I really feel for those of you who have had to postpone your wedding due to Covid-19. I know how heart-breaking it must be. All that planning and anticipation coming to an abrupt standstill can be an emotional challenge. I would urge you to find ways of marking the occasion of your ‘Would-be Wedding Day’. Here are 3 top tips from me, on how you can do that with music:
1. Create a Wedding Spotify Playlist
If you’re anything like me, you’ll already have a Spotify playlist of all the music you want to hear on your wedding day. Make time on your ‘Would-be Wedding Day’ to listen to the full playlist and get excited about the big day still to come. Put your processional song on and practise walking down the aisle in your hallway! Do a test-run of your first dance in the living room!
I had a couple who were due to have a small wedding in Oxfordshire in early April. They’d booked a string duo to perform and spent time picking the music they wanted for each part of the day. Unfortunately, they had no choice but to cancel. There wasn’t much time to plan a lockdown celebration, but I helped them mark the occasion by sending them a personalised Spotify playlist. They told me afterwards how much they enjoyed listening to all the songs they had chosen.
Hopefully you’ve picked lots of joyful music for your wedding, so listening to it on the day will lift your spirits. If you need any help choosing some great tunes, give me a shout on social media and I’ll be glad to offer some suggestions! (Reach me on Facebook and Instagram.)
2. Have a Live Musician for an Online ‘Lockdown Wedding Ceremony’
If you can’t get all your friends and family together in person to celebrate, why not host a mock-ceremony on Zoom! There are loads of ways you can do this. Some couples have been doing it in an informal way, organising it all themselves. Others have been getting suppliers together and making a big event out of it.
Hearing your wedding song performed live is magical and adds a new level of emotion to the occasion. The musician can join a Zoom meeting as a guest and live stream their performance to you. For this I can provide a harpist, guitarist, or pianist, and a wide selection of songs for you to choose from. Song requests are also possible if you want them to play something unusual!
I’ve been working with Wedding Celebrant Kelly Hawes, who has led several ‘Lockdown Weddings’. She writes beautiful ceremonies, helping couples celebrate their love over Zoom with their nearest and dearest. She has a few packages available to suit different budgets so do check her out. Also watch the IG TV video I did with her, talking about online ceremonies!
3. Book a Musician to Play for You in Person
Why not mark your ‘Would-be Wedding Day’ by arranging a fun, lively private performance! This idea is perfect if you’re having a small, socially-distanced gathering at home.
There are lots of things to take into account when organising a performance like this. We’ll need to consider government guidance, which is changing on an almost daily basis. For now, I’ll only be able to provide this if I have a musician based in your local area. The musician will need to be positioned at a suitable distance away from you and your family. This will be possible if you have a large enough garden with external access. In some circumstances the musician may be able to perform on the street outside your house, assuming it’s safe to do so and your neighbours agree to it!
Get in touch to find out if I have a musician who can come and perform live for you!
