Belluxe Photography
So you’re hosting a virtual wedding...
I know this isn’t what you had planned. Ugh. I’m sorry... But I’m relieved that you still have the option to get legally married in-person and celebrate special moments of the day with your guests, virtually.
There are some technical considerations to ensure you’re set-up for a successful Zoom celebration.
Before you continue reading, please remember: your guests will be SO excited to have the opportunity to attend that they won’t be expecting perfection. They will be grateful to be present (yes, even if it’s virtually). So don’t stress yourself over getting everything “perfect” but if you have the time and resources, you can try to set up the behind-the-scenes to get it set-up as smoothly as possible.
HERE ARE SOME HELPFUL TIPS TO CONSIDER:
BEFORE:
Sign-up for a paid Zoom account (Why? The free version has limited features and will kick you off after 40 minutes)
Invite your guests and include a calendar invitation that contains the zoom meeting link. There is nothing worse than being “zoom-bombed” (apparently this is a thing - and it’s super awkward and somewhat violating) so PLEASE, please, please… be sure to read these extra tips from the Zoom team!
Assign a friend to be the admin/moderator
“Rehearse” with a few people to test some key features (mute-all, record, spotlight - see below)
DURING (ADMIN/MODERATOR’S TASKS):
Join early to avoid any tech issues.
Enable the “waiting room” to monitor/screen the flow of incoming guests
Hit the record button!
Spotlight your video (this will ensure guests will always see your video as the main feature)
For the first ~10 minutes of the call, share your screen with a helpful message (see below for images)
Once ready to begin, mute ALL guests (if they haven’t done it themselves). Check out this Zoom guide for help with “mute” settings.
Before you are ready to commence, have the admin/moderator (or officiant/commissioner) formally welcome guests
Towards the end of the ceremony, un-mute all the guests to cheers + congratulate the couple
Below are some sample templates you can display on your shared screen BEFORE the virtual wedding begins. Click here to access + edit the templates for your own celebration, using Canva - a free graphic design platform.
OTHER FUN IDEAS:
Once the ceremony ends, pop some bubbly and cheers with all the guests!
To involve the guests, the admin/moderator can go through each guest and un-mute “one by one” to allow each guest to say hi and share a quick message. In order to keep things smooth, the admin/moderator will individually “un-mute” each guest to ensure everyone will be heard. Guests will love this experience!
Your day won’t be anything like planned, but I promise you it’ll be beautifully memorable and just as emotional. The hardest part of the virtual Zoom experience will be “ending” the call. No one will want to leave... which will be kind of funny! Enjoy it for what it is. Celebrate all the love and energy coming your way. Soak it up... and ENJOY. Oh, and have some tissues handy!
PS. If you found these tips helpful, please leave a comment below!
PPS. If you’re looking for a guide to send to your guests, check out this link.
Love & La Vista, -Hasti