So you’ve spent a year or so planning your wedding and your big day has been scheduled during the year of a global pandemic with no firm answers on when there will be a vaccine.  What do you do?  Do you wait a year or 2 until the spread of COVID-19 is a thing of the past, or do you move forward with your wedding as planned on your original date?  As we are all learning, there is no right answer as to how comfortable people are or should be while deciding if being around others is a calculated risk that they are willing to take during this time. For our couples who are willing to take the risk to celebrate with their families this year, here are some helpful tips on throwing a safe soiree during the pandemic. 

Promote the Use of Protective Gear on the Big Day 

We understand not wanting your wedding reception to look like a science lab, but in times like this, we would definitely recommend putting safety first if any or all of your wedding celebration is taking place indoors.  A lot of indoor wedding venues are requiring that your guests wear masks while inside if they are not at their tables or eating and drinking, but even if your venue is loose on these rules, we are a fan of playing it safe. We say make this precaution your own by getting custom masks in your wedding colors or with a monogram/your wedding date on them.  Talk about a unique wedding favor! 

Socially Distant Guest Seating 

Seating plans can make a huge difference when it comes to guests feeling comfortable at your event.  Cluster sets of 2 and 4 seats together during your ceremony and be sure to leave plenty of space between rows.  Make reception tables a bit more spacious by seating 6-7 guests at a table that normally seats 10 guests. Although this may take a bit of extra effort while creating your seating chart, your catering team will be happy to assist in making these tweaks to your original floor plans as it keeps their team safer as well! 

Let’s Eat! 

The way in which you choose to serve your guests can make a big difference regarding the comfort of your guests! You’ll need to work closely with your catering team to be sure that you are taking steps to make food service on the big day as sterile as possible.  Switching from family style to plated, serving appetizers on individual single serving plates instead of being passed, and sneeze guards (pretty ones, of course) being installed at the bar are just a few tweaks that we have seen this season!  Bon appetit! 

Shall We Have This Dance? 

Dance floors are the largest risk factor when it comes to weddings these days. Unless you are doing a socially distant electric slide or Wobble, it can be next to impossible to dance the night away in a socially distant matter.  This will take some planning ahead. Our first piece of advice is to know your crowd. If you are still trying to pull off a 100 person wedding, will your older guests feel comfortable, or want to run for the hills once guests start crowding the dance floor?  If so, would you like to provide an early shuttle for guests to leave after dinner concludes so that guests have the opportunity to bow out gracefully? If you have a hunch that a dance party will make you and most wedding guests squeamish, have a conversation with your DJ about how to create a fun atmosphere that promotes mingling instead of hitting the dance floor.

Whether you choose to move forward with your wedding plans this year, or choose to postpone until the time is right for you and your family, our best piece of advice is to never lose focus on what the day is truly about. As long as you’re surrounded by love on whatever date you choose to celebrate, you’re doing everything right in our book!