Navigating a Wedding Without Your Loved Ones, BFF or even Maid of Honor!
Hey there, future brides! I know planning a wedding can be stressful enough, but it's especially tough when someone special can't be there. I've been there, and I know the pain of realizing that your best friend or family member won't be walking down the aisle with you. You are NOT alone. It’s more common than you’d belive.
Brides, it happens often (not rarely) that a loved one or best friend can’t make the wedding
My college roommate Mandy was getting married! And it was my college best friend’s group's “last wedding,” it was the last, and we were going to celebrate in style!! My besties and I were beyond excited and ready to celebrate our Manda-Love and see her creativity shine through for her wedding. BUT our Paige … was blessed with a baby girl on the way and couldn’t make Mandy’s amazing destination wedding in Mexico. They had their cries and hard days, and we all cried a bit, passing the phone around so Paige could “be there with us” during the ceremony. This isn’t uncommon, loves. The wedding carried on and we’ll always be sad Piage wasn’t there but it can’t be perfect.
I’ll never forget June 2020 COVID was raging, and most of our couples had canceled, but now Jenna, she was ready to marry her love, kept her date, and had the sweetest wedding. But… her sister couldn’t be there. Also pregnant, and not able to risk COVID (so fresh). Her sister. I talked to Jenna about it a lot the day on rehearsal day, and she was so sad her sister wasn’t going to be there, but she was MORE thankful and excited to be marrying her husband. And that’s what matters ladies.
I’ve seen brides in moments of confusion: tier wedding just a few weeks out, and all of a sudden, dad won't be able to be there. What to do? Grandparents suddenly unable to come. Brother's flight was completely canceled, and totally missed the wedding. I’ve seen all these and more. My husband had just affianced one of his high school friend's weddings, and the bride’s best friend for life, her maid-of-honor (how she was introduced virtually at rehearsal dinner), wasn’t there. She had a one-month-old baby to snuggle with and take care of. Laura understood — life doesn’t stop for us!
Remember, your wedding day celebrates your love, and your marriage is what’s most important. The rest is just a bonus! It’s about you and your love committing your lives to each other. That’s what’s important.
This blog is here as a testament — it happens often. And you aren’t alone.
Zoom Weddings and More
Thanks to technology, we can now include loved ones who can't be there in person. Zoom weddings have become more common, allowing families and friends to witness the ceremony and reception from afar. Whether that’s a professional vendor setup with a stream for viewing, a phone setup for grandparents to watch, or just sharing the video after (a private so so many do not have), there are ways you will capture your day and be able to share it with anyone not present.
Let's face it: Weddings are a celebration of love with those closest to us. It's a bittersweet reality that not everyone we love can always be there, but that doesn't make it any less special.
Instead of dwelling on the absences, focus on the love and joy surrounding you. Celebrate with those who can be there and create memories that will last a lifetime.
