This is a guest article from our friends at Truly Experiences

As Forrest Gump’s mother wisely said “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” Looking at the current situation of the world, I think you’d agree she’s quite right.

Think back to a few months ago, when you were planning your wedding. Who would have thought that you’d be forced to change your wedding date until next year?

While I know it’s not exactly ideal, I’m a firm believer in another popular saying. “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.” Just because your wedding isn’t happening on your original chosen date shouldn’t mean you shouldn’t give it the recognition it deserves! Think of it as your ‘-1 anniversary’ – your first wedding anniversary before you’ve even gotten hitched!

Rather than sulking around the house, thinking of the day you’d be walking down the aisle, use it as another day to celebrate your love. Here are some fun ways to celebrate your would-be wedding day on lockdown.

Include Friends and Family with A Video Call

Unless you were planning on eloping, your family and friends would have been part of your big day. A lot of them were looking forward to the wedding just as much as you were! After all, weddings aren’t just about celebrating the union between you and your partner. They’re also about celebrating the uniting of families.

Include everyone in the at-home celebrations by inviting them to an online video call. The beauty of living in the 21st century is that there are plenty of platforms to choose from, from Skype to Zoom to Google Duo. Thankfully, most people know how to use these platforms, but if you’re inviting some older folk like Grandmas and Grandpas, help them out by sending some clear instructions or having a trial run beforehand.

Try to send out your invites in advance so everybody can block out their calendars for this remarkable lockdown celebration. It’ll give them something to look forward to, which we could all do with during these crazy times!

Get Dressed Up

I know, I know. It’s hard to get out of your PJs when you’re not leaving the house. But today is a special event, and it calls for your Sunday best. I mean, today you were going to get married!

Get out of your sweats, take out that scrunchie that’s been in your hair since last Tuesday, and get dressed up. Just don’t attempt the popular DIY quarantine fringe that seem to be popular right now, or the day will end in tears. Guys, this is the perfect excuse for a shave. Unless, of course, you’re looking handsome and rugged with your quarantine beard.

To mark the occasion of what would have been your wedding day, put on your gorgeous wedding suit and wedding dress, and strut your stuff. To make it feel even more real, get dressed in separate rooms and then ‘walk down the aisle’ through your living room to your chosen wedding song.

If you’re planning on inviting friends and family via Zoom, give them a dress code too. Everyone can wear their would-be wedding outfit to give the day a sense of occasion.

Hold a Mini-Ceremony

Arguably one of the most romantic parts of any wedding is the ceremony. Create your own lockdown version, where you share your vows and declare your love for each other in the comfort of your own home. It gives you the perfect excuse to practice your vows on each other.

If you’d rather keep your vows for the actual day, that’s also OK. Use the opportunity to share your feelings and emotions with just each other. Tell them how excited you are that you’re going to marry them and that you’re grateful you get to spend lockdown with them. Perhaps there are things you wouldn’t be comfortable saying in front of your guests, but which you’d like to share. Light some candles, look into each other’s eyes and get a little soppy!

 

Look Forward to the Future

Your wedding day might not be happening today as you’d planned. But remember, it is going to happen. And that’s certainly something to look forward to.

Spend the day looking through everything you’ve decided on that will make your wedding day so unique. No doubt you’ve put in a lot of time and effort making sure every minor detail will come together to create your perfect day. And this deserves some credit.

Get cosy on the couch and pop open a bottle of bubbly. Fondly go through everything from your chosen wedding colour palette to the bridesmaid dresses to your wedding menu. If you can, try to recreate your wedding menu at home. Have some fun in the kitchen cooking up a meal worthy of a Michelin star, or order some fancy take-out. Whatever works for you!

If you were planning on having a destination wedding, google some pictures and videos of your dream location. You’ll get a new sense of excitement for when your dream wedding becomes a reality.

Start a New Tradition

Sure, being stuck inside is not what you were planning to do on the day of your wedding. And it’s totally OK to be a bit gutted about the whole situation. But hopefully, we’ve made you realise that the day doesn’t have to be doom and gloom. Truth be told, it’s the perfect excuse to celebrate your love at home.

In recognition of the fact that your love is surviving a global pandemic, why not start a new tradition? Every year, on your would-be wedding date, spend the day with each other at home. Put your phones away, turn off the TV and cook a romantic dinner together. Spend some time reminiscing about how far you’ve come and all that you have to look forward to.

 

 

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Author bio: Rae is a 20-something professional digital nomad with a deep dislike for the term ‘digital nomad’. When she’s not daydreaming about squirrels perfectly ripe avocados, she’s hunched over her laptop, furiously smashing out sarcastic jokes and witty words.

Header image credit Jonathan Borba on Unsplash