PHOTOS BY SUNSHINE STUDIO

If you postponed your wedding due to the pandemic, you can still have a milestone moment. Here are five ways to incorporate wedding rites and traditions to help you celebrate on the day you were supposed to say, “I do.”

Live in the moment

Contrary to what it may feel like now, the time you and your partner overcame the COVID-19 pandemic together is something you’ll want to remember. It’s also a moment to share with friends and family who weren’t able to celebrate with you. Having a professional there to document the moment is fitting.

Pittsburgh photography duo Serena and Bobby Bridges of BridgePerspective say even before social distancing was in place, they would normally stand about 10 to 20 feet away from a couple for wedding portraits. They are currently taking virtual consultations and setting up high-quality cameras for couples who may want to livestream their modified weddings, and with Allegheny County moving into the yellow phase of the governor’s reopening plan, the photographers say they are excited to work with couples again. “It is a sense of gratification by defeating something out of their control,” says Serena.

Have your cake, too.

Let the fluffy, decadently sweet spoonfuls lift your spirits with every bite. Whether it’s homemade or store-bought, you’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t stuff your face.

“We keep reminding our couples that no matter when their wedding is or if they’ve had to change their venue, we will be here to make their wedding cake,” says Beverly Green, the owner of Tasty Bakery in Murrysville. The bakery is making small or single-tiered cakes for couples who have downsized or are celebrating regardless, and Green says they’ve even recreated original designs for those asking.

They are also doing tastings to-go for those who are still in the midst of planning, she noted.

Five star dining a la casa.

The founder and editor of Burgh Brides, Victoria Deardorff, says she knows several couples who are having their reception meal delivered to their houses. Whether lit by warm candles or the blue light from your current Netflix binge, enjoy your pureed potatoes on the back porch, across from each other, side-by-side, in front of the TV or even on the floor.

PHOTO BY RACHEL ROWLAND PHOTOGRAPHY

Dance like no one’s watching.

This is your chance to practice a little more on that one-two. Shari Zatman, founder and event designer of Perfectly Planned by Shari, says this is a great time to dance in your kitchen. Create a playlist with your first-dance song and others that remind you of your best times together. Next, break out a nice bottle of champagne, let loose and dare each other to a dance-off.

Get sappy with your vows.

What matters most about today is that it is the date you both chose to commit to one another — regardless of who is watching. And, even with a pandemic, nothing can change the way you feel about one another. Take a minute to sit down and write personalized vows about how meaningful today is, and how you want every day from here on out to be. Make it an event and add it to any of these suggestions listed. It’ll also be a poignant moment to look back on when you officially say, “I do.”

Even if you’re making the most out of having more time together as a couple, include friends to join the festivities. Use the power of technology: Facetime your relatives or Zoom in your bridal party. Nothing can replace their physical embrace, but this celebration is all about connecting — virtual or otherwise.