Lisa + Michael’s COVID Wedding

For engaged couples, and for the wedding industry as a whole, 2020 has been a massive letdown. I planned my own wedding almost 9 years ago, and I’ve documented well over 1,000 weddings in my photography career. I can very well understand the deflating, depressing anticlimax that many couples face in this year of COVID. But we adapt, we lean into adversity, we carry on. That’s what Lisa and Michael ultimately decided for their COVID wedding. Instead of a grand affair, they planned an intimate, heartfelt celebration.

Safety and Precautions for a COVID Wedding

I wore a mask throughout the day. I leaned on a long lens to allow me to keep social distance whenever possible. When doing lighting work, I made sure my mask was on properly, and I worked quickly, using the extension of my lightstands to allow for greater social distance. I minimized any touching of people or garments. Lisa and Michael gathered a very small and intimate group. Masks were worn a lot of the time, and tables were arranged at a comfortable distance, with couples and small family groups seated together. All events took place outdoors.

A Family Celebration

Lisa and Michael’s wedding was incredibly meaningful for me to capture. The intimacy of the day really highlighted the family relationships, and especially the bonds between Michael and his three brothers. It was also very touching that Michael tied the knot with Lisa at the home where he grew up and spent his childhood. In a way, this COVID wedding brought things full circle. In a time when many older parents are disconnected from their children due to virus precautions, I could see how proud Lisa’s father and Michael’s parents were to be celebrating the couple’s marriage. The wedding day was also a beautiful dedication to the bride’s mother, who had passed. There was a beautiful floral arrangement that took a front row seat to the ceremony. There was also an ornate locket containing the photograph, and a lantern dedicated to those who could not be with us.

Thank You

A huge thank you to Lisa and Michael, their families and guests, for their resilience, flexibility, playfulness, and hospitality. Thank you to all of the vendors that came together to make Lisa and Michael’s COVID wedding a success. Complete vendor list coming soon. The wedding party got ready at Dinah’s Garden Hotel in Palo Alto. The hotel provided all the lush greenery you’ll see in the photographs.