Don’t let pandemic ruin your special day
A wedding usually doesn’t come together over night. Months, and sometimes years, go into planning the perfect day. Sadly, due to the coronavirus outbreak, weddings are getting postponed or canceled. But before you let the virus ruin your dream wedding, you can still say “I do” this quarantine. This couple will show you just how.
In a 50-minute Youtube video, Bea Fabregas and Nikko Ramos, who got engaged in March as Luzon was placed on enhanced community quarantine, have answered questions on how to get married in these crazy times.
- Set a wedding budget
Setting your budget should be the first step in planning your wedding, said Nikko. “We’re fortunate because we work around weddings a lot as hosts so we know suppliers very well. We know more or less how much it takes to mount an event, or how much venues cost. So there’s always a target amount,” he said.
One should also learn to manage finances, he said. You can start by setting aside a portion of your salary. “You cannot prepare for a wedding after you get engaged. That’s difficult,” Nikko said. “Conversations about marriage is something that we’ve had for years, so that’s important.”
- Narrow down the dates
There’s no hard and fast rule, as you can mold the usual steps for wedding preparation to your timeline. The newly-married couple only got to prepare for the wedding within only three months.
Bea said the first thing they did was to hire a photo and video team. “We were very aware of the protocols for mass gatherings so we just kept waiting and waiting, but once July hit, we started to prepare,” she said. “We asked Jason Magbanua and Pat Dy when they were available. When they said they were free on Oct. 4, we decided to get married on that date.” Having some potential wedding dates in mind, she said, will be very helpful during the venue selection process.
- Keep it intimate
The best way to go forth and get married is to cut the guest list. “Initially, our list was around 300 people. But after a few months, we cut it down to 22,” she said. “For the ceremony, it was only the immediate family, the pastor, and some suppliers. We only had four friends each, and they were outside the venue.”
If you are still wanting to celebrate with all your friends and family in the venue of your dreams, try to set up a drive-by. “I wasn’t informed about it so I was surprised! I saw my lola and cousins from the car, and I saw some of my radio friends who greeted us.”