Weddings have changed a great deal over the course of 2020. While plenty of couples had to postpone their dream events due to the pandemic, others found it was easier to scrap the idea entirely and start from scratch. Whether you got engaged before quarantine or at some point over the duration, you might be spending a lot of time thinking about what you would like your wedding to be. The beauty of this moment is that you will not need to follow any previous scripts and you should have more flexibility in regard to what guests will accept or endure.
The “minimony” is a fairly recent idea. Instead of canceling your event because of recent events, you can restructure your idea of the wedding ceremony to make it fit these modern times. These tips will help you determine if it is the best fit for you.
What Is a Minimony?
While it sounds peculiar at first, a minimony is not a bizarre or even outlandish concept. Since large ceremonies in a religious or secular venue are out of the question, this alternative offers a practical solution. The minimony is a private gathering with you, your significant other, and one or two “guests” each. This is similar to the idea of going to your local government office to sign a marriage contract, but you can hold a minimony wherever you would like. At its core, this is an opportunity to host a meaningful and deeply personal event.
If a wedding is supposed to be about the love you share with your partner, this type of ceremony allows you to play around with that idea. You can invite an officiant to make the entire thing binding, or you can label this as a temporary event until quarantine restrictions are relaxed a bit more. Regardless, you’re free to host your reception whenever you wish. Since the reception is the more exciting and celebratory part of the wedding, it makes sense that you would want to delay the event rather than cancel it outright.
Act as if This Is Really Your Wedding
The minimony separates itself from similar ideas in a few ways. When people decide to get married in a private way, they will not always treat their wedding like the big deal that it is. While there is nothing wrong with planning things in a way that stays true to who you are, you can also lavish yourselves a bit with the luxuries of this milestone. Hire caterers and treat everyone to a quality meal made in a comfortable setting. Order a cake from a nearby bakery and support local businesses with your celebration.
In many places, current restrictions state that indoor gatherings need to be limited to fewer than 10 people. The upside to this is that your minimony will not cost you a small fortune. In fact, you’re likely to get more from the experience by spending your money in a more purposeful way. Splurge on a vendor that you wouldn’t have been able to afford otherwise. Use your budget to have as an exciting or simple an affair as you would like.
Plan for the Next Step
The entire point of the minimony is to act as a symbolic and emotional placeholder for the event you can’t host due to the worldwide pandemic. This means you want to keep your eye on the future no matter what your minimony looks like. As news develops, keep guests informed about the potential date you’d like to host your “real” wedding. While you might already be married by then, your friends and family will still want to gather together to go through the motions and feel some needed joy.
A pandemic might sour your plans a bit, but it doesn’t have to control your life. Consider what type of ceremony would be best for your relationship, and create a plan to begin your lives together.
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