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The bride, Erin Hensley, with a cardboard cut-out of her father. Photo courtesy of Erin Hensley.

The Denver-based virtual wedding planning service is using video conferencing to help couples move forward with their big day.

The wedding industry, which rakes in billions of dollars each year, is structured around planning. From floral arrangements to reception playlists, every detaildown to the minuteis designed months or years in advance by professional or amateur wedding planners. But like most industries in Colorado and across the country many wedding plans have been put on hold due to the spread of the novel coronavirus. Couples who planned on exchanging vows in front of loved ones in the coming months have instead been forced to make the difficult decision to either postpone or cancel their weddings, according to Caroline Creidenberg of online wedding planning company, Wedfuly.

To help accommodate couples hoping to get married during this time of uncertainty, Wedfulywhich offers virtual, cost-effective wedding planningcollaborated with the videoconferencing software Zoom. While gatherings are still prohibited, Wedfuly is encouraging couples to utilize the video conferencing app for marriage ceremonies. This way, couples can still get married in front of loved ones like they originally planned without canceling all of their plans.

Some people dont have luxury of postponing [the wedding]but some are OK with postponing the reception, Creidenberg says. We reached out to Zoom and put together a collaboration with them and they offered their software for free up to any of our customers.

To help all couples dealing with having to cancel or modify plans, Wedfuly opened the service up to everyonenot just their current clientele. Out of wanting to help as many people as possible and utilize that collaboration and free software, we went on a bunch of Facebook community groups, posting and letting people know, Creidenberg says.

Dustin Smith and Erin Hensley were the first couple to benefit from this collaboration; their wedding was originally scheduled for March 28 on the couples property in Bennett, Colorado. It was surreal and also sad at first, Hensley says. When Hensley first realized she might have to postpone her wedding, she says she cried in her fiancs arms for an entire day. It was heartbreaking but not an unfamiliar story that weve heard during the time, Creidenberg says.

With the help of Wedfuly and the local account manager for Zoom, Smith and Hensley were hitched via a livestream on March 28 in front of 120-plus family and friends. Smiths father was there to officiate and Hensley used a cardboard cut-out of her father (pictured above) to walk her down the aislelike many during this time, her father couldnt travel to be there. The couple, however, rescheduled the reception for October so they can celebrate with everyone in person.

Now I get two weddings and get to wear my dress twice! Hensley says. It felt even more special because we overcame so many obstacles and still got our special moment.

While holding a virtual ceremony wasnt ideal for the couple, Henlsey says she would recommend the option to couples hoping to get married in the coming weeks and months. So many people we hadnt even originally invited due to finances now got to share in our big day, she says. Even if we didnt live in a world of COVID-19 its a great way to invite others to join your big day and also get a free wedding video out of it.

Since the stay-at-home order was put in place in late March, three couples have been married virtually through the collaboration with Zoom. Wedfuly has 55 more virtual weddings on the books, according to Creidenberg.

In addition to offering Zooms services for free, Wedfuly also handles the coordination of the online event. Instead of using a service like Facebook Live to stream the event, Zoom can cue participants to cheer and clap while also spotlighting different screens allowing the audience to fully participate.

Even through all the sadness and uncertainty, Smith and Hensley got their happy ending. Everyone who watched, including my mom and dad, said it was so well done and they have no words to express how grateful they are too!

Victoria manages the social media accounts for both 5280 and 5280 Home and identifies opportunities for growth and engagement. She also writes and edits stories for 5280.com.

More here:
Wedfuly Collaborates With Zoom to Make Upcoming Weddings Possible - 5280 | The Denver Magazine