Lights, cameras, and wedding vows come together when love conquers COVID rules

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - With most 2020 weddings postponed by COVID-19 rules and health concerns and 2021 starting off with the same conditions, wedding ceremonies are now taking on a new look.

With some creativity and new technology, Hypecats Video Production along with SBAmigos.com in Santa Barbara has shown how it can produce a safe wedding and involved family in friends both in person and virtually.

The Unity of Santa Barbara church held a ceremony Sunday in its courtyard on Arrellaga St. that offers space to separate the small group of guests, the bride and groom and other key participants.

Rev. Heidi Alfrey says, "You can't put off love." She expected 2021 to have many wedding in what she calls "a rush of love."

At her church, "we have so much space." Chairs were placed specifically for a social distance wedding.

Four cameras were set up and in sync to a computer system operated by HypeCats' Michael Kramer in a nearby room. He teamed up with a crew that included TV and radio host and event DJ Scott Topper to layer the audio and video in a wedding presentation that was available on line.

Family and friends could see the ceremony and later interact via a Zoom connection.

It takes a setting like this to work out this production. Hotels and outside sites on public property are slowly planning a return to the pre-pandemic protocols for weddings, but for now, they are not offering those areas.

The outside church property worked within the guidelines.

The County of Santa Barbara has one of the most popular sites in California. It is the sprawling historic courthouse sunken gardens and an interior rotunda site. Both are closed off, at least until the end of this month for weddings.

For more information go to: Unity of Santa Barbara or Santa Barbara County Parks Weddings