Palm Beach Brides 2020: Q&A Let’s Ask A Photographer & Bridal Expert About Wedding Planning Today

Our world has been re-imagined since COVID-19, and the wedding industry is not exempt. But do not fear, love has not been canceled! As Palm Beach County moves through phases of re-opening, we sit down with longtime photographer and wedding expert Rosina DiBello to hear more about her approach when meeting with couples to discuss the long-term and short-term plans for their big day.

Q:How have you and your team reinvented yourselves as this new era of wedding planning emerged?
A: Things are definitely changing within the wedding industry. Over the years, I have learned to resolve problems as they arise. Planning a wedding is a very personal thing, and I knew my couples were about to shift gears. My collaboration started with my most trusted vendors — Robin Feinglas, a floral designer who owns Why Not Wildflowers? and Vanessa Fuller of Vanessa Fuller Events. We started a conversation on how creating “micro weddings” would be the best and obvious choice for couples and their families. We knew that there would be no large events in the foreseeable future. We assembled vendors we trust and started our micro wedding mission. We felt that a styled shoot could mimic a true feel and flow of a micro wedding. I was contacted by Bacio Bacio, a local bridal store, which volunteered to donate designer wedding gowns for the shoot. We were able to collaborate and photograph, creating visuals so that couples could envision what a micro wedding is and how they could incorporate it into their dream wedding. These photos illustrate how intimate details can make their micro wedding special.

Q: What exactly is a “micro wedding?”

A: It is a wedding that discards many typical wedding day traditions, keeps the focus on the bride and groom’s vows, shrinks down the hours of the wedding, and only your closest family and friends are invited. Throw in a little sense of adventure, and you have a micro wedding. I designed a sample itinerary. First guests arrive and are seated (with social distancing), a musician starts the procession, a 10-minute wedding features vows exchanges with an officiant, and then the bride and groom are announced. Champagne is then served to guests (again, with social distancing) and speeches commence. The couple has their first dance, followed by cake. Yum, cake! The guests now leave because it is time for the couple and the family photos. My favorite part is that I get a full hour or more undisturbed with my couple to enjoy a rockin’ portrait session and create some amazing images. My idea of a micro wedding is focusing on the wedding day experience and the safety of all involved. Ultimately, I get amazing shots of my couple because the typical wedding day pressures are not there, and it turns into a very relaxed photo session.

Q: Who should consider a micro wedding, and
how does a couple know if it is right for them?
A: My experience is there are two different trends. First there are the couples who are outright canceling their wedding in exchange for a no-stress, intimate and elegant micro wedding experience. Second, some couples still want to get married on their planned day, but plan an additional larger event later, so they keep their date and create a micro wedding, scale down the guest list but keep the quality vendors. I have also seen that some couples have tried the second plan, yet after moving their date twice, they simply made the micro wedding decision and decided to invest in purchasing a home.

Q: How many guests can a couple invite?
A: This is a really important question. This depends on a few key things. What county do you live in? Each county has its own set of regulations that are changing weekly, so keep this in mind when planning a micro wedding date. It depends also on how your venue is zoned. For example, 50 percent capacity is allowed at restaurants. However, in other venues, you can only have up to 20 until the next stage commences. Venues are sitting with couples and making decisions based on the needs of each couple. My recommendation for a micro wedding is under 20 guests, offering a live stream for the additional guests, which can allow up to 1,000 or more. Couples should keep in mind that guests from out of the country may not be able to enter the country. Guests in the U.S. may not be able to travel because of the inconvenience.

Q: What are some of the options you include in your micro wedding packages?
A: The base photography package is two to three hours of photography coverage with a complete set of high-resolution digital images completely edited. The add-on options are albums, canvas prints, etc. I am a paperless company, so my clients all receive an online contract that can be digitally signed and a private online gallery. A Zoom consultation will ensure that all parties can consult safely. Videography is also an option for a beautiful wedding day love story film, and live streaming can be set up for guests who cannot personally attend. Florals are a very important part of a wedding. What is a wedding without flowers? Flower designer Robin will listen to you and create a custom design. This will include a bouquet and boutonniere. There are upgrades, such as an arch or a meadow. Her focus is on sustainable floral designs. What is a wedding day without a wedding gown? Just because your wedding day has a smaller guest count, does not mean that it is ruined or any less important. Plan on your dream gown! Bacio Bacio has implemented safety standards and sanitary measures for brides who go to the shop and pick out their perfect dress with the guidance of owner Lenyce Boyd and her qualified staff. Musician options are vocalists, a violinist, a DJ, an acoustic guitarist or a steel drummer. This just brings the occasion to the next level and makes it more personalized to your taste. Fun options include a champagne buggy called Bee-Ella-Fizz. She is a genuine vintage Piaggio Ape 50 moped truck on wheels imported from Italy. She can easily fit in most backyards. Another beautiful option is a white dove release by Kim Hinterschied. The doves are pets of the owner and trained to circle above the wedding before they fly home. We also work with officiants willing to customize a simple and elegant ceremony. And lastly, a wedding coordinator can be available to ensure that each couple’s style is showcased and captured. With all the moving parts of a wedding day, a qualified coordinator will make it all run smoothly.

