10 Ways to Celebrate on Your Original Wedding Date If You’ve Had to Postpone

Photo via Getty Images/Alyson Aliano

You’ve already made the decision to postpone your wedding. Now the question becomes: What should you do on your original wedding date? Well, despite how difficult this time most certainly is, we’re here to say that there’s no need to spend the day wallowing on the couch in your dress. Read on for 10 creative things to do on the day you planned to throw your celebration.

Wait to make it official, but swap vows anyway.

Write down and exchange heartfelt words with your husband- or wife-to-be. It’s one way to save the formal aspects of a ceremony for a later date when your friends and family can be physically present, while still infusing a special dose of romance on what was supposed to be your wedding date. “Share them at the time your ceremony would have taken place,” floral designer Kerianne Nelson says. “This will create a memory that you will always cherish.”

Feast on a dish you planned to serve at your reception.

Both Hitched with a Hashtag’s Megan Bieber and planner Alexis Accomando, of the Little Things, suggest bringing one actual element of your original plans to life by dining on your wedding meal with your partner. “Check in with your caterer to see [if you can] order from them,” Accomando recommends. “If their kitchen is closed, ask whether the chef would be willing to share the recipe for your wedding meal.” And of course, after preparing your dish, don’t forget to pop some bubbly.

Create a dance mashup with your bridal party.

There’s no reason you can’t enjoy some laughs with your squad leading up to (or on) what would have been your big day. “Reach out to everyone in your wedding party, and ask them to film their favorite dance moves,” planner Rachel Lynn, of Daylynn Designs, says. “Once they send you all their footage, put together a quick video collage titled, ‘Moves to expect on the dance floor.’” Next, send it out to everyone invited to your wedding. “Your guests are going to get a good laugh seeing this in their inbox, and will look forward to the fun that’s to come on your new date,” Lynn adds.

Have a cyber photoshoot.

According to Brighter Lights Media’s Jack Spessard, there’s a good chance your wedding photographer might be able to hook you up with a virtual photo session. “They’ll connect with you by webcam, show you how to set up your iPhone or digital camera for maximum impact, direct your poses, and edit the photos for you,” he explains. Major bonus points if you and your bride or groom dress up in your wedding attire for the shoot.

Give out celebration kits.

Whether you plan to elope in an at-home ceremony with guests tuning in virtually or have decided to hold off on your wedding completely, planner Kelly Golia suggests spreading a bit of festive flair with friends and family by mailing or dropping off a “party in a box.” “Think about ways to appeal to every sense of what it might be like to attend your wedding—confetti poppers, a playlist of songs, a favorite treat or mini bottle of champagne that you would have served on your wedding day, or a candle in a scent that mimics the flowers in your bouquet,” she says.

Have a dance party.

Just because you’re not getting married on this day doesn’t mean you can’t bust a move or two (perhaps with some extra inspiration from your bridal party’s mashup video). “Create your ideal dance floor playlist, send it to all of your wedding guests, and encourage everyone to break it down in your honor for a few minutes on your original wedding date,” Accomando says. “Ask them to send videos, too, so you can see everyone celebrating you from afar.” You might involve your wedding vendors, as well. Bieber, for instance, recommends asking your wedding DJ to livestream your first dance song, and local pros such as White Label are actually offering custom mixes for Zoom dance parties.

Bake your own wedding cake.

Give your new quarantine-baking hobby a wedding-themed spin, and try your hand at whipping up a celebratory confection. “Something simple will do the trick, or a multi-layer beauty might be just the challenge you’re looking for,” Lynn says. “Either way, be sure to cut your cake as a couple and have a special moment between the two of you.” As for the leftovers? The planner suggests wrapping them up and freezing them so you can enjoy your cake again in a year, per tradition.

Do something totally unexpected.

Here’s a great way to take your mind off of what this day was supposed to be: Plan something wild and completely atypical for you and your sweetie. Need inspiration? “Go skinny-dipping—no matter the temperature. Climb out giggling, wrap up in a giant blanket, and drink a really nice bottle of champagne. And we mean really nice,” co-creator and creative director of the Prism House, Kristin Burgess, says. Or, if you’re not quite ready to go that far out of your comfort zone, simply brainstorm any exhilarating activity that isn’t something the two of you do on a regular basis.

And if your heart is set on tying the knot on your original date…

Host a virtual ceremony.

It’s never too late to hop on the Zoom wedding bandwagon. According to Hot Mess’s Jason Silverman, there are a multitude of ways this type of celebration can be just as special and unique as what you’d originally planned. And feel free to ask your vendors, such as your wedding band, DJ, and videographer, for help. “We have been asked to lend our [virtual] musical services to ceremonies, cocktail hours, first dances, cake cuttings, and have even provided a touch of MC services for one virtual ceremony,” Silverman says.

Plan a private elopement.

Maybe livestreaming isn’t your cup of tea, but you still want to wed. Consider eloping on your planned date instead. Several local vendors have recently begun to offer elopement packages specifically tailored to couples affected by the virus. Kerianne Nelson Flora, Kate Jubboori Events, Lindsay Connors Photography, and stationer Serif and Sans recently joined together to offer a “Fete At Deux” bundle that includes photography, florals, and wedding announcements for eloping couples, for example, and Rachel Lynn says she’s also added an elopement package to her repertoire. Another suggestion from Bieber: Why not ask your original venue if you can stage your elopement on site? “You don’t get what you don’t ask for,” she says. “If you were planning an outdoor ceremony, ask if they’d be willing to still let you exchange vows there, following all responsible social-distancing rules. This way, the venue can still be featured on your day.”

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