BURNABY -- The first Saturday in May would normally see happy couples flocking to wedding venues around the province to say "I do," but coronavirus restrictions have forced many to postpone their plans.
However, for those determined to say their vows this spring as planned, a Burnaby company is offering a fully interactive, virtual wedding package that promises to bring up to 100 people together for the special day.
“The challenges, of course, are just creating the vibe that is going to be reminiscent of a traditional wedding,” said Bespoke Decor’s Ashton Pollock. “To be able to give you the opportunity to connect with your family near and far.”
Under current physical distancing guidelines in the province, only the couple, a marriage officiant and two witnesses can be present for weddings.
Bespoke Decor has converted its Burnaby showroom into a small wedding chapel to accommodate that group, and has partnered with an audio-visual company to allow up to 98 people to attend virtually using video conferencing software.
Professional cameras and lighting offer close ups of the action, and for an additional fee a DJ will pump the same music to everyone online.
A catering company will even deliver identical meals to all local guests so they can break bread with the bride and groom.
Pollock says her team came up with the idea on Monday and spent the week working on the logistics and getting the showroom set up.
While many couples have made the difficult decision to postpone their weddings, Pollock hopes a handful will decide to embrace the reality we currently live in and tie the knot while their friends watch online.
“We were just talking with a couple yesterday and it looks like they are going to be moving forward and that’s going to be in early June,” she said.
Bespoke Decor’s offerings are not cheap, with packages starting at $6,800 not including music or dinner, but some couples may decide you can’t put a price on love in the time of corona.
