As the world turned upside down in March, many happy couples were left to plan their wedding amid a pandemic. Still, months later, engaged couples are trying to keep up and figure out what the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic means for their wedding — whether it’s next week or next year. As a top wedding venue in Anaheim, we’re always keeping our eye on the latest wedding trends. Today, we want to share a few of the biggest Coronavirus wedding trends we’ve noticed here in California.
Sequel Weddings
While sequel weddings — when a couple has multiple ceremonies — became popular before the pandemic struck, thanks to the likes of Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner and other celebrity pairs, the current state of things makes them an even more enticing idea for many couples. Many duos have opted to move forward with their wedding plans as scheduled amid the pandemic, while still planning to have a bigger, more elaborate ceremony and reception when it is safe to gather in larger groups and California event venues reopen.
Even as the pandemic passes, we see this to be a continuing trend for modern-day couples accommodating different religious traditions, family spread across the globe, and busy schedules while still wanting their loved ones to bear witness to the occasion.
Minimonies
Mini ceremonies, dubbed “minimonies” by The Knot, grew out of pandemic necessity for those who didn’t want to wait to get married until after the virus ended. Basically, a minimony is a scaled-down version of your wedding to the extreme. It generally consists of the couple, an officiant, and a select few loved ones and vendors.
While it’s similar to an elopement, it’s different in that there’s no secrecy, the ceremony takes place close to home, and many of the guests — and possibly even the officiant — attend virtually. In addition, many of the wedding traditions, such as a wedding cake and first dance, are still there on a small scale.
These minimonies could continue to be a popular option for a while as COVID-19 remains a threat. After months of business closures and unemployment, minimonies and smaller, less elaborate wedding celebrations in general, are also a way for couples to keep costs low and minimize stress while dealing with the financial impact of the virus for years to come.
Virtual Wedding Planning & Events
Many common planning events were also forced to go digital thanks to Coronavirus. Happy Hours with the bridal party became Zoom hangouts, as did bachelor/bachelorette parties, engagement announcements, bridal showers, and even ceremonies. Many Anaheim wedding vendors also hosted video conferences with clients rather than in-person planning sessions.
While the trend may have been born out of necessity, there’s no denying that virtual events help cut costs, save time and energy, and allow more people (particularly those who don’t live near the couple) to join in on the wedding fun. While we may slowly start to get back to in-person celebrations, it’s likely that video chats and remote planning will remain a part of the wedding planning process, at least in some way, now that people realize how convenient and accessible it can be.
Health & Safety Precautions
Health, safety, and sanitation have been on all of our minds for months — and that’s not likely to change. The impact will be seen for years to come, even when COVID-19 is a minimal threat or a thing of the past. With that in mind, things you might see at weddings moving forward include more space between tables, single-serve meals rather than buffets or family-style meals, and hand-washing/sanitizer stations for guests to use — all ripples of the pandemic’s impact. Increased cleanliness and sanitation standards have also become the new normal for Anaheim Majestic and other wedding venues in California in response to the virus as we all hold each other to higher standards and expectations.
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While there’s no way to say for sure what post-COVID weddings look like in California, we do know they’ll look different. As always, we look forward to connecting with happy couples and making your California wedding dreams come true — however that may look. If you recently got engaged or you’re in the wedding planning process, we’d love to chat!
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