Trying to plan a wedding during lockdown? Here are our top 10 things you can still be getting on with!
Lockdown is full of unease for all of us right now and has affected everyone, with events being cancelled and postponed left right and centre. There is no bigger event than a wedding, and planning a wedding during lockdown poses lots of challenges.
With our very own Lucy planning her wedding in isolation, and Sally having just got married in November, we thought we could give all of you lovely lockdown brides some positive ideas on what you can still do during this time!
1. Fallen in love with a venue? Pick up the phone and give them a call!
A lot of venues still have one or two workers manning their phones, so if you're interested in a venue and have some key questions for them then pick up the phone and ask away! It could end up making the decision for you! A lot of venues are also offering virtual tours, so get in contact and see what they can do for you.
2. If you can't see it with your own eyes, see it through someone else's!
Trying to decide which suppliers to use for your wedding but can't meet them yourself right now? A lot of suppliers have been asking for reviews and recommendations from past clients since lockdown began. So have a look at their google and social media reviews, as well as their portfolios and make a shortlist of suppliers that you can meet once you are allowed to. Why not get in contact with them to ask any questions or for examples of their work? I am sure they would be delighted to hear from you, considering most of these people are small business owners!
3. Virtual appointments!
A lot of wedding suppliers are currently offering virtual appointments, so even if you can't get to their shops right now you may still be able to look around! This is a great time to chat one-on-one with suppliers and designers who can then ensure you get the perfect bespoke appointment or product once things settle down.
4. DIY your own accessories!
Wish you could have your dream decorations but they aren't in your budget? Now is the perfect time to get crafting and turn your dreams into reality. Pinterest and YouTube have many DIY tutorials and making things yourself is often much cheaper. Sally from LCD got married last November and DIYd all of her table decorations herself including candles. Here is a list of things
you could make:
● Candles - Collect glass jars / send letters round to neighbours and ask them to
donate their used glass jars. Buy some wax, wicks and a candle making kit online
and get going! You can even add your own scents in. This is so easy yet so
satisfying when it all comes together on the day!
● Place settings - Order some nice card and a fancy pen and design your own
place settings!
● Seating charts - With so many people DIYing in their homes at the moment,
someone may have some spare wood / glass to donate to you to make your own
seating chart! Get a tester paint pot and a thin brush, or even just some gold
marker pens! Have a look at pinterest for some inspiration!
● Bunting / Macrame! - There are online tutorials and this also is a great hobby to
pass the time! There are so many different looks and it's so simple and effective.
5. Build your ideal guest list and non-negotiables for your future venue!
Not sure where to start? Why not build your guest list, and also any non-negotiables for your wedding day (for example no sound limit, late curfew, staffed bar, rooms to stay in etc). That way when you look and enquire at venues it'll be easier to make a short list of the venues that meet your requirements. It's a very easy way of eliminating venues that just won't work for your day.
6. Make a vision board!
Whether you print / cut the photos out and glue them onto a big piece of card / paper (we recommend this way!) or making a board on pinterest, making a vision board will allow you to really hone in on what you want your wedding to look and feel like. Start collecting things from magazines and online that you love, and you will quickly see lots of themes appear. When Sally made her vision board for her wedding it really allowed her to see what it was that she wanted. This ended up making lots of easy decisions for her as one of the themes that kept coming up was nature and minimalism: beautiful dramatic landscapes, white tables with a few candles, a little foliage and small white flowers. These ideas can then be taken straight to the suppliers (photographers, florists, dress designers, wedding planners) and gives them a really great feel for what exactly it is that you want. It is also a great way for you and your partner to talk through differing opinions and come to a decision before you are sitting in front of a supplier!!
7. Take an online course!
With so many online learning websites currently offering courses either for free or at discounted rates it is the perfect time to get a new skill under your belt that could help you out with wedding prep! Maybe one of your bridesmaids fancies doing a hair-up course, or you fancy your hand at calligraphy in order to make all of your wedding stationary? Or maybe floristry? Have a look around and see what is out there!
8. Design your own wedding invites
There are many online platforms to design your own wedding invites for a fraction of the price. Sally used Zazzle to make hers - it was so simple and easy to use and really great value for money. There are many sites out there similar. Or try your hand at photoshop? We recommend dressing your pets up, taking a cute pic and then layering your text over the top! Because who doesn't want a cute pic of your pets on their fridge?!
9. Make your own wedding favours!
Unsure what to give as wedding favours? Homemade gin and vodka liqueurs actually improve over time… so why not get started now? It isn't the season for sloe gin currently but there are many more just as yummy flavours to make! Google homemade gin liqueurs and find one that you like the look of! Or what about yummy jams?! Or what about a personal little letter of thanks for each guest? We may have a lot more isolation ahead of us so utilise it for things that you didn't think you would have time for!
10. Organise what songs you want and where, then make your playlists!
The ultimate feel good task. Make different playlists for different parts of the day and choose which songs would best fit where. Sally and Alex made four playlists: Ceremony (guests arriving), Drinks, Dinner and Party! They had so much fun going through all of their old spotify playlists and deciding what they wanted. This also can help you to decide what you would like on the day in terms of DJ / Pianist / Band etc! We hope this gives you some help and guidance. If you have any questions or need any more advice don't hesitate to give us a message on facebook or insta! We would love to see what you have been doing to plan for your wedding - send us photos of your vision board and DIY projects!
Sending you all lots of love,
Team Lucy Can't Dance