WEDDING STYLE BLOG

Inspiration for the Long Island Bride

  • Date: Feb 26, 2021
  • Author: Long Island Bride and Groom - Danielle Koscik
  • Category: Planning Tips   
Many people spend their lives dreaming of their wedding day. However, it is likely those dreams did not involve a global pandemic. New York state has certain restrictions on weddings, but that does not mean your wedding cannot be everything you've dreamed of. A big part of any wedding is your family traditions. Even with Covid-19 restrictions considered all of these traditions are still possible. Here are some great tips on how to keep family wedding traditions during a pandemic. 
 
Traditional Family Speeches

Some older family members may not be able to attend your wedding because they are quarantining. To make them feel included you can have someone record a video of them sharing their love to you. This video can then be broadcast at the wedding, maybe while they are on FaceTime to watch your reaction. They could even use Zoom to make their speech live. This twist on a typical tradition can be used to include anyone who is not able to attend your wedding.
 
"Something Borrowed" Family Wedding Tradition

If you are having a traditional wedding, you are probably already looking for “something borrowed” to wear on your big day. This is the perfect chance to incorporate something from a loved one who is not able to come to your wedding because of Covid-19 restrictions. One beautiful way to do this is by adding a little picture of them on your bouquet. This could be used to honor someone you have lost or who is not able to be present. For grooms, you could borrow a tie, watch or cuff links from a prominent male figure in your life. Therefore, including a little part of them in your even if they can’t be there.
 
Show your Love
 
Another excellent way of representing your loved one is by sending them an invitation even if you know they cannot attend. In the invitation, you can let them know that if they are not comfortable being present on the day you will reserve a seat for them. Then you can keep that seat empty in their honor. 

Unique Ideas for Bouquet Toss
 
Along the same lines, the bouquet toss is also usually a cause for crowds to form. You could do a couple of these with multiple bouquets and split the groups by age. If you have children at your wedding, you could have one with the little girls. Then gather a group of older single women for the second toss. This is also a fun way to include the kids in your life and make them feel special.
 
Traditional Family Style Dinner
 
Many couples have their heart set on a buffet at their wedding and were looking forward to including some traditional family meals. This may still be an option for you. Our advice is to check with your venue and see if they are still doing buffet-style catering. Then ask if it would be possible to incorporate some home-cooked meals. If this isn't possible you could also try to book caterers that have similar styled food to your traditional family meals.
 
Send-off Alternative
 
To signal the night has come to an end many couples decide to do a traditional send-off. This is where guests throw rice or flowers and wish the bride and groom a happy honeymoon. To keep this socially distant some couples have opted to do this wedding tradition tailgate style. This family wedding tradition can be done while obeying the restrictions by having guests park their cars a safe distance apart down a line in the parking lot of the venue. Then you and your new spouse will walk through the rows as you exit for the night and say goodbye to everyone safely. 
 
We just touched on a few options. However, remember to keep in mind this is your wedding day and you can decide whether these ideas fit your desires. We hope we gave you a few helpful choices on how to keep your family wedding traditions in a Pandemic safe wedding.

{Read More...}
Many people spend their lives dreaming of their wedding day. However, it is likely those dreams did not involve a global pandemic. New York state has certain restrictions on weddings, but that does not mean your wedding cannot be everything you've dreamed of. A big part of any wedding is your family traditions. Even with Covid-19 restrictions considered all of these traditions are still possible. Here are some great tips on how to keep family wedding traditions during a pandemic. 
 
Traditional Family Speeches

Some older family members may not be able to attend your wedding because they are quarantining. To make them feel included you can have someone record a video of them sharing their love to you. This video can then be broadcast at the wedding, maybe while they are on FaceTime to watch your reaction. They could even use Zoom to make their speech live. This twist on a typical tradition can be used to include anyone who is not able to attend your wedding.
 
"Something Borrowed" Family Wedding Tradition

If you are having a traditional wedding, you are probably already looking for “something borrowed” to wear on your big day. This is the perfect chance to incorporate something from a loved one who is not able to come to your wedding because of Covid-19 restrictions. One beautiful way to do this is by adding a little picture of them on your bouquet. This could be used to honor someone you have lost or who is not able to be present. For grooms, you could borrow a tie, watch or cuff links from a prominent male figure in your life. Therefore, including a little part of them in your wedding, even if they can’t be there.
 
Show your Love
 
Another excellent way of representing your loved one is by sending them an invitation even if you know they cannot attend. In the invitation, you can let them know that if they are not comfortable being present on the day you will reserve a seat for them. Then you can keep that seat empty in their honor. 

Unique Ideas for Bouquet Toss
 
Along the same lines, the bouquet toss is also usually a cause for crowds to form. You could do a couple of these with multiple bouquets and split the groups by age. If you have children at your wedding, you could have one with the little girls. Then gather a group of older single women for the second toss. This is also a fun way to include the kids in your life and make them feel special.
 
Traditional Family Style Dinner
 
Many couples have their heart set on a buffet at their wedding and were looking forward to including some traditional family meals. This may still be an option for you. Our advice is to check with your venue and see if they are still doing buffet-style catering. Then ask if it would be possible to incorporate some home-cooked meals. If this isn't possible you could also try to book caterers that have similar styled food to your traditional family meals.
 
Send-off Alternative
 
To signal the night has come to an end many couples decide to do a traditional send-off. This is where guests throw rice or flowers and wish the bride and groom a happy honeymoon. To keep this socially distant some couples have opted to do this wedding tradition tailgate style. This family wedding tradition can be done while obeying the restrictions by having guests park their cars a safe distance apart down a line in the parking lot of the venue. Then you and your new spouse will walk through the rows as you exit for the night and say goodbye to everyone safely. 
 
We just touched on a few options. However, remember to keep in mind this is your wedding day and you can decide whether these ideas fit your desires. We hope we gave you a few helpful choices on how to keep your family wedding traditions in a Pandemic safe wedding.