The Art of Zoom Weddings
Sharing the moment with those you love, wherever they are
A wedding is cause for celebration, even — especially — in times of uncertainty. While couples have needed to make countless contingency plans over the past year, these times have strengthened relationships and made clear the importance of love and connection. And though it’s never easy to make changes to the vision you’ve held for your wedding day for so long, there is beauty in making the most of the here-now — and the gift that it is — so you can start your future together without delay.
Capturing the resilient spirit of your marriage’s first moments
You are here because you are committed to celebrating love in this season, no matter the circumstances. We are here to infuse the fun and spirit of your romance into a virtual forum, retaining the essence of what matters most to you and bringing people together online for your special event.
Something old, something new
Thanks to technology, we can come together in meaningful ways without being in the same place. Your people want to support your love story, no matter what — and they’ll show up however they can — but the tricky part is facilitating the right engagement so that everyone feels like they participated in making your night unforgettable. Whether as resident dance floor goofball or expert wine bar sampler, there are ways to bring in-person details to life through Zoom: a virtual take that matches your vision for a wedding experience that can be captured now and remembered forever.
We feel you, firsthand. We said “I do” this year, too.
I married my soulmate Jessica in front of the New York City skyline (as a Zoom virtual background, of course) in May 2021. We can’t wait to share what we learned with you.
Setting the virtual stage to commemorate your special day
How to Bring Some Magic to Your Virtual Wedding Experience
Tell your love story with pre-produced media.
Add special touches for your virtual guests.
Consider investments that will pop as much on video as in person.
Designate a Master or Mistress of (Zoom) Ceremony.
Bring some whimsy to your virtual invitation.
Assemble the right equipment.
Prioritize audio quality.
Test your set-up in advance.
Anticipate how to navigate transitions.
Consider the before and after.
Embrace media transitions as the highlight reel of your love story.
Your Zoom or livestream video recording will live on after your wedding day, so consider it an opportunity to share the story behind “I do”. Consider how much content you’ve already created: webpages, invitations, social media posts, engagement photography, those videos saved on your iPhone sharing the news with family and friends. These tributes can be sliced up, re-packaged and incorporated into your virtual wedding. Even in a digital format, there are new ways to personalize the experience for guests and to get creative with how you want your ceremony and reception to flow, including elements that can be added in with the right partner.
Virtual musicians and DJs can bring the party to the interwebs. If the idea of missing out on dance floor antics makes you sad, consider reinventing the dance floor with a virtual twist. Streaming in a musician from the place where you first met or allowing a live DJ on Zoom to take requests from your guests will up the ante at a time when even the memory of dancing in a large crowd (cue the Cupid Shuffle) can put a smile on anyone’s face.
Go ahead, buy the cake. Details like flowers and cake are easily accentuated via camera, so they’ll have a bigger “wow” factor for guests remotely tuning in. Making decisions based on what will look good on camera is only one factor of many: Do you have the skills and the time needed to DIY priority items? Ultimately, your wedding day is about the two people standing up at the altar, so go big on whatever makes you happy, however that looks; but, if you’re trying to manage expenses, keep in mind that details like the embroidery on your veil or even dress may not be visible via livestream. If you need permission to reimagine some traditional aspects of a ceremony and reception, consider this a carte blanche pass to do so, while investing in what brings you joy and heightens the experience between you and your guests.
Masters & Mistresses of Ceremony, meet your virtual counterpart. Every wedding planner knows the importance of following an itinerary — and common timing pitfalls — so that an event runs smoothly and without placing undue stress upon host or guest. This includes assigning owners to different activities. A Master of Ceremony in the flesh is meant to handle whatever unforeseen hiccups arise, and in the world of technology, this means making sure someone is acting as Zoom host who is knowledgeable of the platform and comfortable dealing with issues on the fly. While a savvy relative could pull this off, consider hiring someone to free your mind of any troubleshooting worry.
