10 Wedding Tips to help during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Ideas to keep you, your family and your guests safer while keeping your day special
We are in an interesting time right now while scrolling through social media, opening up Google, turning on the TV, or standing in line anywhere. There are a lot of rumours and misinformation floating around, but COVID-19 or Coronavirus is something we need to take very seriously. There is a lot of uncertainty, perhaps you are feeling it even more with a big important (and expensive) day on the horizon.
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Update - March 31/2020: When I originally wrote this 2+ weeks ago, events were being limited to 200 people or less. Two days later, it was 50 or less, and now it is 15 or less with all non-essential businesses being told to close. This virus is scary, this virus is something we all need to be worried about and we need to protect ourselves and everyone else.
This is a bit if honesty, and I might make some people mad… but I don’t think it is smart to move ahead with your wedding plans for April or May. I have rescheduled all my clients for April, and most of my May bookings have all postponed. I still have received inquiries for weddings happening over the past couple of weekends, and weekends coming up, and I am declining all new inquiries that are dates for the next couple of months. I can’t put myself or my family at risk, nor do I see a wedding being an “essential” thing at this time.
I know below, I say that the most important thing is that you are getting married, and it still is, but I think you will enjoy it a lot more if you wait until this is all over. I don’t want to say that carrying on with your wedding is “selfish” or “irresponsible” but I don’t think it is the best decision for yourself or the officiant or anyone that would feel awful if they missed it.
One of my couples postponed because they said they would hate for their guests to feel like they have to come even though its safer to stay home.
I get that. And that comment makes complete sense to me.
I just ask, take extra care and put extra thought into having your wedding/getting married at this time. Keep yourself safe at this time.
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Be and stay informed. Get your information from credible sources like the WHO (World Health Organization) and CDC (Centre for Disease Control), as well as your provincial/state and federal agencies. You need to be sure you can legally have your original guest count list. (Seriously though, if events over a certain number have been mandated to be cancelled by provincial/state/federal government, you must do so because you can face charges/fines through Public Health Act or something similar)
Keep your perspective. Remember that the whole purpose of the day is to get married. Whether it is the 300 person wedding you planned at the perfect venue, or is the two of you in a park, you really just need the two of you (and that wedding officiant.)
3. Protect everyone, and ask/tell ill guests to stay home. This should go without saying… but I guess we need to say it. Send out emails or texts to all guests, and add something on to your wedding website about any and all updates pertaining to your wedding, even if the plans could go back to the original way! Ask/tell sick guests to stay home to protect themselves, and everyone else. This includes guests that may have travelled recently and should be in self-isolation.
4. Skip the hugs. This is not an easy one. I am from a family of huggers, and we had to try hard at our Sunday supper not to have our hugs goodbye, or hold hands when we prayed before dinner, and that was just a Sunday. Everyone wants to hug you or give you a handshake to congratulate you on your marriage. You may want to make extra signs and have your officiant and MC make extra announcements.
5. Shop local. We should shop as local as we can, I know the deals Amazon can offer, but every community has incredible local businesses you can support. The economy and small businesses are being hit hard, support local where you can.
6. Communicate with your vendors. If you have a wedding planner, and I am sure you have a photographer, they are used to working in high pressure environments. But, this is uncharted territory for all of us. Talk with your trusted vendors about your worries and concerns, and work together on a back-up plan. Most of us are more than willing to be flexible and brainstorm with you so you can have a special and safe day.
7. Talk with your caterer about service options. We know that Coronavirus is spread on surfaces, so suddenly, the buffet line with serving utensils everyone is touching… isn’t an option, not a safe one anyways. Talk with your caterer about having staff serve the food in the buffet line with gloves, or a served meal at the tables. Your caterer knows what options they can offer, and they want to be protected too!
8. Keep it intimate. This might be the safest thing to do, but you may want to downsize the wedding to your immediate family and have an intimate ceremony and celebratory dinner instead. You can always plan a reception to celebrate with everyone once it is safe again.
9. Record or Livestream it. Look at ways you can share your day with your guests without your guests being there. Hire a videographer, buy a GoPro, figure out how to livestream your wedding. This is a great option for guests that would travel, the elderly, the immune system compromised, or sick guests. It also will be a keepsake for you.
10. Move it outside. No one likes the change of plans, but if you had a wedding planned indoors, look at options of moving your ceremony and reception outdoors to allow for more breathing room for guests, and less surfaces to touch. Space out the chairs at the ceremony, or opt for none. Make a little extra room between those tables, and less people per table at the reception.
Remember that you hired vendors that you trust. Review your contracts, chat with your vendors about options, and what happens if your wedding cannot move forward as planned. Unfortunately, this is affecting everyone’s plans and businesses, and this is a huge hit to the world’s health the economy.
We all want the best for you and honestly, ourselves too. We want you to be healthy, and to stay healthy ourselves.
Stay healthy and safe friends!