Live streaming your wedding is the perfect way to involve all of your loved ones – both near and far – in your nuptials. But when it comes to planning a virtual wedding, how can you host an online celebration that’s just as memorable as the real thing?
Although your guests may be joining you from the comfort of their couch, you can still create an unforgettable experience for them at home. From custom invites to stylish backdrops and gift baskets, read on for our 13 best tips for planning a fun and interactive virtual wedding below!
Send Personalised Invitations
Creating a beautiful guest experience for your virtual event all begins with your wedding invitations. Whether you’re opting for traditional stationery or online invitations, you can use your wording to build excitement for your digital event.
Depending on your personalities and the vibe of your day, you can keep it traditional or insert some fun and humour to reflect the situation – especially if you’ve had to postpone your original party due to the pandemic.
Some greeting ideas for a virtual wedding invitation could be:
- We’re going virtual!
- We’re going digital!
- Love isn’t cancelled.
- Please join us for our virtual wedding.
- Let’s try this again!
- (Name) and (Name) take two!
- Plot twist! We’re going virtual.
- (Name) and (Name) are getting virtual!
Your virtual wedding invitations will also need to include key details such as the wedding date, time and RSVP method, along with the relevant instructions for accessing your virtual event.
Create a Wedding Website For Your Virtual Wedding
Virtual weddings might be unchartered territory for some of your wedding guests, so make it easy for them by creating a custom wedding website!
Your wedding website will essentially act as a central “hub” to help your guests prepare for your virtual event. It should include clear instructions for accessing your virtual wedding, along with a detailed FAQs page to troubleshoot any potential problems. You can share the live stream link with your guests, or even embed the stream directly on your wedding website to make things super simple. Check out our virtual wedding features here!
Your wedding website can also be used to bring some fun and creativity to the occasion. Share your love story, introduce your bridal party, and include your favourite photos to help your guests feel involved in this special milestone – even if they can’t be there in person.
Read our guide on what to include on your wedding website for a virtual wedding here.
Style Your Backdrop
When it comes to a virtual wedding, put some effort into creating a beautiful ceremony backdrop! Remember, your virtual guests will have a limited view of the action, so use your backdrop to enhance the visual experience for those loved ones watching along at home.
You can dress up your virtual ceremony with a traditional arbour, dreamy florals, balloon installations, custom signage, or even something as simple as some potted plants and an oversized rug. These details will help to frame your ceremony and create a focal point for your virtual guests.
Light It Up
Good lighting is absolutely essential for a memorable virtual wedding. Most live streaming platforms will slightly distort the quality of your video, so it’s worth taking some extra time to create a well-lit space.
Depending on your venue, try to choose a location with plenty of natural light, such as a wall directly opposite an open window. This natural light will not only give your guests a better view from their devices, but also look more flattering!
If you don’t have access to natural light at your venue, consider buying or hiring a ring light to help you achieve a similar effect. Try to avoid standing directly in front of a window, as this will create unwanted shadows and make it difficult to achieve a clear picture.
Position Your Camera Correctly
Along with good lighting, the position of your camera can also help your guests feel more involved in your virtual wedding.
Setting up your tripod with a front-on perspective will give your guests the best possible view. Your camera should be close enough that guests can see the emotion on your face and hear your voices, but wide enough to capture your attire and ceremony backdrop. You may need to experiment with a few different locations before settling on the perfect spot.
Some live streaming platforms like Zoom also offer “Switch Camera” options, so you can set up multiple devices at different angles for your guests to toggle between!
Turn Live Stream Comments On
Most live streaming platforms provide the option for your guests to leave comments throughout the event. Turning comments on can be a great way for your loved ones to get involved with your virtual wedding – they can comment on your dress, send their congratulations, and even chat amongst themselves before and after your nuptials. It’s lovely to look back on these comments after the day to see how your guests interacted.
Give Them a Shout Out
Ask your celebrant to make a point of welcoming your virtual wedding guests before the ceremony commences. Your celebrant can explain where the camera is set up, give your virtual guests a shout out, and even share some of the different locations they may be tuning in from. Not only will this help your virtual guests feel special, but it also ensures any in-person guests are aware of the live stream (and won’t accidentally obstruct the view!).
Send a Gift Basket To Your Virtual Guests
Help your virtual wedding guests feel involved in the festivities by sending them a personalised gift basket before the day. Include some thoughtful items such as a bottle of champagne for a virtual toast, a copy of your ceremony program and any special readings, party poppers filled with confetti, wedding favours, or even some fun games like newlywed trivia!
Find more wedding reception games your guests will love here.
Plan Multiple Live Streams to Keep The Virtual Party Going
Your virtual party doesn’t have to stop once the ceremony is over! You can plan multiple live streams so your loved ones can tune in to your speeches, cake cutting and first dance. Just make sure you delegate someone to reposition the camera accordingly throughout the evening.
Set Up a Virtual Wedding Guestbook
Just like a traditional wedding, you can create an online guestbook on your wedding website for your virtual guests to leave their well wishes! You might even want to prompt your loved ones to share their best piece of marriage advice for the future. Don’t forget to take some time after the day to read and respond to their heartfelt messages.
Create a Virtual Wedding Hashtag
Create a custom wedding hashtag and encourage your virtual guests to post some happy snaps during your wedding! A personalised hashtag means you and your guests can easily view all of the wedding photos after the day in one convenient place.
Save Your Virtual Recording
Most live streaming platforms allow you to save your recording, so you and your guests can rewatch and relive every moment after the day. This is especially helpful if you have certain guests that can’t attend the live stream in real-time due to different time zones or other commitments.
Host Pre-Wedding Events Online
From your bachelorette party to your bridal shower and recovery lunch, you can host all of your pre-wedding events virtually, too! Planning these virtual parties will make your loved ones feel like they’re involved in your entire wedding experience, even if they can only be there through a Zoom screen. Read our guide to hosting a virtual bridal shower here!
It’s The Small Details That Count
Planning a virtual wedding may seem daunting, but it’s the small details that make all the difference. There’s no reason why your virtual celebration can’t be just as fun and interactive as the real thing!
Simply use these 13 tips to bring your loved ones together and make them feel extra special on your wedding day. Your virtual guests will love you for it!
Not sure where to begin with planning your virtual wedding? Read everything you need to know about live streaming your wedding here.