How to Plan a Perfect and Covid-19-Safe Wedding 101

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You’re probably asking yourself…

 

“How is this pandemic still trying to ruin my wedding?!” and How to Plan a Perfect and Covid-19-Safe Wedding 101.

 

We get it!! Depending on where you’re located, brides all around the world are asking themselves the same thing! It seems as though, even with all the progress we make, another predicament appears. At this point, you likely have your venue selected, your wedding dress altered, and some vendors booked; and your mindset is on ‘it’s go time’! While we don’t want to encourage defying your local guidelines that are put in place to keep everyone safe, we do want to keep the love alive and get you married!!! To do so, we’ve gathered a list of tips and details that will help you host a pandemic-safe wedding! Ladies, let’s get planning (safely)!!

 

Let’s start with your venue!

 

When choosing a venue during the pandemic, our number one tip is to look outside! According to guidelines, it is safer to be in an outdoor space, and it makes for beautiful views, so why not! Look into beaches, mountain tops, or out in the wilderness; on the flip side, consider rooftops, backyards, and parks if you’re more of a city couple. For your outdoor setting, it’s essential to keep social distancing as a top concern; in most scenarios, six feet apart is still a best practice, do your best to seat families together and create space between different groups of ‘bubbles’!

 

Next, ask your venue about the health and safety precautions they have in place. There are specific guidelines they should be following as a business, so it’s best to make sure they are up to date on the latest policies for your area. This may include social distancing indicators on the floor around high traffic areas such as the washrooms, bars, and food stations!

 

Now, let’s downsize!

 

It is perfectly okay to keep your wedding date, dress, and vendors that you’ve already booked. But perhaps, a safe bet is to minimize the guest list! Again, following your local guidelines, you may have up to 100 people at your outdoor event now; however, ten is still the magic number for guests in some areas. For everyone’s safety, we recommend trimming your list! A lovely quaint 10 – 50 guests can still make for a beautiful wedding celebration and what’s even better is you can celebrate with your entire original guestlist down the road when things are safe again.

 

(Bonus: you get to wear your fabulous Calla Blanche gown a second time – now that’s a dream come true) Another option that’s truly been a lifesaver throughout the pandemic is live streaming your wedding, include everyone for the ceremony via live stream, but celebrate intimately just the two; you can also follow this up with a grander party down the road, which sounds fantastic to us!  

 

Don’t want to be stressed out by the details? Hire a Planner!

 

Since it’s literally their profession, a wedding planner will understand your vision, and while keeping in mind all the guidelines, they will help create the most beautiful (and safe) wedding you could’ve ever imagined. It will be practically hassle-free as they will be able to ensure safety measures are being implemented from your venue all the way down to your photographer!

 

Take the guesswork out of your safety measures

 

A few more tips that we think will help Plan a Perfect and Covid-19-Safe Wedding is to make sure that everyone is on the same page. While everyone has reacted to the pandemic in their own ways, your guests need to know that they have to to follow specific guidelines while present at your wedding. The best way to do this is by communicating this early on and clearly. You can place a section on your wedding website or on the wedding invitations that states how you will be handling social distancing, mask-wearing, and any other areas you or your planner may indicate as a concern.

Use signs on the day of to remind guests of your previously specified guidelines. Here are a few examples of language you can use for signage at your wedding!

 

“Spread love, not germs! Please wear a mask.”

“Keep a loving distance, please and thank you.”

“Distance makes the love grow fonder.”

“Party like we’re in a pandemic, please wear a mask.”

“To have and to hold, from 6 feet apart.”

 

Worried about spacing because your venue is on the smaller side? Not a problem! Install clear dividers between guests at their tables. While it’s not the prettiest, safety is a critical matter, so we can only hope your guests understand (we recommend acrylic barriers as they are clear and lightweight!)

 

Include many sanitization stations throughout the venue, and have someone responsible for keeping it tidy and stocked throughout the event.

 

Cater safely

 

Food and drink may be one of the trickiest areas to regulate during a wedding, but creativity always wins! If you were considering a buffet, we say don’t! Many catering services have adjusted their services to offer more individualized/miniaturized meals and hors d’oeuvres or pre-packaged beverages and cake slices. Our favorite food option for a covid safe wedding is definitely a food truck – you just can’t go wrong!

 

It’s unfortunate, but these may have to go

 

Okay, here us out! Close proximity games and activities, dancing, and lots of alcohol are not very covid-friendly things to include at your wedding. (I know, we’re so sorry)! But it’s the truth. 

 

When guests are dancing, there will likely be crowded spaces, and physical activities can be a risk to heightening the spread of germs. Alcohol, well, too much of that, and your guests may forget we’re in a pandemic, so you can skip the open bar (which will save you money too). Luckily, games and activities are still something you can include. Still, we recommend avoiding things that would be a high-traffic area like a photo booth and instead implementing activities and entertainment that can be enjoyed from a distance!

 

Our very last tip is to keep your event short. Did you plan for a six-hour-long wedding ceremony and reception? You may want to consider cutting things down to two or three hours max. The less time you have a group gathered, the fewer opportunities for guests to get sick.

 

We’re here to spread the love, not the germs, so we hope these tips and guidelines helped you see how to Plan a Perfect and Covid-19-Safe Wedding 101. For more info on organizing your small and intimate wedding, visit our post, The Ultimate Guide to Small Weddings. Best of luck to you, love birds!

 

 

Header photo credit: @stephponcephoto