While many wedding couples have chosen to postpone their wedding celebrations until 2021 others are choosing to still tie the knot on their original wedding date, regardless of COVID. If you are one of the couples who is planning on keeping your Fall/Winter 2020 date there are a few things you should know!
MARRIAGE LICENSES
Many of the basics, in regards to getting your marriage license, will remain the same. The main difference is San Diego County Marriage Licenses can now be obtained online or by direct mail. The process begins with with booking your appointment online. From there you can select your service type ranging from License/Ceremony Only or License and Ceremony combined. It's important to note that marriage licenses are only valid for 90 days, so purchase your license no more than 3 months prior to your wedding day!
CEREMONY OPTIONS
Once you obtain your marriage license you are ready for the "I Do's"! Wedding ceremonies are able to be held via video conferencing or in the form of an elopement/mini wedding.
Video Conferring
Video conference weddings are definitely the 2020 trend that we did not expect to see. However, with safety and health top of mind this is a great option for many wedding couples! There are two options when selecting an officiant to administer your video conferenced ceremony: a court appointed or a personally chosen officiant. If you are choosing your own officiant, to keep the ceremony more unique and personalized, we suggest reviewing Gavin Newsom's Executive Order for all rules and requirements.
One reason we love this ceremony option is that you are able to have a large amount of people in virtual attendance. We suggest having your guests spend time getting dressed up, enjoy watching you and your fiancé exchange vows, sharing a few toasts and adding in a few other fun, but modified, wedding traditions. While not the wedding you may have been expecting, this option is still a fun way to celebrate with your friends and family!
Elopement or Mini Wedding
Elopements and Mini Weddings have been gaining in popularity but nothing has caused a spike in these type of ceremonies like this pandemic. An elopement or mini wedding is ideal for the wedding couple that is okay with a smaller, more intimate style of ceremony with just a few close family and friends nearby. We suggest keeping these celebrations to ten people or less, encouraging all guests to practice social distancing and wearing of face masks.
One reason we love these options stems from our love of design and the overall wedding day feeling! By having an elopement or mini wedding you are still able to setup beautiful decor and get more of that wedding day experience. Imagine seeing an elegantly fabric draped arch with complimentary florals set up beachside as you walk toward the love of your life to exchange your heartfelt vows. If you crave that first look down the aisle, eyes watering feeling you should consider an elopement or mini wedding!
No matter what option you choose, it is important to understand all of the rules, policies and procedures setup by our governor and San Diego County. For more information on obtaining your marriage license please visit The County Clerk Office's website.
And if you need some help with planning your elopements and mini weddings we might know someone, wink wink!