Thanks to#nbsp;video-streaming apps and services, couples who choose to#nbsp;get married while self-isolating can share their special moments with family and friends.
While social distancing and restrictions on#nbsp;travel and large gatherings have forced many couples to#nbsp;postpone their wedding celebrations, some are still choosing to#nbsp;marry and are inviting guests to#nbsp;witness their union from the comfort of#nbsp;their own homes via live video streams.
"Livestreaming a#nbsp;wedding is#nbsp;becoming mainstream," said Vishal Joshi, the founder and chief executive of Joy, a#nbsp;wedding planning and technology company based in#nbsp;San Francisco that recently started a#nbsp;free livestreaming feature on#nbsp;its website.
Dani Kohanzadeh and Nathan Saadat, who live in#nbsp;Los Angeles and had planned a#nbsp;large wedding on#nbsp;March 28 at#nbsp;the Ritz-Carlton in#nbsp;Laguna Niguel, Calif., turned to#nbsp;the videoconferencing app Zoom for their scaled-down ceremony. The couple exchanged vows March 27 in#nbsp;the backyard of#nbsp;Ms. Kohanzadeh’s childhood home in#nbsp;Beverly Hills, Calif. Their eight immediate family members attended in#nbsp;person, while Rabbi Tova Leibovic-Douglas and more than 400 of#nbsp;their friends and family tuned in#nbsp;during the livestream.
"We were originally going to#nbsp;FaceTime with just a#nbsp;few aunts and uncles, but we#nbsp;decided why not invite everyone since we#nbsp;were doing it#nbsp;virtually," said Ms. Kohanzadeh, a#nbsp;25-year-old field manager at#nbsp;a#nbsp;nonprofit organization.
"Our wedding felt imperfectly perfect," added Mr. Saadat, 31, a#nbsp;lawyer and property manager. "In all of#nbsp;its makeshift-ness, it#nbsp;also felt so#nbsp;intimate and personal." The couple hope to#nbsp;eventually celebrate with all their guests in#nbsp;person but haven’t yet set a#nbsp;date.
Want to#nbsp;livestream your wedding? Here are a#nbsp;few tips that can help you broadcast your memorable event.
Choose the Right Platform
There are several options when it#nbsp;comes to#nbsp;picking a#nbsp;platform or#nbsp;service that will allow you to#nbsp;livestream your wedding, including Zoom, Skype, Google Hangout, Facebook, and FaceTime. But keep in#nbsp;mind: There are limitations.
Zoom, a#nbsp;cloud platform for professional video and audio conferencing, allows you to#nbsp;broadcast on#nbsp;a#nbsp;private cloud, but its free version limits calls to#nbsp;only 40 minutes and up#nbsp;to#nbsp;100 participants. If#nbsp;you want to#nbsp;have a#nbsp;longer ceremony, you’ll need to#nbsp;pay $#nbsp;14.99 for its monthly "pro" product. (And to#nbsp;have a#nbsp;video call of#nbsp;up#nbsp;to 500 participants, you’ll need to#nbsp;pay a $#nbsp;50 fee.)
Google Hangout is#nbsp;also free, but only 25 people can join a#nbsp;video call. You can upgrade to#nbsp;the basic plan, which allows for up#nbsp;to#nbsp;250 participants per call (which you can access using a#nbsp;14-day free trial).
Facebook’s livestream function is#nbsp;free and does not limit the number of#nbsp;participants and allows for up#nbsp;to#nbsp;eight hours of#nbsp;livestreaming. Skype’s group video option is#nbsp;free, but it#nbsp;only allows for up#nbsp;to#nbsp;50 people. Apple’s Group FaceTime is#nbsp;also free, and allows up#nbsp;to#nbsp;32 people, but guests must have an#nbsp;Apple device (an#nbsp;iPhone, iPad, or#nbsp;iPod touch) to#nbsp;join.
Depending on#nbsp;the service you use, you may be#nbsp;able to#nbsp;preserve the video on#nbsp;the platform or#nbsp;on#nbsp;YouTube#nbsp;— enabling you and your guests to#nbsp;watch it#nbsp;in#nbsp;the future at#nbsp;any time.
Work Out the Logistics
"There's a#nbsp;lot that goes into livestreaming a#nbsp;wedding," said Caroline Creidenberg, the founder and chief executive of Wedfuly, a#nbsp;Denver-based online wedding planning company. "It's not as#nbsp;simple as#nbsp;pressing a#nbsp;button and letting the camera roll."
