In Africa, like many parts of the world, a wedding is a grand occasion. The lavish banquets, music and dance and big gatherings have always defined this special event.

But in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak, everything is so up in the air and wedding ceremonies have been one of the biggest facets that have felt the pinch of lockdown.

With a ban on social gatherings, couples have had to endure the agony of cancelling or postponing their nuptials.

Roger Manzi is among those whose plans for marriage are still hanging in the balance.

Ever since he proposed to his girlfriend in December last year, his eyes have been set on the day they will start their marital journey. Because he didn’t want to make his fiancée wait for so long, he set a date for their wedding for July this year.

But the start of the New Year had surely come with different plans. Manzi and the fiancée are now not sure whether they will ever have their dream wedding as par their plans.

They had planned for a grand ceremony where they anticipated celebrating their love with family and friends. And to make their dream come true, they had made a down payment for most things such as the venue and honeymoon suite.

With two months to their wedding, Manzi still hangs on hope to finally marry the love of his life.

And just like him and his fiancée, a number of couples are in such a predicament. A new norm has come up, however, and it is seemingly coming to salvage this situation.

Couples around the world are making use of the internet to tie the knot. The ceremonies are termed as ‘virtual weddings’. These usually entail the officiant, guests, and couple being joined together by a video call.

Going by the trend, digital nuptials have proved to somehow be a fitting reflection of love in the age of coronavirus.

Melvin Neza, an accountant, says whereas COVID-19 has put holes in many people’s plans, they should learn to quickly adapt to changing situations.

Postponing a wedding can seem like a big blow, but let’s remember that this is about caution and saving lives, he says.

Neza adds that the idea of marrying a partner online seems odd but advises people to look on the bright side of this.

"All the money that would have been used to cater for food, entertainment, and wedding venue will be saved. When you look at this in depth, it is going to be an eye opener for many to understand that getting married doesn’t have to mean spending a fortune,” he says.

For Norah Mutesi, a cashier, couples should also consider moving in together as they wait for the big day.

She has a belief that couples shouldn’t let the current situation stand in the way of their love.

As a big fan of traditional weddings, she says virtual weddings seem so alien and that she wouldn’t advise couples to go for them.

"I would rather they wait until the lockdown is completely lifted. A wedding is such a glorious ceremony that can’t be replaced with an online setting,” Mutesi says.

Arafat Mugabo, a journalist, is of the view that the government should allow at least 15 people for a civil wedding and between 30 and 40 people at the introduction and reception.

"Those who are willing not to exceed those numbers can go ahead and have their weddings. Because if it is safe for 35 to 40 people in a KBS bus, then it can’t be that dangerous for 30 to 40 people to gather in a wedding hall,” he says.

He is, however, quick to add that if the pandemic persists for long, people can embrace online weddings.

"But if it will last from now to three or six more months, people should be patient and wait until gatherings are allowed.”

How to have a virtual wedding

There is a lot of grey area when it comes to the concept of virtual ceremonies, seeing that it’s a new tradition. But here’s a step-by-step guide to have the virtual wedding of your dreams.

Choose your platform

There are several different platforms that you can choose from for your virtual wedding—Google Hangout, Facebook Live, Instagram Live, and Zoom. Zoom has definitely the most popular video conferencing tool for weddings.

Organise the necessary tech gear

Tech is key in planning your virtual wedding. At minimum you need a laptop, tablet or phone with a camera. If using a phone or tablet, you may also want to get a tripod to mount the mobile device for steady and even viewing. Take your tech for a test run on whichever platform you intend to use so you can ensure quality will be up to par.

Invite your guests

The easiest way to invite your guests is doing it online, this can be via email or different social media platforms since the wedding will be hosted on the internet after all.

Make it special

Just because you’re having a different kind of wedding doesn’t mean it can’t feel special. You can still decorate the venue for your video calls, have your wedding dresses and suits readily available because there’s no reason your style should suffer, even if you aren’t leaving the house.

Pick a spot

Will your virtual wedding be in your living room? Your backyard? Figure out where you have the space, the Wi-Fi power, plugs, and lighting that feels best.

Run the ceremony

It’s important to make sure that the infrastructure is set up on whatever platform you are using, and ensure that the link is sent to key parties, including the officiant and loved ones participating in the ceremony.

Admit guests at start time and keep them un-muted so they can greet each other. Once it seems like the most important guests are on the call, the officiant can let everyone know that they will now be muted, with only the officiant and the couple allowed to be heard. The officiant conducts the ceremony as planned and approved.