10 Ideas To Celebrate Your Original Date, From Wedding Planner Sojourner Auguste of Erganic Design

As we all know, 2020 has been a year unlike any other. We have had to make a lot of adjustments, including making big changes in the way we live and the way we celebrate.

With everyone’s safety in mind, many couples have postponed their 2020 weddings to 2021. If you moved your wedding to next year, you can still find a way to celebrate or commemorate your original wedding date.  You did choose this special date in 2020, so why not do something special?

The following are fun ideas to help you celebrate your original wedding date. You can combine several of the ideas to create one wildly fun day! Or, do them all on different days. Have fun with it, and remember, it’s about celebrating your love and commitment to each other.

 

1. Have a Private Concert (virtual or in person)

So many wonderful musicians are sharing their gift of music with people, even during this time of social distancing. You can have your own private concert in the comfort of your home via Zoom. Or, you can arrange to have the musicians play for you in person. Be creative! If you have a balcony, or a porch, there are ways to have live music while incorporating all of the safety precautions you need.

Whether you’d like to hear strings, or a jazz ensemble, or want to hear sweet vocals, you can have your own private concert. 

Planning by Erganic Design | Photography by Echoes & Wild Heart

 

2. Photoshoot

Memorialize the day by having it professionally photographed. Just like with an engagement shoot, photographers offer mini photo sessions where you can go to a few of your favorite locations around your city, or you can even have a mini session right at home. Given social distancing restrictions that may be in place, you and your photographer should discuss and agree on where to go, and what necessary precautions you should take. They’ll likely already have ideas in mind, as many photographers have been offering mini photo sessions during this unprecedented time.

 

3. Have a catered dinner with special cake.

Caterers and bakers are your friend. With so many events being postponed, there are caterers and bakers who still want to make some special eats for you! It should not take much to find a good local caterer and baker who is offering delivery (or pick up). Create a special dinner menu with the caterer, and order a small celebration cake. Plan to fully set the table, with your best plates, flatware and glasses. Make it nice and fancy! Create a printed dinner menu, or if this is not an option ask the caterer, as they may be able to help you get the menus printed.
Ask the caterer for their recommendations on wine pairings and for specialty cocktail recipes using your favorite ingredients. Bonus, if the caterer can prepare the cocktails for you, and all you need to do is pour over ice (or into a glass).  

 

4. Write love letters and save them!

What’s more romantic than receiving a letter from your lover? Now imagine reading this love letter on your *new* wedding day, next year!


Since so much has happened this year (so far), there are likely, so many emotions you are feeling. Put those feelings into words and write your loved one the most amazing love letter ever. But then, put the letters into a time capsule of sorts, and agree not to open them, until the morning of your wedding. This will be such an amazing moment for both of you, to read the words you wrote the year prior.

Photography by Brian Hatton Photography | Planning by Erganic Design

 

5. Take Dance Lessons

You may have already been planning to take dance lessons in preparation for your first dance. Well, you still can! Many dance studios are offering virtual dance lessons. So go for it! One idea is to have your first lesson on your original date. Or, if you’re up for it, have a series of lessons before the original date, and then on the date, have a dance recital of sorts. Either record yourselves performing the dance routine and then share the video with family and friends. Or, you can host a Zoom with family and friends and perform your dance routine live.

 

6. Host a Virtual Dance Party with your family and friends

Speaking of dancing, why not host a virtual dance party! DJ’s are ready to spin for your family and friends, and you can still work with them ahead of time to curate the song list. You can also use Spotify and be your own DJ. With integrations between Spotify and Zoom, you can create the ultimate virtual dance party. Query friends and family ahead of time for some song suggestions. Then on the night off, dance away!

 

7. Words of Advice & Date Night

Ask close family and friends to write words of advice and date night ideas for you. The date night ideas should be for future anniversaries:1 year, 5 years, 10 years and 15 years, etc.

You can set up a special email address for the two of you (eg. theFutureAndersons123@gmail.com) and ask your family and friends to email the advice and date night ideas to that special email address. Ask them to do this before your original wedding date (try and give them at least a week or two to get it done). Then on the original date, read the words of advice to each other, as a way to celebrate the date. It’ll be fun to read what your family and friends write to you.

