Courtesy photos.
SANTA BARBARA — Planning a wedding is a big deal, no matter the size of the event, the location or budget. After all, it’s one of the most important days in the lives of couples everywhere. A great deal of time, care and thought goes into creating a memorable event months ahead of tying the knot. Right now, millions of couples are reeling from the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on their “Big Day.” Imagine the frustration of realizing that your celebration is frozen in suspended animation due to travel and social distancing restrictions, hotel, event venue and honeymoon destination closures, lost deposits, and worst of all, not knowing if the date you set will actually be the official day you’ll share your marriage ceremony with loved ones. Catherine Forester, an officiant and owner of Weddings by the Sea in Santa Barbara, understands the emotional turmoil couples are suffering. She has developed a practical solution to stop coronavirus from defeating happiness. Ms. Forester transitioned her usual full-service wedding business – specializing in everything from elopements to large events – to offering intimate, beautiful, affordable celebrations that have the attributes of a bride and groom’s dream for the perfect day. “Love in the Time of COVID-19,” is a new “Minimony” package that will appeal to engaged couples who don’t want to wait any longer in limbo and want to move on with their new lives.
At Weddings by the Sea, all aspects of a COVID-19 wedding are conducted at one location in Santa Barbara, creating a turnkey event that abides by legal requirements and current health standards to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The package includes preparing the marriage license – which is key – as the County clerk’s office for issuing the paperwork is currently operating on a very limited basis. Ms. Forester works directly with the County Clerk to ensure that marriage licenses are processed and that clients receive the certified copy of their marriage certificate via mail in a timely fashion. She serves as the officiant, and arranges the bridal bouquet, groom’s boutonniere and wedding arbor. A professional photographer takes photos and films the ceremony for a video. Cake and champagne are provided for a toast. The company also arranges for the ceremony to be live-streamed on Zoom so that “guests” anywhere in the world can attend. A COVID-19 minimony package for 2 people (bride and groom) costs $1,750 and is available through July 15th. Other wedding packages designed for 3 to 20 guests will become available once restrictions are lifted for group events; check the website or call for pricing.
According to Ms. Forester, “Weddings by the Sea is uniquely positioned to provide superior service that is sensible, given the current economic climate. Our team is passionate about showing up in a meaningful way to provide an amazing wedding day for couples who have been searching for a means to still marry without compromising health and safety. And, we can work very quickly to create a personalized wedding experience to create cherished lifetime memories. What brides and grooms appreciate is that we work to eliminate the need for planning and contracting with separate vendors. Everything is coordinated in-house; we are a “one stop” shop. This is especially helpful for both locals as well as folks from out of town who seek a stress-free way to organize and execute a wedding. We serve wedding parties from the Central Valley, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, Ventura and Kern Counties, as well as the Inland Empire.”
According to The Knot, a popular wedding website, “a minimony is a mini ceremony held with your loved ones, or simply a moment of commitment shared between yourselves. Given the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic, couples have been opting to move forward with weddings or mini ceremonies, for a range of reasons (legal, social or religious). A minimony is considered a commitment ceremony between you and your partner, and it can include up to 10 people – as long as you adhere to social distancing measures. The health of you and your loved ones should be priority throughout the planning and postponement process. Many couples who’ve had to postpone their nuptials (millions through summer 2020, in fact) are encouraged to consider a minimony to honor their original wedding date. After your minimony, (you may) continue prepping for your “sequel wedding,” or the original wedding that you had planned prior to the pandemic.” Having two distinct weddings for cultural, religious and other reasons has gained in popularity over the years. Now that the sequel wedding has evolved, it’s taking on new meaning as the coronavirus pandemic has prompted many to-be-weds to reconsider the order of their life events. Some couples see the minimony as a chance to create their own rules for starting their new lives together and design a ceremony that is intended to be enjoyed primarily between them.”
Ms. Forester believes that, “Weddings are about uniting two hearts into one; this milestone should be filled with ease and grace. By keeping a clear focus on my clients’ wishes, I am able to deliver a personalized and momentous experience. Weddings By The Sea embraces the rich, multicultural diversity that is part of our California history and we support Marriage Equality. The greatest compliment we could ever receive is when a minimony couple decides to have us plan their sequel wedding, too. It’s not too often that I get to marry the same couple twice. When it happens it will be double the joy for all involved!”
About Weddings by the Sea — Since 2005, Weddings By The Sea, located in Santa Barbara on the beautiful California coast, has helped thousands of inspired couples plan elopements and intimate wedding ceremonies at many of Santa Barbara’s most scenic locations. For more information, call (805) 455-2270, email weddingsbythesea.cate@gmail.com or visit santabarbaraweddingssite.com.