Some dates will always be etched in your memory; like your child’s birthday, the day you bought your first house… and the day you marry the one you love.

But for the thousands of would-be bride and grooms who can’t marry due to COVID-19 (or indeed other reasons), this date will not have the meaning they so wished it would. After the weeks, months and sometimes years of planning, it can be a devastating blow to put your wedding day on hold.

However, not all is lost.

How to Celebrate Your Original Wedding Date

As we’ve seen in recent weeks, the true ‘spirit of lockdown’ has also brought out the creative side in all of us. So then, why not use the opportunity to celebrate your ‘wedding date’ anyway!?

Here’s some inspiring ideas to help you commemorate the special occasion:

Host a pre-ceremony celebration

If you still want to mark the date, perhaps consider a pre-wedding event. This is a growing trend in humanist ceremonies, and helps set the stage for your big day.

Consider this a pre-cursor to your wedding, and not a replacement of it. Friends can join via video link, as you exchange promises to each other and celebrate your love together. No matter where your relatives are in the world, they’ll be able to join in – tissues at the ready!

Clink glasses with guests

You’re not the only disappointed ones. Everyone loves a good wedding, especially close family and friends. With this in mind why not invite loved ones to an online toast?

Even if it’s a coordinated glass of prosecco in the garden, or a gentle cheers from your lounge, it will be a memorable way to bring everyone together.

Zoom, Skype, Facetime and HouseParty are just some of the great apps that allow you to group chat with several participants at once. Don’t forget to take some screengrabs to remember the moment.

Get creative with a video

With all this time on your hands, you might have become au-fait with iMovie, Adobe, or any other type of video editing tool. You don’t need much technical prowess to use these, since many come with handy templates to insert photos and footage.

To mark your ‘wedding date’ you could create a montage of your ‘love story’, including pictures of when you met, through to the current day. This makes a lovely keepsake to remember for years to come, or to share with friends and family.

Say hello to the future…

In keeping with the video theme, why not film yourselves on your postponed day as a surprise to show on your rescheduled wedding day?

It might be reading vows out to each other, or perhaps wishing your ‘future selves’ the best of luck on your wedding day. It’s a nice way of paying homage to both dates.

Host a pretend wedding

When life throws you lemons, why not make lemonade for two and enjoy a special day together! This means getting decked out in your best gear (perhaps leave the wedding dress to the big day) and reading vows to each other. You can even invite friends to dress up and be guests via video conference.

Crack open the champagne, dance to your favourite music and scoff homemade wedding cake. After all, a faux wedding is the next best thing when you can’t celebrate properly, and can be just as much fun.

Get poetic

You don’t have to be a romantic at heart to conjure up some inspiring words. On the day you were due to get married, what gesture could be more touching, than penning some sentimental words for your loved one?

Make an occasion of it; read your poems over a nice meal, a glass of Prosecco, or in the bath together. Go one step further and re-use your poems on your wedding day. It’s a nice way of bringing both worlds together.

The wedding breakfast

Food, glorious food – it’s one of the most enjoyable parts of any wedding. By now, you may have already chosen your wedding breakfast and centrepiece wedding cake. You were probably looking forward to it too.

So then, why not have your cake and eat it!? You may be able to commission your wedding venue’s Head Chef to create a replica menu for you. Or better still – you might be able to rustle it up yourself. Anyone who’s had the joy of food tasting a menu will know that this it’s a pleasure to look forward to.

Exchange gifts

Although you might not be able to celebrate your big day, you can still exchange token gifts. Cufflinks, earrings, and a bracelet are all lovely keepsakes to give each other.

Or perhaps, you’ll go for something more creative using this downtime. Perhaps a painted portrait, performing a song you’ve written, or a hand-crafted wedding ring made out of bits and bobs from around the home.

The first dance

One of the highlights of any wedding is the coveted first dance. Turn the lights down, get your wedding shoes to the ready, and perform your first dance together. It’s like your own little secret that the world will have to wait and see.

You may wish to even record it to stream in the background on your wedding day.

Bring the party to your living room

If you decide to celebrate only one part of your wedding day, the evening party is a must.

Canva is a handy tool for creating electronic invites – go with a theme, black tie, or lockdown glamour for instance. Invite friends via video conference, and get them to submit their favourite songs in advance on Spotify. You can even re-use the list when your big day comes around again.

Get into the spirit with a disco ball, a list of your favourite cocktails, and Grandad dancing in the corner for good measure!

Movie night in

And finally, what better way to celebrate your would-be wedding, than with your favourite rom-com of all time? Netflix is streaming all the classics, including; He’s just not that into you, Isn’t it romantic, Friends with benefits and When Harry met Sally. Get the popcorn, hankies and ‘his and her’ robes at the ready.

Have a party, have a cry or be romantic whatever you decide to do stay positive and remember fun times are around the corner. When it comes down to it, Love really is all that matters.