Virtual wedding planning tools were a thing before COVID-19. But now, they’ve made designing your big day a lot easier. As the pandemic progressed, wedding vendors moved more tools and services online. Whether you’re starting to plan or don’t know what’s out there, learning about these tools can make your life easier. This brief guide can help you make the most of virtual vendor shopping.

Video Vendor Consultations

Before the pandemic, booking DJs, venues, caterers, and other pros involved in-person visits. Yet even as vaccines hit the market, the future of COVID-19 remains uncertain. The CDC mentions several virus variants throughout the world, posing new challenges in fighting its spread. Public health orders can change from week to week as infection rates fluctuate.

With all this in mind, it’s wise to do as much of your planning virtually as possible. As The Knot’s Esther Lee suggests, one-to-one virtual consultations provide a richer experience you can’t get with phone interviews. Robust video platforms offer screen sharing to display photos, videos, and other media. Vendors can show you their past work, while you can show photos inspiring your wedding vision.

Sharing Your Inspiration

Sure, there’s been plenty of Pinterest-bashing these days. But like any other tool, it offers a lot of value when used wisely. Lee mentions that an inspo board can communicate your ideas to prospective vendors.

One Fab Day offers a step-by-step guide to setting up a Pinterest board. Curating your pinned items keeps things organized, avoiding clutter and information overload. You can also create separate boards for decor, attire, fashion, and other elements.

You don’t have to use Pinterest, of course. The Evernote app lets you bookmark things you find. You can also place text, photos, audio, and video together in each note. Brides lists even more digital tools, many with sharing capabilities. 

Digital Venue Tours

You need to visit wedding venues before you can book them, right? COVID-19 has made this a bit difficult, but you’re not without options. Venue websites are great starting points for your research. Besides viewing pricing, amenities, and seating capacity, be sure to tour their photo galleries. Some venues may offer online 360-degree tours, which give you a good idea of what the space looks like as a whole.

Some properties’ websites will have more information than others, so take advantage of what you find while browsing. You may find handy stuff such as space measurements and floor plans. And even if you don’t, prospective vendors may send you these details when you first contact them.

Before you book, make sure you get your questions answered. Your initial consultation is another great opportunity to learn the basics about your venue. Feel like you’re forgetting something? Check out this list of venue questions from wedding expert Jaimie Mackey.

Virtual Tasting Sessions

Sadly, digital taste testing doesn’t exist yet. But you can still try bakeries’ and caterers’ foods while socially distancing. Wedding Wire’s Stephanie Weers describes tastings to go: samples packed by food vendors for couples to taste at home. Some pros pair these with “virtual tastings” via Zoom, Skype, or other video chat platforms.

Like an in-person tasting, you try each item and offer feedback to the vendor. Your bakery or caterer packages your box based on what you’d like for your big day, but each pro is a little different. Check with them for more details.

A Wide Range of Resources

You don’t need to be tech-savvy to plan a wedding virtually. Knowing and using your tools effectively helps you get a lot done. With so many digital platforms available, you can choose ones that best fit your needs and planning style. Thanks to these virtual vendor shopping tools, planning a wedding from home is easier than ever.