Q: Do you get a sense that brides feel like they are settling or being deprived of their big day, or perhaps a sense of relief that there is an alternative to canceling their wedding day altogether?
A: Honestly, brides are opening up to me and expressing that scaling the guest count down is better solution then the alternative feeling of being guilted into inviting so many guests that they are obligated to invite. In this case, they are relieved to get married on their original date and avoid the stress of the unknown. On the other hand, if a couple is moving forward with a micro wedding and then a big party next year, they are excited to celebrate twice!

Q:What venues are you currently working with
to provide couples with options?
A: 1. The Little Farm House in Miami. Built in the 1920s and located on a river, it boasts eight cabins with Caribbean décor and wildlife that roams freely.
2. Airbnb. This gives my clients free rein to bring in a caterer and not have a time limit — and, as a bonus, they can stay the night!
3. Galuppi’s at the Pompano Beach Golf Course. This offers indoor and outdoor options. It is directly on a golf course with its famous bridge and lakes.
4. The Palm Beach Zoo. This property is for that couple seeking a unique and natural environment that is so much fun. Animal encounters and an outdoor/indoor dining experience with a
fabulous chef can be arranged.
5. The Sample-McDougald House in the Pompano Beach Historic District. This is a 1916 historic museum with a garden and outdoor dance floor.
6. Pan’s Garden in Palm Beach, near Worth Avenue. This botanical garden surrounds you with beauty and unique architectural features.
7. The Old Riverhouse Vegan Village in Fort Lauderdale.
8. Davie Ranch. This has a huge barn that is active with horses, goats and chickens. A garden area set up for an intimate ceremony is followed by a unique photography experience in a real barn.
9. The Ancient Spanish Monastery in North Miami. This features outstanding gardens that are beautifully manicured with flowering trees up against a 12th century Gothic building.
10. Any beach in Palm Beach. Most we are already permitted for.

Q: Are you working with couples who previously had a traditional wedding planned that had to be scaled back or are you seeing more newly engaged couples who want to get married before larger group events are permitted?
A: Approximately 75 percent of my clients currently are ones who have moved their weddings. I have a busy photography studio that averages 60 weddings per year. The additional 25 percent are newly engaged couples who want an extended engagement session and the micro wedding experience. I’m seeing that couples are putting a great deal of importance on their portrait sessions with me.

Q: How are you able to give the bride and groom an experience of a lifetime even though their special day needs to be scaled down?
A: My team’s main objective is to create a stress-free wedding day experience for my couples. This pandemic has started a new trend with weddings that have a “sense of adventure.” By using my most trusted vendors, we can confidently do this. I feel it is really important to stress that a micro wedding can be very elegant and tastefully done by using qualified professionals that care about your wedding day as much as you do. We have all been in the industry for many years and are qualified to guide you through the bumps in the road.

Q: Are you finding other industry professionals willing to work with you by offering extra discounts or added value during this time?
A: Absolutely, yes! All of us are understanding the importance of customizing our fees to accommodate today’s bride

Q: What are some of the benefits of the micro wedding concept?
A: Safety! This is our priority to ensure that everyone involved equally feels safe. Social distancing the chairs by clustering them in twos or fours and then six feet apart, or creating a circle of chairs around the bride and groom, will keep everyone a safe distance from each other. Guests who cannot travel can enjoy via live streaming. Financially, it can save you a lot of money that can be used to invest in your future. The average South Florida wedding costs $30,000. A micro wedding averages between $3,500 to $5,500, depending on the number of vendors you are working with. But most importantly, it eliminates a lot of wedding stress and keeps the focus on the couple and their vow exchange.

Q: What would you recommend couples consider when choosing a micro wedding over waiting for the all clear and opting for a larger traditional wedding plan sometime in the future?
A: They should be very excited that they have great options of professionals in the industry who are ready and willing to help navigate through the planning. They can fully embrace their wedding day to make it unique to them and discard your typical wedding day with all its formalities.