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Virtual Weddings
by Wedding Wishlist

Product Design / UI / Landing page Design

The Premise

Love Beyond Limits

Mansi & Hari's Virtual Wedding Adventure

Mansi and Hari are tying the knot! The lovebirds have chosen March 2020 to celebrate their union with family and friends. Excitement buzzes through the air as invitations are prepared and cousins, aunts, and uncles are rallied for what promises to be a grand, unforgettable celebration.

But just as the plans take shape, the couple is struck with an unexpected twist—COVID-19 casts its

shadow. The Indian government announces restrictions, limiting gatherings to just 50 guests.

"Fifty?!" Mansi exclaims, her voice a mix of shock and disbelief.

(For context, Indian weddings are typically dazzling affairs, with guest lists ranging from 500 to 1,000 people!)

In the midst of the commotion, a bright idea emerges. Mansi’s

cousin suggests a solution that’s both innovative and heartfelt: a Virtual Wedding, powered by Wedding Wishlist.

What began as a challenge transforms into an opportunity to create a wedding experience like no other—intimate, safe, and inclusive for loved ones near and far.

Introduction

What is a Virtual Wedding?

Virtual Weddings is an online platform that combines live streaming with Zoom integration, enabling wedding guests to participate in ceremonies remotely and engage in real-time from any location.

January 2020 - June 2020

Problem Statement

The 50-guest minimum during Covid-19

Due to the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions in India, wedding guest limits had been reduced to a maximum of 50 attendees. I reckoned that our company, being a tech company that's all about Weddings, we were placed at the perfect intersection between millennialism and tradition that made me want to figure out how to solve for this problem.

Wedding guests could already live-stream their weddings for free on platforms like Youtube but the downside to this was that guests could only "watch" but not participate in the wedding. The bride and groom wouldn't be able to see the faces of their well-wishers and loved ones.

This led me to ask

The Big Question:

How might one design a tool to help wedding guests 'attend' a wedding virtually?

Research

Initial Assumptions

I started by doing a bit of work to contextualize the problem. I needed to identify some key considerations:

What is the value of the tool?
Who is this tool for?
Where and when would this tool be used?

During our initial research, we explored the idea of developing our own platform for live-streaming weddings, aiming to allow remote guests to participate fully in the ceremonies. However, we determined that we lacked the necessary infrastructure to support such a complex tool. Additionally, with established platforms like YouTube and Zoom already offering reliable streaming options, it became evident that creating a new tool would be redundant. This realization guided our focus toward enhancing the user experience by integrating existing technologies and features, ensuring a seamless and accessible virtual wedding experience for all participants.

Value proposition

Why should it be made?

Value Proposition for the 'Virtual Weddings' Tool can be summed up in the below points:

Expand Guest Reach: Allows couples to extend their guest list beyond physical limitations imposed by Covid-19 restrictions, ensuring that all loved ones can attend remotely.
Seamless Integration: Easily incorporated into WeddingWishlist.com's existing wedding website templates, providing a streamlined experience for couples and guests.
Engagement & Interaction: Combines live-streaming with Zoom functionality, allowing guests to participate in ceremonies in real-time and engage from any location.
Future-Proof Solution: Offers a scalable and modern approach for future weddings, accommodating guests who cannot attend in person due to distance, health concerns, or other limitations.
Enhanced Wedding Experience: Ensures the joy and inclusivity of the wedding day are maintained, regardless of physical presence, while delivering a user-friendly and memorable virtual experience.

Personas

Who is it for?

The answer to this can be broken up into those with an immediate need and those who might also benefit from it

Tech-Savvy Couples Planning a Wedding during Covid-19

Couples who want to include loved ones who cannot attend in person due to Covid-19 restrictions, travel limitations, or health concerns.
Those looking for an innovative, easy-to-use solution to ensure all guests can share in their special day, regardless of physical distance.
Those looking for modern, digital solutions to enhance their wedding experience and create a memorable virtual experience for their guests.
Couples interested in utilizing technology to connect with a wider circle of friends and family, regardless of geographical boundaries.

