As a veteran of wedding and special event planning, Meghan Ely, founder and president of OFD Consulting, now helps vendors throughout the wedding industry promote and market their services. She’s seen many developments over her nearly two decades in the business but says the coronavirus pandemic has brought surprising — and beneficial — developments.
Wedding and event-planning expert Meghan Ely (Photo by Melody Smith)
“I’m certainly not happy [with the pandemic], but we are seeing people rise to the occasion,” she says. “Innovation is coming out of this that I wouldn’t have seen prior. People are reinventing themselves and finding ways to adapt.”
Ely recently shared her thoughts on the current state of weddings and what’s on the horizon.
Richmond Bride: How are weddings happening now?
Meghan Ely: Wedding professionals are rethinking layouts — the cocktail hour, the ceremony, the reception and everything in between. Instead of a traditional center aisle, we’re seeing a circular setup with chairs farther apart, but sometimes placed in family groups with different furniture. At the reception, maybe there are multiple smaller floors for dancing and tables spread farther apart — certainly no more long family-style tables. People are also being mindful of signage, to direct traffic flow and to point people to hand-sanitizing stations. And we hope everyone is wearing their masks when they’re not eating.
RB: Is a destination wedding possible?
Ely: Destination weddings are still happening, but they’re being reimagined, and more often than not they happen within driving distance, usually around 100 miles from home. Prior to the pandemic, one-quarter of U.S. weddings were destination; now there are very few international locations where Americans can go. For couples who want to tie the knot sooner rather than later, there are still places where you can elope. A virtual wedding is an easier answer, but check the law, because in most localities, you can’t be married by an officiant who’s not with you. With virtual, you have livestreaming capabilities so you can have guests from all over the world, and there are Zoom backgrounds that are customizable for events. With a little bit of ingenuity, there’s a lot you can do to make people feel included.
RB: What’s the difference between a “minimony” and a “microwedding”? What’s a “minimoon”?
Ely: Theknot.com coined “minimony” to mean a small, private ceremony held now, maybe even on the original date, with a larger event to come later. Typically, a microwedding has a guest list of 75 or [fewer], but you spend more per person, to bump up the details and create a spectacular guest experience. There are plenty of people getting married right now with microweddings, which are spectacular in their own way. A “minimoon” is an inexpensive trip after a wedding that you go on because you can’t do the big thing — that overseas trip. Couples have gone through the wringer this year, and a minimoon is a nice break. These options are part of the larger conversation wedding professionals have with their clients: What are your priorities for your wedding day? Do you have a vision in mind you want to stick with? Are you someone prioritizing being married and able to be flexible? It’s up to couples to determine what they’re OK with.
RB: How has scheduling changed?
Ely: Inventory and availability will be limited in 2021 because of all the wedding dates that have been moved. If you have particulars you want, you want to book sooner rather than later and consider dates other than Saturday. A wedding on a Sunday or a Friday, with the right team, is just as beautiful, just as memorable, just as wonderful. Or consider a daytime event. I was a daytime bride myself and loved it! Again, it comes down to priorities. When I was working with couples, I would ask, “What are the three things that are most important to you?” and we’d focus on that. If you want to be married sooner, things can be pulled together quickly and with taste. You don’t necessarily need 12 to 18 months to pull together a special day.
RB: How should couples and vendors work together to ensure a stellar event during challenging circumstances?
Ely: Communication will be key when working together on a wedding during the pandemic. The right professionals will be very clear on what will and will not be allowed, as well as best practices for properly executing the plan. With that, it’s important to remain flexible and transparent, understanding that things may evolve based on the circumstances.
