How to plan a Virtual Wedding Party

DECEMBER 1, 2020

You’re engaged! Congratulations! Now you’ve got lots of planning to do, including designating a host to throw your bridal shower. If you’re worried that social distancing and other coronavirus restrictions will impact your festivities, rest assured that planning a virtual wedding shower can be just as fun and joyous as an in-person event – maybe even more so!

The pros at Wendell August Forge have put together a few tips to spark your creativity and help plan a meaningful virtual wedding party. Toss in a few handcrafted, custom wedding gift ideas, and you’re sure to create a festive, memorable event that will help the bride feel showered with love and attention.

1. Create a theme. Most conventional, in-person wedding showers reinforce the colors and themes of the wedding. One advantage of throwing a virtual wedding party is that you can take that theme much further, thanks to online platforms like Zoom. Create a virtual background from photos of the couple, photos of their ideal vacation spot or some other meaningful image. When all the guests use this special background, the event will feel more cohesive.
2. Send non-virtual invitations. Virtual invitations are perfectly fine – and including a clickable link to the online venue makes the setup easier for non-tech-savvy friends and family. However, sending hard-copy invitations keeps that traditional feeling alive and gives everyone a keepsake to cherish. And don’t forget to send your designated host something special for her organizational efforts, including collecting RSVPs so you can make sure the online platform can accommodate your group size.
3. Include games everyone can play. Whether you choose virtual games or something more conventional, games help guests loosen up and enjoy the party. Online games include Bridal Bingo with digital Bingo cards linked to the bridal registry. Virtual charades become a special challenge, and there’s always the option of a scavenger hunt that sends guests searching for items in their homes. Send gift cards to the winners as prizes.
4. Share food and drinks from afar. The virtual wedding shower host can arrange to have miniature bottles of champagne, themed desserts or catered hors d’oeuvres shipped to each guest’s home ahead of time. Alternatively, send out recipes for a special cocktail you’d like each guest to concoct on their own for a group toast. Gifting the bride (and groom, if the event is co-ed) custom glassware will make that toast even more memorable.
5. Open gifts. Speaking of gifts, they are an integral part of any in-person or virtual wedding party. Specify in the invitations where to send gifts and encourage guests to post them early so that the bride can open her presents during the virtual event. She may also want to send out her bridal party gifts ahead of time, as opening them during the virtual wedding shower could add to the festive atmosphere.
6. Record the event. Online platforms like Zoom and Skype offer lots of ways to tailor your event to your specific needs. Consider recording your virtual wedding party to share with friends or family who can’t participate and as a special keepsake for the bride and groom. Check into several platforms ahead of time to make sure you’re using the one that best fits your group size and level of technological comfort.