In these unprecedented times, wedding ceremonies performed over video chats have become quite popular. With the need for social distancing, this leaves couples with the tough choice between postponing their wedding or doing it without many of their loved ones present. Getting married via the popular video conference platform Zoom allows couples to safely include loved ones in their wedding while social distancing. If you’re considering tying the knot virtually, everything you need to know about these weddings is explained below.
The Upside of a Zoom Wedding
There are an array of benefits associated with tying the knot via Zoom. First, it allows loved ones from near and far to partake in this monumental event without breaking the stay at home orders that have swept the nation. This is also a great way for those who can’t travel or for those with compromised immune systems to be included in the celebration without risking their health.
Second, these weddings are an affordable option that allow couples to get married by themselves or with a select few guests while simultaneously sharing it with as many people as they please. They can get married and share it live from anywhere with an internet connection, whether it’s the comfort of their home or inside of a church.
Finally, coordinating these weddings is pretty simple. The platform has made sharing the link an easy process, so it’s one less thing for the bride and groom to stress about.
Are Zoom Weddings Secure?
One thing to be cognizant of is the fact that your Zoom wedding can be perfectly secure on the platform. To ensure this, avoid posting the link to your event on social media. You can also opt to password protect the link so that it’s certain only your intended guests are able to access the event. It’s also possible to disable screen-sharing access for the event, which means that no one will be able to hijack the event from their own screen.
What Features Can Be Utilized?
There are so many features on Zoom that can be utilized during a virtual wedding. For instance, the “hand raising” button can be used by guests who want to make a toast to the happy couple. Additionally, “breakout rooms” can be used to create different “tables” during the virtual reception, which allows engaged couples to use the seating arrangements they may have originally made for the actual wedding reception. Finally, screen sharing capabilities are helpful to allow vendors to participate and to share things like slideshows throughout the wedding.
How to Be Creative with Zoom Weddings
You may think that a Zoom wedding will be pretty straightforward and disallow all of the details you planned for your big day. However, with all the technology available through the platform, there are an abundance of ways to be creative and make your event special.
For instance, you can still enlist the help of your vendors for things like music and entertainment. You can also ask your florist to create arrangements to be delivered to your home to feature in the virtual event and to decorate the space in which you are exchanging vows. While you may not be able to have a full-on photo shoot to commemorate your wedding like you thought you would, you can hire a photographer to take photos from a distance so that you actually can have professional images of the day you said your vows.
If your officiant can’t actually be there in-person to marry you, check the legality in your state about having them marry you virtually via video chat, as a few states like New York have made this a possibility during the pandemic. As you can see, there are many ways to make what could be considered a run-of-the-mill video chat more of a special and memorable event.
While a few months ago virtual weddings may have seemed like a completely unfathomable idea, now they’re certainly gaining traction and could even be a part of the wedding industry that’s to stay!
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