Would you briefly appear at a wedding via Facetime if distance is preventing you from going?

taralee1983

I can't go to a dear friend's wedding because she lives in Oregon and I can't afford to go out there. She wants me to tune in via Face time for the ceremony and to give a reading at the reception, but that's all. I think it's awkward, but she really wants me to do it. What would you do?

lachattefatale

I would greedily watch the ceremony if someone's willing to hold the camera up the whole time, but I wouldn't address the rest of the guests at all and especially I wouldn't do a reading via facetime. I would probably disconnect after the ceremony. That's a beautiful thing to witness and like the rest of the guests, you're just a spectator, whereas the reception is a party and you won't be able to participate at all and it will just be awkward.

Maggie0829

If a camera was set up so I could watch the ceremony quietly via FaceTime then sure. But there is no way I would do a reading via FaceTime. What is she going to do, hold up the iPad so everyone can see you? I think she needs to find someone else to do the reading.

Oh and readings aren't done during the reception. Only during the ceremony.

AddieCake

I would watch, but I would not do a reading.

huskypuppy14

Do you mean a toast at the reception. Why would someone do a reading at the reception?

If it's a reading at the ceremony, no. If it's a toast at a wedding, I'd write it out and have someone read it, and say it's from Taralee who couldn't attend.

kmmssg

yeah, I'd do both.  It's her wedding and public speaking is no issue for me.  If it was that important to  her I would do it.  If it is awkward it's on her - how she decides to handle that is her issue.

Also keep in mind, I have seen more than one toast given by skype from Iraq and Afghanistan - they put it on a screen.  We all bawled like babies.  It just isn't a big deal to me.

loveislouder

I was a bridesmaid at a wedding where the bride's 3 best friends couldn't make it because it was planned in like 20 days. She had all of them make a 5 minute speech, audio only, that we had to listen too. They all ended with threats of violence to the groom if he hurt her. It was pretty cringe-worthy. 

lovesclimbing

If I'm important enough to someone that they're asking me to do a reading, I definitely would do it.

redheadbride15

I went to a wedding once where most of the bride's family couldn't be there (they lived in China, the wedding was in the U.S.) and they Skype'd the entire ceremony and her dad gave a brief speech after the ceremony. They put a lot of effort into the A/V setup to make it work, and it worked well. But it was for the ceremony only. Doing it for the reception would have felt a little awkward though IMHO - when most people are mingling, eating, dancing (rather than focused on one thing).

randomslove

My fiance was best man at his best friend's wedding via Skype (he was deployed at the time). His best friend would have no one else take that place. They had someone in the wedding party hold the phone during the ceremony. He didn't do a speech or anything, but he "stood" there for his friend.

The reception venue had a tin roof, though, and that prevented him from watching the reception. Otherwise, they were all pretty happy with the situation.

melbenso

I would watch a ceremony of a close friend or family member if it were live streamed and I couldn't make it to the wedding.    I might call to congratulate the happy couple and give them my love if I could work out timing that wouldn't interrupt the rest of the festivities.  But I wouldn't "make an appearance" of any sort.

[Deleted User]

I was all for the idea...until the "reading' portion of the post. I think it would a strange thing to witness, as a guest physically there, and I personally would not be comfortable appearing in front of a group of people as a floating head. 

Video calls for business and friendly banter? Okay. Video chats for formal speeches at weddings? Not for me.

MyNameIsNot

I would watch the ceremony, but I wouldn't want to do any sort of reading via facetime.

ShesSoCold

Can you not go because your SO isn't letting you go?