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Event mavericks Marex Gaba and Henry Pascual shared valuable insights on how to make a beautiful and intimate wedding in the "new normal" environment.

Wedding celebrations this year will have to be simpler than the usual because of the growing concerns imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This may be underwhelming for the groom and bride, but it's still very much possible to celebrate it remarkably while observing safety guidelines implemented by authorities.

In the second live broadcast of Themes and Motifs's "Love Wins: Tuloy Ang Kasal," moderators Ronna Bonifacio and Sharon Fabian invited Philippine Association of Wedding Planners president Marex Gaba and event stylist Henry Pascual to share valuable insights on how to make a beautiful intimate wedding in the "new normal" environment.

1. Downscale your guest list

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) released new liturgical guidelines for the celebration of the sacraments in churches as part of the “new normal” measures against COVID-19.

It includes limiting wedding participants and foregoing secondary elements of the normal wedding ceremonies or the wedding entourage. Only the bride and the groom, the parents of the couple, and one set of sponsors are allowed in the ceremony.

According to the Themes and Motifs live forum, it's advisable to limit church participants to 10 and that already includes both the groom and bride and the officiator.

Gaba said, "Definitely suppliers will have to learn to adjust. Siyempre, if limited na nga 'yung number sa church, the couple would like their relatives to keep them close with them. I think it's important that there's coverage pero you want the closest people to you to be there sa ceremony, 'di ba?

"If I were to advise couples, you have to accept the fact that, you will probably just have one photographer and one videographer. Maybe just get the advice from the planner, but the planner does not need to be there physically. For sure, the church will have people helping you out.

"It's up to you how to complete that 10."

If you have a family member who you can entrust taking photos, that could somehow save you from reducing the participants. The photographer or the videographer can go straight to the reception, instead.

2. Set up a live stream

Guests who won't be able to attend the ceremony because of the restrictions issued by the church authorities can still witness the union. It's a smart and convenient move to set up a live stream so that they can feel that they are part of the celebration.

They could have speeches and special performances as well from the safety of their own homes, just like what Gaba witnessed in his recent wedding event.

"The wedding that pushed through five days ago, ang wedding na supposed to happen no'ng March 15, they were only five people in the church in St. James in Alabang. And I saw the photos and I didn't just see the photos of them in the church, I also saw the photos of their families at home, watching the ceremony. It is possible," the event maverick said.

"Unfortunately, they could not join the couple sa ceremony because of the restrictions, but they were there in spirit because they were watching through maybe Facebook Live, whatever platform. They even joined the ceremony, they witnessed it, and it was emotional for all of them."

3. Have multiple reception venues

Gathering guests into one venue is not following the COVID-19 guidelines already.

Gaba advises couples to have multiple reception venues to limit the number of people. They can rent a whole hotel function room and collapse it into small meeting rooms.

Since Filipinos have clannish tendencies, the couples can assign each of their family into one room so that they can't be exposed to other people. To let them feel the oneness of the celebration, couples can ask their wedding planner to style the rooms the same way and, of course, serve them the same food with what the couple is eating.

"'Yung venues, their forums are so big, they're figuring out 'yung layouts because they're adjusting to the new normal, plus the new restrictions. Puwedeng in different venues," Gaba shared.

"Maybe arrange with the caterer with what food to be brought to them, that whatever you're eating, they are also eating and get to enjoy the things that you're eating. Tapos in terms of styling, they can send flowers to all these different locations, so that when there's a picture taking on Zoom or whatever platform, as if it's one venue."

For the elderly relatives of the bride and groom who can't go out, Gaba suggests that the wedding reception can be extended at home.

"Hindi porket we can't see you, we don't have to experience what you are experiencing at the venue. May mga floral deliveries naman, we can send flowers to each venue. It does not have to be the venue that you've paid for. It can be at the comfort of your home."

4. Upgrade other components

Now that you have saved money from downsizing the guest list, why not upgrade the food menu and other components of the wedding to make it more memorable?

As for Fabian, intimate weddings are not apparently cheap. In fact, they can be more classy with a smaller guest list.

"You have to think out of the box, " the Themes and Motifs's Managing Director emphasized.

"Even if you have an intimate wedding, it does not mean na mag-D-DIY ka na lang. Intimate wedding is not cheap.

"Now that you will downscale your number of guests, makaka-afford ka na ngayon ng Surf and Turf na plated. You can now have lobster in your menu. Even in the choices of flowers, puwede ka na ngayon mag-upgrade ng flowers mo. That's how I see it. It may not be grand, fabulous, but it can be very, very beautiful and classy."

5. Be minimalist

Small weddings can still be thematic and creative as long as the styling is proportional to the scale.

From Pascual's perspective, there should be a balance in the design elements of the setup.

He said, "Maraming ways para ma-maintain 'yung Instagrammable setup. Since intimate na siya, kailangan maging proportion 'yung setup mo, kailangan maging balanced, matuto kang mag-edit.

"Kailangan mong i-apply 'yung pagiging minimalist kasi kapag marami kang nilalagay na component, ibig sabihin confused ka e.

"Sabi nga nila too much will kill you, so this time, try nating baguhin 'yung look. Try nating itama 'yung visual ng intimate wedding, based din, of course, sa number of guests."

He then stressed, "Hindi naman porket sinabing intimate ay magiging matipid ang itsura. Ang sinasabi ko lang, 'yung proper visual for an intimate wedding."

"Gusto ko maaliwas, gusto ko nagkita-kita 'yung 25 guests especially kailangan natin i-apply ang distancing."

No matter how small a wedding is, it does not mean that it will be less special!

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