The pandemic has affected all industries and has particularly been a major cause of stress for couples who have been planning their 2020 weddings for months, or even years.
But while many loved-up couples are postponing or changing their plans, it’s heartening to see that love is very much still alive. It is still possible to get engaged and married during this challenging time — you just have to get a bit creative!
I recently spoke to jewelry retailer Blue Nile to share my best advice for planning a romantic and memorable proposal during the pandemic.
While COVID-19 has caused a lot of tense situations for couples, vendors, venues, and 2021 couples watching their prime dates be taken by 2020 reschedules, there’s been a silver lining of appreciation for the relationships we have in our life.
Through Zoom video calls and contactless porch drop offs of bread and baked goods, I see that humanity prevails. We’ve all in one way or another showed a little bit more attention and care to those we love.
I find that proposals are still happening, and while the proposals themselves look a little different, love still conquers all.
Whenever I’m working with couples, I always ask, “What do you want to remember about your proposal to your person?” and “How do you want it to feel?” This drives all planning of the proposal and how I can best capture those moments. Proposals are best when they are personalized to their specific relationship.
Some want it to be over-the-top, with a string quartet, imported peony arches, hundreds of lit candles, and dancing alpacas. Some prefer it to be simple, quiet, and the most important is that the proposer is able to say everything he or she wants to say to their person as they ask them for their hand in marriage.
During a pandemic, there’s the additional safety caveat of if a mask is required, if vendors are open for business, and the exact location, so that social distancing is adhered to.
Personalization is everything. Proposing during a pandemic is tricky, however, not impossible. I have photographed Boston proposals at dawn in the Boston Common, on private Airbnb roof decks, and at a picnic in their backyard.
This is a special moment for the two of you to remember for a lifetime. Use the pandemic as an opportunity to take a step back and reflect on all the reasons you want to spend your lives together. However you decide to propose will be perfect.