Weddings are occasions for friends and families to come together, dance, hug and celebrate a life-long bond of two individuals in love. But, in times today, when social isolation is the only vaccine yet to prevent oneself against the Covid 19 outbreak -- weddings perhaps could be the most “hit” segments. And on such a special day of their lives, fear of getting in contact with a volatile virus is the last thing anybody would want to worry about.
Being a wedding photography company in such a scenario is definitely very concerning. With weddings being called off, business takes a hit. Yes, but, what also matters more is the uncertainty on dealing with a situation like this. Weddings, across geographies and cultures, are events that people are completely and emotionally invested in. Brides and grooms are now either postponing their big day, restricting their guest lists or getting married in isolation, despite being quarantined.
With daily life, being significantly disrupted, wondering how to adapt to the celebrations of your most special day, amidst such chaos? Here’s what we would recommend.
Have a virtual celebration.
Now is the time to leverage technology to its fullest. Live stream your wedding, get your guests on Hangouts, FaceTime with them or just skype. Being a part of the celebration, in full spirit, is all that matters. Several weddings witnessed toasts being read on video, dance playlists being shared in advance, and even flash mobs being performed.
Also, humbling are stories of the community coming together in difficult times like this. In Minnesota, one such Bar Mitzvah event was conducted in a similar fashion. While they were able to cancel most bookings, the family was thoughtful enough to retain their caterer, a tiny Hmong-owned business. They delivered food to their friends in quarantine and sent some pans home with others.
Limit your guest list.
Now is the time to really narrow it down on the guests. As impossible as a task this sounds to be, it is recommended by several experts to ensure the crowd is not more than 100, and can stretch upto 200. Destination weddings that involve any air travel could ideally be avoided. Also ensure you have more local guests, so the spread of any infection is contained.
Insist on disinfecting.
While you can cut down on other expenses, please invest in huge, big, concentrated bottles of sanitisers. Ensure all the guests attending your wedding follow these rules, maintain hygiene standards and avoid close contact at the event, if they are having any mild symptoms.
Time to read those T&Cs.
Be it an act of god, or an act of man, some situations like these are not in our control. But, there are some things that surely can be. For example, going back to your vendor contract and checking for refund policies, insuring your wedding if you hadn’t done it before, any honeymoon travel cancellations and your wish lists. So, ensure you’re aware of the terms and conditions that you’ve signed, ask questions about their validity in times like these and come to an agreement that is a win-win for both you and the vendor.
This too shall pass.
While researchers are sweating it out to find a way to break this chain of infection from multiplying, our role in such a time is to spread love, not hate. Read up, educate yourselves and others, isolate yourself if you feel any symptoms, take good care of yourselves and your loved ones.
We, at Studio 31, have adopted several measures and made it a priority to look out for our team, our clients and the whole community in dark times like this. While remote work policy has been enforced across all the departments, we are making it a mandate to follow WHO issued standards across all our processes. We have cancelled shoots in cities where the virus has made a huge dent, as our photographer’s health and well-being is a priority. We’d request you to please reach out to us at any point of time, to discuss any situation. We’re willing to work with you.
With hope in your hearts and compassion in our mind, we believe, that love always wins.
Authored by Pranesh Padmanabhan.
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