Love isn’t cancelled. Weddings and celebrations aren’t cancelled. We simply have to adjust how we’re planning and learning the safest ways to plan a wedding this year and next. 

 

ARE WEDDINGS SAFE TO HOST?

Weddings are absolutely considered high-risk. This means you can still have weddings, they just need to be organized differently and have major safety measures in plan for weddings in 2020 and 2021. Regardless of when in 2021 your wedding may be, you need to plan for the wedding you could have TODAY, within the regulations you know of NOW.

Wondering what makes a wedding safe? Masks and hand sanitizer certainly play a prominent role and of course we advise having it outdoors – al fresco is great for photos anyway! It’s also highly recommended to have personalized service for food and beverage – meaning no buffets or walk up bars. 

 

IT IT SAFE TO ATTEND A WEDDING?

It’s likely you’ll be invited to a wedding in 2021 and it’s totally up to you to determine if you feel safe enough to attend. First, consider your method of travel. Will you have to get on a plane or is it within driving distance? Where will you stay when you get there? Second, how many people are the couple inviting? Determine what your threshold and comfort level are. Finally, what do you know about the location? Does the city/state currently have regulations in place? How do you feel about that city’s response to COVID in general?

It’s your call whether you decide to stay home and celebrate virtually. Toasting via livestream or checking in on social media is OKAY!

 

KEEP IT SMALL AND OUTDOORS

An outdoor wedding is absolutely safer than an indoor wedding in the age of COVID. There is better air circulation, more ventilation, and guests can spread out much more. You also need to think about your guest count. Of course you need to check your local regulations, but I believe the smaller the wedding, the better – 50 or fewer guests is a great number to aim for.

What are you comfortable with? What is your tolerance level for gathering in groups? Everyone views this differently, including your guests – keep them in mind, too. 

 

TEST AT THE WEDDING?

Personally I don’t suggest this as testing AT the wedding is too late!

What would happen if someone’s results came back positive?
How will you handle it?
How will it make that guest feel in the moment because they tested positive?
And, even worse, what if the positive test result is for a VIP family member? Are you okay telling your mom or dad they can’t attend your wedding?
Are you okay putting your other guests at risk knowing that a COVID positive person is attending the wedding?
What do you do with the people around that person that are presently exposed to them and their positive test result? Are they still allowed to attend or will you ask that they quarantine as well?
What happens if the person tested positive AND has to travel back home by plane? Can they/SHOULD THEY knowingly get on an airplane with a positive test result? Are they able to quarantine in place for 14 days away from their home?

Finally, are you okay having COVID testing take a seat at the reception? Because if you’re doing testing, the discussion will happen. And it shouldn’t. The focus should be on you and your partner on your wedding day. So, to summarize many questions, NO, do not test your guests at the wedding.

Prepping in advance by testing before guests arrive will maximize your chances of keeping your wedding safe and celebrating with peace of mind.