How to Plan a COVID-19 Wedding
Covid-19 has thrown the world for a serious loop! Sadly the ramifications have been innumerable. One of the saddest things that came from Covid-19 was the delay or cancelations of weddings!
However 2022 has seen a return to form for weddings being planned! All those who have had to wait for the last couple of years are excited and ready to try again this year! There will still be Covid-19 challenges that wedding planners and couples must work around but I’m hoping to see (and shoot) a wonderful, busy wedding season this year!
Here are my top 5 tips for couples planning a Covid-19 Wedding!
Tip 1: Masking and Social Distancing
Requirements
One of the biggest challenges couples face during these times is choosing whether or not to require masks and social distancing at their wedding. We all wish things would go back to normal and hopefully they will soon enough. However even if the couple is okay without masks and social distancing at their wedding the venue might not be!
It’s important to be aware of what regulation a venue may or may not impose on you and your guests during Covid-19. I highly recommend asking them about their mask and social distancing rules when you make first contact with them!
Tip 2: Indoor vs Outdoor
When choosing a venue consider both indoor and outdoor places. Both have unique advantages and disadvantages, especially right now during Covid-19!
For example an outdoor venue might allow you more freedoms with masking and social distancing whereas an indoor venue could restrict what you’re allowed to do! Obviously, the decision of masks and social distancing is mostly up to you, the couple, however, your guests may also feel strongly one way or the other. While some may not be comfortable without a mask regardless others will see the outdoors as a safer space to remove the face covering.
Tip 3: Number of Guests
Another struggle for couples during Covid-19 is handling their guest list. For couples with larger families and lots of friends this can be especially troublesome.
Venues will often also impose guest size limits. Those limits may be drastically reduced during this Covid-19 season, so make sure to ask the venue about their imposed guestlist size limits.
For those couples with a small guestlist or who are more Covid wary there are plenty of options for venues! However for the couples that want a larger wedding with lots of attendees the pickings may be a little scarcer! Never fear though, there are still plenty of wonderful venues that will accommodate large groups even during Covid-19. You’ll just have to search a little harder. I’d recommend checking out outdoor venues if you're in the later group, especially if you're having a summertime wedding!
Tip 4: Supply Issues
Covid-19 has caused lots of issues for not only the world at large but also here in the States. One of the biggest changes we’ve seen recently is a lack of incoming supplies regardless of the product.
This might not seem like a huge deal to couples planning weddings but if you’re ordering items from overseas (bridesmaid dresses are a great example of this) there could be a huge delay in the shipping and arrival of you’re product. A great way to avoid this problem is to buy local(ish). Whether that’s getting your decor from a shop in your state/city or getting your formal wear made here in the U.S. you have a greater chance of getting things on time!
Tip 5: Alternatives to the Buffet Line
This last one is more of a Covid-19 precaution than anything else. One of the great things about having a “Buffet Line” of food at your weeding is that’s it’s generally cheaper and you have more flexibility about what’s on the menu! That said they are also hard to keep germ-free and more than likely people will be bringing germs to the “line” and unintentionally spreading them over the food.
A great alternative to the classic “Buffet Line” is to have a real honest to God sit-down dinner at your wedding. Sadly, these are usually not cheap with an overhead fee of anywhere from $30-$100 per guest without alcohol. If you plan on paying for the guests to eat that takes your wedding expenses up a lot in a very short time! A nice alternative to the traditional wedding sit-down dinner is to use food carts! I know, I know. Food carts, really? Well, yes! They are generally cheaper than hiring a restaurant to cater a full sit-down dinner and you get to pick and choose what cart(s) you want! They also are safer Covid wise as they hand the food to each guest instead of letting people touch it all!
I hope that you found this list of tips useful while you try to navigate planning a wedding during Covid-19. I know that these are trying times, and I hope that soon we will be back to a semblance of how things used to be before the Coronavirus. I wish all those couples reading this blog the best of luck with planning and executing your weddings! Here’s to a wonderful 2022 wedding season! 🥂
