Joanne and I got engaged two years ago in Paris, and were planning on getting married in the summer, before the pandemic intervened. Once it became clear that it might be years until everybody could meet up in person, especially older members of our families who were overseas, we started looking into how we could have our ceremony online, with no physical contact at all. It was unknown territory for almost everybody involved, including us, but it turned out to be a wonderful day that we’ll remember for the rest of our lives.

In the hope that we might help other couples who are navigating this new world, Joanne has written up an informal how-to guide on Zoom weddings. It covers the legal side of licenses in California, organizing the video conferencing (we used the fantastic startup Wedfuly), cakes, dresses, flowers, and even the first dance! We’re so happy that we were still able to share our love with over a hundred terrific guests, despite the adverse circumstances, so we hope this guide helps others in the same position.