Let’s face it – Zoom calls are not always the smoothest. You often can’t hear one another, or the internet is lagging and people keep repeating themselves. We’ve all had those meetings – and it’s pretty annoying! But with the current season we're in, Zoom can be a great way to broadcast your wedding for those who can’t attend. We live in an incredible digital age where people can attend from all over the world!
But how do you host a virtual wedding, without the frustration? In today’s blog post I’m going to give you 6 quick ways to make your virtual wedding a memorable success. These easy-to-do steps will make your virtual wedding a huge success – and stress-free!
Why consider a virtual component?
Thousands of couples around the world are having to make the difficult decision to downsize their wedding. And while it might not be your favorite option, it's important to think about your guests' needs at this time.
Because of this, having a virtual component is a good idea for a few reasons. Guests still might not feel comfortable traveling when your wedding happens. In addition, your venue may not allow you to host as many guests as you had planned. And if you're planning to push your wedding back to 2021, you run the risk that many of the guests will have prior commitments and be unable to attend. Finally, more and more, guests are coming to expect the ability to attend events virtually! With social-distancing requirements different in every city, many guests might choose to stay home.
Get them excited before the wedding
This is really important because, guests are, for the most part, unfamiliar with participating in a virtual wedding. You want to make them feel special – and not just like they are turning on Zoom for a Happy Hour. Here are a few tips for getting them excited:
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- Suggest a specialty cocktail they can make – you can even have it be a named cocktail!
- Tell them what kind of cake you're having – and if you want to be extra, you can mail a cupcake to all your guests!
- Make them a Zoom background that matches your wedding decor.
- Create printable graphics that guests can download from your website and use to decorate their viewing area.
Anticipate Your Guests' Needs
You also want to make sure you're anticipating their questions. Many guests, especially older guests that are not tech-savvy, will have questions on what to do. Make a FAQ page that addresses their concerns, and helps them feel comfortable while attending virtually. This can include:
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- How do they need to RSVP?
- How will they get the link?
- What's the schedule?
- How long will it be?
- Can they attend in person if they're local?
Photography: Pic and Petal
Think About The Guest Experience ‘On Screen’
Guests will be watching your wedding and, for the most part, not able to participate. Think about what they see when they first “arrive”! Is there a welcome screen? Do you have some slides or graphics you could show at the beginning to keep them engaged before the broadcast kicks off? Can you make some slides with messages from your guests?
What about if you're transitioning between different segments, like your ceremony to your first dance. Is someone going to be on-screen, or can you show a slide that tells them about you guys or what's going on? These little details will not only help make the experience more enjoyable but feel more like they're attending in person.
Have a Virtual Emcee or Host
Similar to attending an in-person wedding, you need someone directing and guiding your guests. People like to be TOLD what to do AND what's happening or coming up. This can be someone like your DJ, who can act as emcee. Ideally, this person would also be comfortable with the technology aspect so if guests are experiencing tech issues, they can field those questions and troubleshoot them
If your DJ doesn’t offer this service, look into video streaming services like IdoTV or Wedfuly. These platforms are built for virtual weddings, and making them a success! These platforms even have add-ons like virtual reception tables and rental equipment.
Planing a virtual wedding? Get 10% of any LoveStream package with my discount! Click here and use the promo code VERVE10.
Photography: Pic and Petal
Keep It Moving And Entertaining
Guests have lower attention spans these days. It's just a by-product of our fast-paced life. Because of this, you'll want to keep it moving and entertaining for the guests. Avoid having a lot of dead time because people will start to get restless. Have someone tell people what's about to happen and have something to engage your guests even if you're just switching from one camera to another.
Also, think about consolidating your timeline a little bit so that it keeps things moving. You don’t need a full cocktail hour or an extra-long ceremony. Think of how to cut down on some of the time. In order to visit with guests “at their tables,” set up Zoom breakout rooms! This is a way to get smaller groups together, so they can talk and mingle. You can even pop into each room and talk to the guests before heading on to the next “table”!
Have your toasts and speeches, first dance and cake cutting happen one after the other. This way the important things are streamed and people can enjoy them. Finally, end with a dance party! If you're having this around the dinner hour, you could break for 10 minutes to let people get dinner on the table and then come back for your dance party.
And if you need extra help, sign up below to get my printable Virtual Wedding Checklist!
Have Reliable Technology
In order for your virtual wedding to be successful, you want to make sure your technology works! If possible, connect your computer that's streaming the broadcast to hard-wired internet – meaning it's plugged directly into the internet. Avoid using WIFI if possible as that kind of connection is less reliable.
Have a dry-run test of your setup and go through your timeline. This will help identify any possible issues that could happen rather than them happening on the day of your wedding. I also suggest having your emcee or host there, so they can go through the timeline with you.
Or, consider working with a company to help with the broadcast! I highly suggest IdoTV or Wedfuly. Both are great platforms that can help you with the hosting, flow and tech of your virtual wedding.
A Rooftop Virtual Wedding in Brooklyn, New York
I recently had the honor of doing the ceremony design for Elisa and Peter’s rooftop virtual wedding! This couple had planned on a larger celebration, but due to restrictions, decided to do it all online. They were able to invite even more people to join! They went from a guest list of 100 to 300! The couple got to have their wedding in the comfort of their home, and invite even more guests than they had before – since there was no longer a venue restriction.
See Elisa and Peter talk about their wedding on The Today Show!
Photography: Laura June Kirsch
Make Your Virtual Wedding a Memorable Success
A virtual wedding, even if it is a temporary placeholder for your big day, is the perfect alternative to canceling or postponing your wedding. You can still keep your perfect date – and celebrate with family (just a little more virtual!). And to make this a memorable success, make sure to follow my 5 steps!
Recap
In this season that we're in right now, it's important to consider having a virtual component at your wedding for several reasons. Guests still might not feel comfortable traveling when your wedding happens or they're already booked with another commitment that was pushed back. In order to make it a memorable success, you need to 1) Get them excited before the wedding so it doesn't feel like another Zoom happy hour; 2) Anticipate their needs and questions with a strong FAQ page; 3) Think about their “on-screen” experience from the moment they “arrive”; 4) Have a virtual emcee or host welcoming and directing your guests; 5) Keep it moving and entertaining; and 6) Have reliable technology!
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