Jolie Behrns-Vitale, 35, and Brad Kelly, 36, who livestreamed a#nbsp;wedding ceremony at#nbsp;their home in#nbsp;Detroit, invited guests to#nbsp;join their celebration via livestream using the Joy app. They married March 28 after canceling their wedding, which was scheduled for the same date, at#nbsp;an#nbsp;art gallery in#nbsp;the city. The couple encountered technical issues during their livestream. "Zoom has a#nbsp;40-minute timeout when you use the free version, so#nbsp;we#nbsp;did the first half of#nbsp;our wedding ceremony and right when I#nbsp;was about to#nbsp;say my#nbsp;vows everyone got kicked off," said Ms. Behrns-Vitale, a#nbsp;data analytics director at#nbsp;a#nbsp;retail company. "We were able to#nbsp;get everyone back on#nbsp;fairly quickly, but it#nbsp;wasn’t the smoothest transition."
To#nbsp;avoid technology hiccups, Ms. Creidenberg suggests couples ask someone to#nbsp;manage their livestream and oversee tasks such as#nbsp;muting guests while the couple exchanges vows. "We run a#nbsp;rehearsal the morning of#nbsp;or#nbsp;the day before the ceremony so#nbsp;that couples can make sure their camera is#nbsp;set up#nbsp;properly and the audio is#nbsp;working correctly," she said.
For couples who aren’t tech savvy, or#nbsp;who don’t want to#nbsp;deal with the hassle of#nbsp;handling technical issues during their ceremony, Mr. Joshi suggests they assign a#nbsp;person to#nbsp;help set up#nbsp;the livestream, ensure it#nbsp;runs smoothly, troubleshoot any issues and answer questions from guests.
Wedfuly, which partnered with Zoom in#nbsp;March to#nbsp;provide a#nbsp;virtual wedding option for its customers, offers a#nbsp;free virtual coordinator to#nbsp;take on#nbsp;such duties. "This person should be#nbsp;making sure everyone is#nbsp;muted and unmuted when they need to#nbsp;be," Ms. Creidenberg said. In#nbsp;addition, they can play music, videos, or#nbsp;slides, said, and "they can act as M.C. and tech support during the call so#nbsp;that if#nbsp;any issues do#nbsp;come up, the guests can contact this person instead of#nbsp;the couple or#nbsp;the family."
To#nbsp;avoid any issues, Jenn Philippon and Spencer Booth, both 25 of#nbsp;Columbus, Ohio, opted to#nbsp;have Wedfuly handle their upcoming wedding.
The couple had planned to#nbsp;marry April 18 at#nbsp;the White Dove Barn in#nbsp;Beech Grove, Tenn. At#nbsp;first they postponed their wedding until June 12, 2021, because of#nbsp;the coronavirus outbreak. But after seeing a#nbsp;few virtual wedding ceremonies posted on#nbsp;Instagram and Facebook, they had a#nbsp;change of#nbsp;heart and decided to#nbsp;exchange their vows on#nbsp;their original wedding date on#nbsp;the campus of#nbsp;Ohio State University in#nbsp;Columbus, where they met in#nbsp;2015 as#nbsp;students. Although campus buildings are closed to#nbsp;the public, campus grounds remain open, allowing the couple to#nbsp;host their small ceremony there.
"After we#nbsp;say our vows we’re going to#nbsp;do#nbsp;our first dance, a#nbsp;toast, and a#nbsp;cake cutting," said Ms. Philippon, a#nbsp;pharmacist.
A#nbsp;minister and the couple’s immediate family attended the wedding in#nbsp;person and more than 200 people joined via Zoom, "which is#nbsp;more than the 180 guests we#nbsp;were planning to#nbsp;have at#nbsp;our wedding, because some of#nbsp;our friends will be#nbsp;sharing the link with their parents or#nbsp;siblings or#nbsp;people who weren’t going to#nbsp;attend the wedding," said Mr. Booth, a#nbsp;forensic accountant.
Spread the Word
"When you livestream your wedding, you can invite a#nbsp;lot more friends and family to#nbsp;join you without having to#nbsp;break the bank," said Mr. Joshi, who recommends couples consider expanding their guest list. Send an#nbsp;electronic invite to#nbsp;guests to#nbsp;let them know when you plan to#nbsp;livestream the event. "You can also announce the date and time on#nbsp;your social media," Mr. Joshi said.
