The Married Now, Party Later Revolution!
Header image credit: Luke Hayden Photography
Oh my goodness, did you see how the world changed last year? I don’t mean the big old general world, I mean the wedding world… which suffered heartache and tears, thousands of postponements and major shifts in how we even plan weddings right now. A happy handful of brave and determined couples went ahead with their weddings on a tiny scale – and micro weddings became a thing. (Which is actually a huge shift in how weddings work – and it’s exciting!)
Don’t get me wrong: Covid sucks like nothing else. Having to delay your marriage, double down on all the plans and arrangements you made, and hope for a fresh start in 2021 or 2022 is so, so unfair. But we’ve been sharing beautiful, intimate weddings – now known as micro weddings – on this blog for more than 10 years. They’ve come into their own this year with what’s turning into a mini revolution! Savvy couples are taking on 2021 with the loveliest of cosy celebrations – and planning the parties of their lives for when we’re all safe to hit crazy dance floors again!
We’re calling it the Married Now, Party Later Revolution!
My lovely friend Charlene (wedding videographer at Love Gets Sweeter) shares my love of smaller weddings, so we put our heads together to share some help, advice and tips on how to embrace the concept of a smaller wedding – knowing it’s only for now, and keeping focused on the incredible, once-in-a-lifetime party you’ll get to have with literally EVERYONE when all this has passed.
Micro weddings are the loveliest thing in the world
A big wedding can be a whirlwind of catching up with guests, crazy numbers of selfies, a hundred 5 minute conversations and a day that seems to rush by in a blur. That’s why I fell in love with the idea of a micro wedding after a very short time of being a wedding blogger! An intimate wedding means you get to spend real, quality time with the people you love most in the world. There’ll be no guests you barely know, the planning will be simpler, you’ll be infinitely more relaxed and have some really special memories of your day. Check our genius guide to adapting to the idea of a micro wedding here.
We need to keep weddings alive for so many reasons (staying positive; supporting the industry; mental health)
It feels as though 2020 was utterly devoid of weddings – but that’s not the case at all. Couples got wed: the celebrations were just different. Some eloped – and it was beautiful! The lucky few who tied the knot were able to see that marriage is the most important bit. A wedding is the party that comes after. If postponing your wedding would mean putting your life on hold, then I’m all for bringing the ceremony forward and setting the wedding date back – for now!
Having a micro wedding now means you get to be married NOW, and have a little celebration with your closest family and a couple of friends. I’d love to hear the wedding industry helping couples to have smaller celebrations sooner, and for so many reasons. While Covid’s still a threat, we need to stay positive (while staying safe, of course) – mental health issues are huge right now, and the hit of having to postpone your marriage can be like a hammer blow. If your happiness depends on saying your I dos, then please, please go ahead with your marriage on whatever scale you’re able to. (shall we all just elope in May?)
Our wonderful wedding industry is suffering: the small, independent businesses have been hit hard by Covid and often with no government support at all. Many have adapted their policies and are already taking bookings for 2022 and 2023. (Check out: booking wedding suppliers with confidence) A little support for wedding businesses right now will go such a long way in keeping the industry alive. Read our 9 great reasons to have an intimate wedding here
Yes we can celebrate being married a year or more after!
Charlene has an exciting idea for your wedding party, whether that’s in 2022 or 2023… “For many couples the idea of getting married now (despite restrictions causing the wedding not to look as planned) and then partying later (with allllll their loved ones when we’re allowed) is intriguing. Think about how special it could actually feel celebrating a year or two of marriage with a big party?
But also think of it like this. You’re still supporting your wedding suppliers too! An industry that has suffered but still stuck by you and supported you along the way. You’re giving them something to be excited about and carry on this incredible journey with you too!
So what about ‘party later’?
What could you do?
Maybe you love the idea of the big wedding still and it’ll be as planned but you’re now happily married?
A personal ceremony to reaffirm your vows in front of your family and friends followed by the traditional reception, speeches and first dance.
Maybe it’s all about the party so one huge afternoon/evening having the biggest party of your life to celebrate all being together and your marriage?”
Post-war there were parties; post-covid let’s have some EPIC weddings!
We’re going to want to celebrate, once we’re finally allowed out properly again, right?!! There’ll be some huge parties… let’s make weddings the absolute best of those parties! One thing we’d LOVE to suggest is bringing your wedding day NOW in to your wedding celebrations LATER.
Charlene says, “When I’d finished editing our wedding video the best thing about it was the friends and family screening!
We had everyone around to relive the wedding day with us with champagne and nibbles and we had the best evening laughing (and crying) watching it all back on the big screen.
Imagine how incredible it could feel allowing your guests that couldn’t be there that chance to relive your wedding day like they were there? On the big screen, champagne in hand. A full on screening to start but leaving it on loop throughout the day, bringing a smile to everyone’s face despite the heartache that went before.
Your covid wedding video and photos could be shared on this special day and help tie the two together! Imagine the energy that would bring? The excitement. The emotions. And how you’ll love not only sharing it with everyone but seeing their first, genuine reactions to reliving that day with you….”
Let’s start a revolution and plan the most amazing weddings the world’s ever seen!
We’ve already adapted to massive change in 2020 – we’ve come through so much, and it’s made us stronger. (Even if we don’t feel it sometimes.) So let’s carry on confidently with our Plan Bs and Plan Cs…. and some Plan Es (for Elopement!) where we say F you Covid and get married in whatever way we can – for now.
But let’s not leave it there. Let’s not let Covid cancel big weddings. Let’s come out fighting, planning bigger and better weddings, with less stress and formality, and make them ALL ABOUT THE PARTY! You can still book an incredible space for your wedding party when all this is over. You can still decorate (and we suggest you fill the space with all the glorious colour and sparkle you can get your happy, wedded hands on!) – and you can still wear incredible, show stopping outfits for the Big Day. Do all the things, with less of the stress (ditch speeches and a seated ceremony if you like) and more of the FUN.
The big wedding you’ve spent forever planning and dreaming about can still happen, just a little later than planned – and with 100% more celebration than any pre-covid wedding couple ever dreamed of!
Huge thanks to Charlene for her contribution to this article! If you’d like to have your micro wedding or elopement captured on video, get in touch with Love Gets Sweeter now. Charlene is a wedding videographer based in Lancashire and covers the north west of the UK, capturing natural and fun moments for couples who want to feel relaxed being filmed on their wedding day.
Recommended reading:
What could your wedding look like after lockdown?
How couples are planning for 2021 weddings after covid postponements – survey results
How to plan a small wedding when you have your heart set on a big party
The wedding industry in lockdown by the Jam Hot wedding show band
5 ways to deal with the stress of postponing your wedding
1 Comment
Real Couples Thoughts On A Micro Wedding | Love Gets Sweeter · June 29, 2021 at 2:20 pm
[…] even helped contribute towards a great wedding blog post on English Wedding about the ‘married now, party later’ revolution we’re […]