Send a virtual invitation that matches your wedding aesthetic. Often, the way that a Zoom link is shared with extended guests is an afterthought: a missed opportunity to pull through your wedding concept and communicate expectations to guests. Plain-text emails are a total bore, so skip the BCC and opt for an evite upgrade instead. Greenvelope and Paperless Post offer design customization, tracking features, RSVP reminders and more to integrate into your planning.
Limited technical knowledge? No problem. Some folks may shy away from virtual weddings out of fear that they’ll be too complex to set up. We understand where you’re coming from, but the reality looks much different. It’s amazing what can be done with simply a (charged) iPhone, iPad and inexpensive tripod. If you want to gather ‘round all of your guests in a hybrid event setting, a larger monitor (think computer or television) could be placed in a common area, as well. While the hardware itself is basic and easy to set up, working with a partner eliminates the guesswork by helping with the following technical aspects:
Planning the configuration of devices, camera angles, and more based on your dedicated space
The ability to integrate numerous video feeds from different sources into the Zoom platform
The ability to design, cut and package existing content into virtual itinerary, advising on itinerary flow and add-ons
Pre-event technical testing and day-of troubleshooting
The Entire Package
Benefits of working with a third party professional
This time around, we’re not talking about your future spouse. While many companies offer to manage Zoom weddings, a lot more is possible when a partner can go beyond the basics (think: setting camera angles and managing the waiting room). Since you’ve already found The One IRL, ask questions so you’re confident you’ve found the real deal to make your big day interactive and memorable for all. Here’s a good list of qualities:
Livestream controlled remotely
Video mixing capabilities from livestream into Zoom
Unparalleled production value, pre- and during-event (not offered in most Zoom wedding packages)
Emcee, host and moderator options
All-in-one virtual DJ feature
Our starting package includes:
Up to one hour of event coverage
Programming run-of-show
Play music and any media
Create intro and thank you slides
Provide expert tech recommendations
Avoid pre-wedding butterflies by testing for issues in advance. Forget cold feet, the latest day-before wedding woes in the age of COVID are failure-to-launch technology issues. But they don’t have to be. Hiring someone for peace of mind will go a long way in giving you back some well-deserved zzzz’s before your big day.
Going beyond Zoom: Livestream like a pro, according to the New York Times
Navigate transitions without a hitch, while you’re getting hitched. Downtime at an in-person wedding can provide rich opportunities for guests to connect, but often are lost when weddings go virtual. From pre-packaged media to polling and music, transitions can be thoughtfully curated in the digital realm, too. An at-home signature cocktail recipe to honor the newlyweds flashed on screen? A slide with bridal party introductions? A throwback playlist? All possible with some imagination and planning, as well as expertly captured and facilitated snapshots of the cake cutting, toast(s), or even a receiving line between virtual guests and the happy couple.
Consider us your day-of coordinators for a smooth and engaging virtual experience. We’ll roll with whatever challenges come up, so that you can focus on soaking up some much-needed joy as the day unfolds.
Seize the moment to include others from afar before and after the ceremony. Zoom weddings can include private group meetings, like while the bridal party gets ready or for a special toast or cigar cutting with a beloved cohort from college. The sky’s the limit when it comes to organizing moments that matter. And, when engagement is high during a livestream wedding, the newlyweds get the added burst of sentimentality when they can go back and revisit not only the recording, but the comments and group chat, well after the sun has set on the in-person festivities.
Congratulations! Your marriage is moving forward with a special wedding day that’s unique and meaningful to you. What now? Save yourself the stress of juggling the many moving parts for your nuptials to go virtual. With so many decisions to make and changes in plans you’ll undoubtedly navigate, taking the technical details off your growing checklist will give you some sanity that’s much needed in today’s chaotic world.
When it comes to dreaming up a quintessentially modern wedding, you can have your cake and eat it, too: an intimate ceremony you’ll never forget now, virtually cast to all those who are a reflection of the love you share. Investing in professional services will mean one less stressor as you navigate today’s unknowns, so that you can focus on savoring the event in all its splendor — even if that looks different than you had originally planned.
Virtual weddings are a beautiful extension of your special day.
We’ll help you bring out the magic of the moment, because love is meant to be shared.