Weddings are stressful at the best of times. I mean, the term “bridezilla” didn’t come from nowhere. But having to plan a wedding during Covid-19 lockdown madness can seem almost impossible.
Your wedding is meant to be the happiest day of your life and TBH, that’s a lot of pressure. It’s safe to assume that if you’re marrying someone you love, wearing a dress you love, and with all your family and friends around you, it’ll be a pretty fabulous day. But that doesn’t stop the wedding jitters and stressful reality of planning a large-scale event – particularly in this time of pandemic uncertainty.
Given the lockdowns across NSW and Victoria, many brides have been forced to reschedule their weddings at least once. Or, in Louise’s case, for the fifth time.
“Never in a million years did we think that we would have to fight so hard to get a marriage over the line,” she tells POPSUGAR Australia. Our original wedding date was January 23, 2021, which we had to postpone in late 2020 as we couldn’t meet any suppliers or obviously plan a wedding.
“Now having to postpone five times, there have been spreadsheets, half payments, venues trying to lock us in, interstate relatives and close friends to coordinate with and not only our own disappointment, but that of everyone involved.
“We’ve even had to contact over 18 suppliers and try to cancel fresh flower orders which were being imported from overseas!”
Still, though, Louise is hopeful about her future wedding. She’s looking ahead to what will still be the happiest day of her life.
So, if you too are engaged and stuck at home, know that there are still things you can do to not only get you excited, but also to tick off your planning list. Technology has made it easier than ever to continuing planning from home or even just looking up some extra inspiration.
Here are some of the best ways you can keep planning:
Listen to a Wedding Podcast
Whether you’re looking for inspo on the food, tips on keeping inside your budget or advice on handling difficult bridesmaids, there are so many podcasts out there to listen to. Aussie influencer Steph Luck’s favourite picks include ‘Bride Chilla’,‘The Wedding Digest’ and ‘Almost to the Aisle’, which are all available on Amazon Music and Apple Podcasts. Listening to a podcast on your daily walk or blasting it through your home on a Bluetooth speaker (we love UE Booms or the Echo Dot speaker) is a great serotonin booster! You can hear the wedding bells ringing already.
Book a Virtual Wedding Dress Consultation
Picking out the dress can be one of the most exciting days of a bride’s life (besides the wedding). Although many physical bridal salons are temporarily closed, some Australian retailers are offering virtual appointments that allow brides to work with experts from a safe distance and even try on gowns at home. Melbourne-based stockist Anna Campbell Bridal is giving brides the opportunity to book a one-on-one video consultation with their in-house stylists. To make the day that much more special, send your loved ones a wedding dress shopping starter pack with some nibbles and bubbly to enjoy over Zoom.
Taste Wedding Cakes
Looking for an excuse to eat cake? You can continue your search for the most delicious wedding cake while at home. Some Australian bakeries are offering cake tasting boxes that come in a range of different flavours and can be delivered straight to your door. Why not support local businesses like Stacey Brewers Cakes and satisfy your sweet tooth at the same time? If you’re thinking of doing a DIY job in your kitchen, check out Pinterest for inspiration and recipes and you could even try making a few cake flavours at home to see what you gravitate towards.
Do a Relationship Challenge
This time can be challenging not only on you, but also your relationship with your partner, so why not try a 30-day challenge to use this time to strengthen your bond? According to Relationships Australia, creating emotional intimacy with your partner is key to any successful relationship. You can do this by sharing feelings and experiences in a candid way, so it helps to think outside the box and spark meaningful conversations that go past the topic of reality TV (don’t worry, we’ve all been there). Alexa is now available in Australia and has The Relationship Challenge skill, which is free on any Alexa-enable device or on the Alexa app and is an incredible thought-provoking challenge, where you can put your partner to the test, but also learn more about each other, to get your excited for the big day.