Pro tip: Make sure your event is#nbsp;password protected to#nbsp;prevent uninvited users from crashing the party. (Reports of "Zoombombing," where online users break into Zoom meetings, have emerged in#nbsp;recent weeks.)
Set the Stage
Creating a#nbsp;backdrop that captures your style can make your virtual ceremony feel more personal. Ms. Kohanzadeh and Mr. Saadat, who got married at#nbsp;the home of#nbsp;the bride’s parents in#nbsp;Beverly Hills, Calif., set up#nbsp;a#nbsp;huppah near the swimming pool. "We built it#nbsp;ourselves out of#nbsp;PVC pipes we#nbsp;bought at#nbsp;Home Depot, and we#nbsp;used Scotch tape to#nbsp;attach flowers," Mr. Saadat said. "We're Persian Jews, and it#nbsp;was really important to#nbsp;us#nbsp;to incorporate some of#nbsp;our religious traditions." (The couple also signed a#nbsp;ketubah, a#nbsp;Jewish marriage contract.)
Need some design inspiration? Strategically placed flowers or#nbsp;candles can transform a#nbsp;backyard or#nbsp;a#nbsp;room into a#nbsp;beautiful setting for a#nbsp;wedding, Ms. Creidenberg said.
Position the Device
You don’t need to#nbsp;purchase expensive equipment to#nbsp;set up#nbsp;a#nbsp;livestream, Mr. Joshi said. "Select your personal device with the highest quality camera, whether it’s a#nbsp;laptop, smartphone or#nbsp;tablet," he#nbsp;said.
Mr. Joshi suggests buying an#nbsp;inexpensive tripod to#nbsp;safely position your device to#nbsp;help provide a#nbsp;steady shot. For optimal audio, find a#nbsp;quiet space away from loud background noise. Your device’s built-in microphone will typically suffice, Mr. Joshi said, "but adding an#nbsp;external microphone will improve your audio quality and is#nbsp;relatively inexpensive, with several options available under the $#nbsp;50 mark." But he#nbsp;added: "If you are livestreaming in#nbsp;an#nbsp;outdoor location, such as#nbsp;your backyard, a#nbsp;microphone is#nbsp;a#nbsp;worthwhile investment."
To#nbsp;ensure your livestream is#nbsp;well lit, "consider the time of#nbsp;day of#nbsp;your ceremony and find the spot in#nbsp;your house with the best lighting at#nbsp;that time," Mr. Joshi said. Also, avoid direct overhead lights, which can cause shadows.
"Another important pre-livestream step is#nbsp;to#nbsp;make sure you have a#nbsp;strong Wi-Fi signal," Mr. Joshi said. He#nbsp;recommends checking the internet speed using www.speedtest.net.
It’s also important to#nbsp;consider how your camera is#nbsp;positioned. "We recommend flipping the phone to#nbsp;be#nbsp;horizontal so#nbsp;that the guests have a#nbsp;wider view," Ms. Creidenberg said.
Make it#nbsp;Interactive
Although your guests will be#nbsp;tuning in#nbsp;remotely, they can still take part in#nbsp;the festivities. For instance, you can ask virtual attendees to#nbsp;make cocktails at#nbsp;home and share a#nbsp;toast with you, or#nbsp;encourage people to#nbsp;wear black-tie attire.
Another way to#nbsp;engage your audience is#nbsp;to#nbsp;unmute their audio and ask them to#nbsp;recite a#nbsp;prayer or#nbsp;sing a#nbsp;song that’s meaningful to#nbsp;you. And, depending on#nbsp;what service you’re using to#nbsp;livestream your wedding, guests may be#nbsp;able to#nbsp;post comments during the event and express their well wishes.
Save Something Special for Later
If#nbsp;you’re planning on#nbsp;having a#nbsp;larger wedding celebration with guests down the road, consider saving something special for the event.
"I didn’t wear my#nbsp;wedding dress," Ms. Behrns-Vitale said. "I wore a#nbsp;white-laced shirt I#nbsp;bought on#nbsp;Amazon. We#nbsp;figured we#nbsp;would save my#nbsp;wedding dress and Brad’s suit for our real wedding, which we’re planning to#nbsp;have in#nbsp;October."