It’s a rough time right now, and with COVID-19 consuming our every thought, action, etc., it’s hard not to let the shiny, happy things in our life lose their luster. Yes, weddings certainly count as one of those. Regardless of whether or not your wedding was slated for 2020, if you have a sparkly new piece of jewelry on THAT finger and someone is calling you fiancé/fiancée, then, at the very least, you’re a bride planning during a pandemic. We’d wager a guess that it’s not exactly how you envisioned the engagement afterglow going when you were growing up. And who would, with something as unprecedented as this happening in the world?
Of course, our hearts go out to every bride and groom who had/have wedding dates this Spring (and even early Fall, as we still have little to no understanding of what the future holds for this virus). It was Harry, right? Who famously said “When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” It’s true, no one wants to delay the start of forever with their partner, especially when that start is a party that’s been in the works for so long on behalf of a love so big. That said, even if your wedding date isn’t on a collision course with the health crisis, in its current throes, the mere fact that you’re preparing for the best day ever, when things are so clearly on the other end of the spectrum, just straight up sucks. We’re just wishing and hoping and thinking and praying that things turn around ASAP.
But for the time being, if brides still have their people showing up for them (there’s so much value in the virtual), that 🔥 of excitement, fanfare, and anticipation around the wedding – however up in the air it may be right now – just won’t go out. It might take a little more creativity to make digital fetes a regular thing, but if there’s a [wedding] will, there’s a way. Especially if the way includes lots of wine. When you’re getting your social distancing on, know that we’re here for you: our collection of “I Do” details, gifts, and decor with Michaels can work just 👌 for you and your crew when you’re living your best #stayhomestaysafe lives, but they work even better to bring you all together for the bride/your best girl.
This is a great time to send your group some mail. Seriously, everyone is at home, starting to climb the walls, so if you can break up the tedium with some surprise & delight, you are a queen. We love the idea of a care package stocked with the below and a notecard that reads something along the lines of “This virus is the worst, but you have always been one of my BEST. Please promise that you’ll stand beside me when this big day finally comes. I need you and love you, and we’ll get through this together!”
Blush Mini Tissue Packs – To slide into the top of your dress and take out when you’re in tears at the altar (I already have my hanky to help me keep it together). This is not to be used as a substitute for toilet paper! 😉
Lovely Bridesmaid Mug – It might not be Starbucks or Dunkin’, but you CAN make your own lovely cup of coffee at home, for real, you can.
Pink Sleep Mask – Catch up on those eight hours now, diva, because when we come out on the other side of this, you’re going to miss those restful evenings. Then you’ll be mine – kisses xoxo
Some of you with March, April, May, even June weddings this year might have already postponed your days for later in 2020 or 2021, but that doesn’t mean that your mimosa-drinking morning getting glammed up with your girls is gone for good. In fact, we love the idea of sending your girls an impromptu gift with our floral makeup bag, a stemless wine glass, and a notecard that reads “I’m still looking forward to getting pretty with you. It’s just postponed for now (so, just keep that wine glass reserved for another time, you can Netflix and chill with something else)! I’ve even taken care of your makeup for the day, so, girl, start planning out your look! 😘.” If you haven’t thought of gifts for your bridesmaids yet, it’s always an amazing gesture to offer to pay for hair or makeup (or both, if it’s in your budget!).
Not to mention, with the current wedding cancellation climate, any vendor will SO appreciate your going in on gift cards or pre-paying for services (like hair and makeup) that you’ll be getting in the future – just to offset some of the financial upset ravaging the world right now.
We get it. It’s an awful thing if your bachelorette bash was on the horizon and now you have to hole up at home, but it can still be fun. Promise!! Your friends, family, or bridesmaids who couldn’t make it for a vacay or weekend away might now be able to pop in, so #blessingindisguise? Just a little bit!
We suggest putting the resident coordinator of chaos in your girl group in charge and letting them get all the goods to up your virtual hang game! Send out a link to the conference line or invite your guests via Google hangout, and make sure you note what everyone should have in-house to celebrate in style. Come up with a signature cocktail for everyone to sip on, get a playlist together to get the good vibes going, show up prepared with girls night photo props, and if you have to tweak any of the games you were going to play on your OG bachelorette itinerary to better fit our new COVID-19 cadences, then so be it! I.e. You may have had the bride drink every time she said her fiancé/fiancée’s name, now you just adapt for quarantine times. If he or she shows up in the background at any point in the night, then everyone gets to have a drink BUT the bride.
Bridesmaid Headbands – if you can’t wear silly ‘status’ headbands with your soul sisters, then who can you wear them with? Either buy a pack and send one fitting headband to each bridesmaid or send each girl her own pack of 6 and let her ‘choose her own adventure’ for the night!
Again, these social distancing circumstances aren’t ideal, we totally understand. But there is something to be said about going into this wedding thing “for better or for worse…” If virtual bridal shower or bacheloretting or celebrating simple pleasures from the comfort of our own homes is the worst of it, then we can deal. Sure, we can!
Shop the Wedding Collection by Style Me Pretty exclusively at Michaels now for everything you need to make the most of these less-than-perfect times!
Danielle Halibey is a writer, editor, and publicist living in New Jersey. She has been immersed in the world of weddings since planning her own whimsical, romantic affair in 2014. And isn’t that what they always say, “those who can’t do, teach?” Well, once her nuptials were over, she still had stuff in the ‘I Do’ industry to do. She writes regularly for top wedding blogs including Style Me Pretty and Wedding Chicks, and has garnered millions of press impressions for brands in the wedding space: fashion, beauty, wedding talent+tastemakers and more.