All Wedding Guests

Friends and family members who are unable to attend the wedding in person due to travel restrictions, health concerns, or logistical challenges.
Guests who want to participate in the ceremonies in real-time from any location.
Older guests or those with health conditions who cannot attend large gatherings but still wish to witness and celebrate the wedding virtually.

Context

Where and when will it be used?

During Covid-19 where weddings have Limited Guest Capacity
Destination Weddings:
For Weddings Involving High-Risk or Distant Guests:
Hybrid Wedding Ceremonies:
Private or Intimate Weddings:
Post-Wedding Celebrations or Additional Ceremonies:
For Tech-Savvy or Digitally-Inclined Couples:
During Unforeseen Circumstances

Ideation

Design Tenets

Easy integration with WeddingWishlist's existing website templates, allowing couples to activate the virtual wedding option seamlessly.
Intuitive Navigation: A straightforward, clean design that enables guests to access the live-stream or Zoom link with minimal steps, ensuring a hassle-free experience.
Personalization Options
Live Chat and Comments, guest Reactions
Breakout Rooms for Post-Ceremony Interaction
Accessibility and inclusivity: Mobile-Responsive Design
Privacy Controls
On-Demand Replay & Digital Keepsakes: Give couples the option to offer a recorded version of the ceremony for guests who missed the live-stream or want to rewatch special moments.

System map

How it all connects

Wireframes

Lo-fi Designs

Visual Design

A splash of colour

Special Features

Bells & whistles

Personalization Options

The design empowers couples to customize their virtual wedding page, incorporating unique themes, colors, and personalized messaging that reflect their individual style and branding.

Multi-Device Support

Accessibility & Inclusivity:

Mobile-Responsive Design: The platform is designed to be fully functional on mobile devices and tablets, ensuring that guests without access to desktops can still participate seamlessly.
Language and Closed Captioning Support: The inclusion of multilingual options and live closed captioning in the design makes the virtual event accessible to a diverse audience, including those with hearing impairments.

Seamless Hybrid Event Support:

Multi-Device Support for Hybrid Ceremonies: The design is equipped to handle both virtual and in-person event components, with features that facilitate attendee lists, seating arrangements, and synchronized timelines for a cohesive experience.
Guest Coordination: A comprehensive system is integrated into the design to manage and coordinate both physical and virtual guest experiences, ensuring clarity regarding ceremony timing and engagement opportunities for all attendees.

Add-on services

Post-Wedding Features:

On-Demand Replay: The design allows couples to offer a recorded version of the ceremony, giving guests who missed the live-stream a chance to watch or rewatch special moments at their convenience.
Digital Keepsakes: Features are included to capture and share screenshots, guest messages, and highlights from the virtual wedding, creating cherished digital mementos for couples and attendees alike.

Integrated Invitations & Reminders:

Automated Invites: The design enables couples to send virtual wedding invitations directly through the platform, providing easy access to the live-stream link and event details in one place.
Reminders & Notifications: Automated notifications are integrated into the design, reminding guests of the event with countdowns and direct links to the live-stream, ensuring they stay informed.

Scalability for Future Use:

Flexible for Large and Small Events: The platform is designed to accommodate weddings of varying sizes, from intimate gatherings to large-scale events with hundreds of virtual attendees, making it versatile for any occasion.
Adaptable for Future Events: The design is adaptable for various celebrations, such as anniversaries, vow renewals, and receptions, encouraging continued use of the platform beyond the initial wedding day.

Marketing collaterals - I

Landing page design

Marketing collaterals - II

Services page design

Conclusion

Happily ever after

Just like Mansi and Hari, many couples found joy and connection through Virtual Weddings by Wedding Wishlist, even in the midst of challenging times.

During the height of COVID-19, we successfully accommodated up to 1,000 virtual guests per wedding, hosting 20 such celebrations during the tool's early development stages.

The feature quickly became a favorite, with guests so impressed by the seamless experience that they reused the platform for other milestones, such as baby showers, housewarming parties, and more. Inspired by this enthusiastic response, we expanded the tool’s capabilities, reimagining it to cater to all kinds of events, not just weddings.

This journey highlights the power of design to not only solve immediate challenges but also to spark new possibilities, making every celebration meaningful and accessible.

Virtual Weddings by Wedding Wishlist