Despite many restrictions from the pandemic, many people proposed marriage in 2020. Many couples set weddings for 2021. We can expect that proposals will continue to happen this year and weddings will take place.
The pandemic has added more challenges to the process of proposing and having a wedding. These undertakings were already stressful even in pre-pandemic days. Now there is so much more to hurdle.
Tips for having a wedding amid a pandemic
The Rings
The engagement ring is the highlight of a marriage proposal. After that comes the hunt for wedding rings.
The most sentimental and romantic choices for an engagement ring and wedding rings are family heirlooms. You are lucky if you can inherit these from older family members. Only a few receive such invaluable gifts, though.
Heirlooms definitely help when you’re on a tight budget. But you can still find affordable options if your family doesn’t have one. Secondhand or preowned engagement rings are unique and timeless pieces—often giving out a passed-down-by-my-grandmother vibe.
In the pandemic, the wares of jewelry stores are not considered essential commodities. Even if a few jewelry stores are open, it is not safe to go shopping. You must not risk getting infected by the virus at this crucial time in your life.
You can buy the engagement ring, and later on the wedding rings, from reputable fine jewelry retailers online. This is a hefty investment. Choose only among credible jewelry stores you can trust.
These are the companies that have secure payment and delivery options. They will not risk messing up a single transaction and ruining their reputation.
You will find vibrant pictures of jewelry pieces online. It is difficult to capture the brilliance of diamonds and the shine of gold and platinum in photographs.
To compensate for this, jewelry stores use the services of jewelry photo-retouching companies. They highlight the beauty of the pieces. There is no deception involved, though.
They only imitate the way you see the pieces in person, presented under the best lighting conditions. It will be as if you are looking at each piece in the store.
Make sure the jewelry retailer of your choice provides one-on-one online consultations. They should have the proper valuation for each stone.
They should also have information on the source of the gems and other materials used in the piece. This is important if you want your jewelry to be from a sustainable and ethical source.
The Proposal
Marriage proposals are nerve-wracking. The person proposing is vulnerable and tense. The pandemic makes the process even more stressful.
Before the pandemic, some people first meet with their parents and the parents or relatives of their partner to ask for their blessing.
Now, face-to-face meetings are no longer advisable. Such conversations can only be possible online. Choose your words in conveying your emotions. You cannot give or receive hugs online, though.
The actual proposal is usually a big romantic gesture. The set-up often involves the help of relatives, friends, or the staff in a romantic restaurant. In the current scenario, this is also not possible.
It is also difficult to plan because you know that a lockdown can happen at any time. You must scale down the proposal to whatever is doable. You can still make it intimate and very meaningful for you and your partner.
The celebration after a successful proposal is also affected by the pandemic. You can only announce your engagement to family and friends online. You can hold a virtual engagement party.
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The Wedding
Restrictions vary by location, but it is safe to say that weddings in 2021 must be small. The couple must sit down to agree on every guest because you cannot invite everyone you want to be there.
Doing so will endanger everyone in the gathering and others they will be interacting with later.
Even if you ask your guests to get a vaccine before the wedding, this does not ensure that they cannot transmit the virus. There is no data available that says so.
Some couples choose to limit the wedding party to their parents, siblings, and best friends. A small wedding these days means around 10 to 12 people.
Your choice of venue must also consider health and safety precautions. An outdoor event is safer. Even then, everyone must wear a mask and practice social distancing.
Again, you can expand your virtual guest list by showing your wedding online to other relatives and friends. You can even arrange to broadcast it live.
Love Always Wins
Yes, it is not easy to propose marriage and have a wedding amid the pandemic. Before the pandemic, these were already difficult to do. It is even more complicated now.
Still, couples continue to prove that love knows no boundaries. They have found many creative ways to forge their bond in this time of crisis.
You can do so, too. Having to face challenges together can only bring you closer to each other.