Is there room for love in the age of social distancing? Sure there is! There’s certainly no reason to let the COVID-19 outbreak stop you from planning your wedding. Thanks to the internet and some amazing advancements in technology, you don’t have to physically be at the venue to get a sense of whether it would be a good fit for you or not. That’s right: most venue managers have already started making adjustments to their showing capabilities. Here’s how you can continue to browse wedding venues during this pandemic.
Ask For a Video Tour Via Facetime, Zoom, or Skype
There’s no reason why you won’t be able to get an intimate view of the inside and outside of prospective venues. If there’s one quality that all venue owners have in common, it’s that they love showing off their venues! With a video tour, you can see everything that you would see if you were there in person. During the video meeting, ask the venue for their wedding planning kit. That way, you’ll be able to understand their specific planning process.
Take a Drive to the Venue
Even though many states are encouraging people to stay indoors, remember that you don’t necessarily have to get out of the car. A drive to the venue will allow you to get out of the house for a bit, and you’ll be able to get a feel for what the venue looks like from the outside. If you want to really envision yourself at a specific venue, then don’t be afraid to take a picture in front of it: it will only take a few minutes, and if you pick that spot, you could incorporate the photo into your wedding gallery. In addition, take some time to drive around the area. This will allow you to get familiar with local attractions and photo spots. For example, you might find a nearby river front that could work perfectly as the backdrop for a group photo.
Collect & Compare Quotes from Vendors
All the “boring” stuff can be done from your home office or kitchen table. Browse venue and vendor websites, make some calls, send some emails, and organize all quotes into a spreadsheet. Once you’ve collected a fair number of quotes, filter out the ones that are actually in your price range. From there, you should make a list of pros, cons, and offered accommodations, such as parking and hotel shuttling services.