meal with plated food served individually. Alternatively, you can have a simple toast after the ceremony and postpone your reception to later in the year or your first anniversary when, hopefully, things are safer.
Just Do It
Since we know that there can be a surge of infections at any time that will trigger changes in regulations, make sure that your plans are flexible. Any contracts you sign with service providers must have clauses that allow pandemic-related changes and postponements.
It is the exchange of vows that is most important in a wedding. No matter how you plan the event, it can only be as special as how you feel for each other. So, wait with confidence as your bride walks down the aisle to you, no matter how your plans turn out. All you both need to do is say, “I do.”