Design by Erganic Design | Floral by Designs by Ahn 

 

8. Wine Tasting

Have a wine tasting with just the two of you, or with some family and friends. Many wineries are offering virtual wine tastings, with a live wine expert on Zoom. You just need to purchase the wines ahead of time and have them shipped to you in prep for your virtual wine tasting. Some wineries have on-going virtual wine tastings with pre-selected the wines. Some wineries let you customize the tasting and you pick the wines you want to try. Either option is great, as it allows you to try great wines while at home.


A personal favorite is Gloria Ferrer in Napa Valley. They have excellent varieties of sparkling and still wines, so you can get a good selection of different types of wines to try.
For Mother’s Day, I picked some of my favorites from Gloria Ferrer and had them shipped to (5) five special ladies (mothers and sisters) and we had our own private virtual wine tasting party. There is some lead time and coordination to consider, but the fun is totally worth it! 

 

9. Ultimate Wellness Date Day

Spend the day unwinding and resetting, with your loved one. This will be a day where you’ll get to experience a virtual escape, so to speak, mentally, while physically relaxing. Below are suggestions for what to do in the morning, afternoon and evening. Be sure you are eating meals/snacks throughout the day too.

Morning Meditation or Yoga:
Start the morning out with a meditation (or virtual workout), led by instructors from, just about, anywhere in the world. From Koh Samui Island in Thailand, to a 15 minute yoga class in Turks and Caicos, there are so many great options out there which are perfect for couples to experience together.

Afternoon At home Spa:
Although you can opt for a virtual reality spa experience (yes, they have VR goggles for this), I suggest creating an actual at home spa with your loved one. It doesn’t matter if neither of you have experience with massages, or facials, or anything. The point is to spend time together. Besides, once you do a little online search for some at home treatments, you’ll be just fine. Think along the lines of:

• Face - a nice deep facial cleanse, then mask treatment.


• Body – have a nice bubble bath (for two), with essential oils and lots of candles.


• Feet – a foot scrub, followed by giving each other a foot massage.
  

Evening Movie Night:
End the evening with a movie and dinner for two. Given how relaxed the day has been so far, I suggest ordering takeout so you don’t have to cook. Be sure to include your favorite libation.
If you have a backyard, rooftop or terrace large enough, watch the movie and eat dinner outside under the stars, picnic style. This does require having the necessary equipment, such as a projector and screen, or large monitor/tv that you can watch outside. If outside is not an option, then have a picnic on the floor of your living room.

 

10. Have A Virtual Wedding

One great way to celebrate your original date, is to still get married! Whether you have a legal ceremony or you opt to exchange vows without all of the paperwork, you can still have a great virtual wedding. 

Go ahead and get dressed up as you would have for the wedding day (wear a special dress, get dolled up, the whole nine). Hire a florist to create some beautiful arrangements. Think about adorning your place with florals in not so obvious places (like along the stairway if you have stairs). Be sure to have the florist create a wedding bouquet and boutonniere! Make it special.

And create a floral ceremony backdrop (if you have space outside, and weather permits, go for it!)

Photography by Shira Wein Photography | Planning by Erganic Design 

With family and friends attending virtually, you can add a few fun elements to the celebration.
Include music – virtual live music or a DJ (or Soundcloud playlist) will help set the tone.

• Wine
  You can have wine shipped to your guests, so you can all toast at the same time. Of course, you can still all toast at the same time, even if you do not have the same exact wine.


• Food
  If the budget permits, have food delivered to your guests. This can be a little tricky if you are not all in the same city. If you are not in the same city, pick out something fun (your favorite pizza, or sushi, or other type of food that your guests can find locally), and then you’ll all be having, essentially, the same type of food, together.


• Have a virtual photobooth
  With a quick search, you’ll find a lot of great companies offering virtual photobooths for virtual events. It’s become a thing, and guests are loving it.


• Hire a mentalist
  I have produced quite a few events with mentalists as secret guests. And the crowds love it. Thankfully, these awesome entertainers have created a virtual experience where you can incorporate them into your virtual wedding celebration. And the best part is, they can be based anywhere, and still provide their unique entertainment for your virtual wedding.

Above all, have fun! This day may not unfold the way you originally intended, but it can still be epic, and most importantly, its now part of your amazing forever love story.

 

Sojourner Auguste is the founder and Creative Director of Erganic Design, a wedding design and planning company based in New York City. She began her design career as an Architect for luxury retail brands, and transitioned over to weddings and special events 10 years ago. She has helped couples celebrate their unions in unique and big ways, on (4) four different continents.