The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many couples’ wedding plans, forcing them to rethink how to move forward with their nuptials in an ever-evolving public health crisis. It’s crucial for couples to take the right actions and navigate their current reality and confronting the realities of COVID-19 makes wedding planning a whole lot more challenging than normal. The big question is how do couples go about planning their wedding during COVID-19? As special as the occasion is, currently the big concern is the health and safety of every individual that participates in the celebration. As you plan your wedding during this time, here’s a look at some of the things to consider.
Keeping the Wedding Party Small
When it comes to group gatherings, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a limit of fewer than 50 persons, while federal guidelines recommend no more than 10. A small wedding generally had around 50 guests, a medium-size wedding 100 guests and a large wedding more than 150. These recommendations could mean big changes for your wedding plans. Social distancing is crucial in preventing the spread of COVID-19 and with the need to for everyone but the bride and groom to be spaced at least six feet apart during the wedding ceremony and reception keeping the wedding party small is a good idea. This goes for the guest list as well. At a traditional wedding everyone is packed together, and you want to avoid that in the face of this pandemic. You want to limit the chance of transmission, and with less people at your wedding, that chance is minimized. Know what your state guidelines are regarding the number of people you can have at our wedding and shape your wedding party.
Provide Buffets Servers
The reality is that, in the face of this pandemic, wedding buffets with long lines of guest and self-serve dinner service from shared utensils is a big no-no. There is no current evidence to support that COVID-19 is spread through food ingestion but gathering around a shared food source close to each other creates the opportunity for transmission. Make sure your caterer provides servers for the buffet service and guests space themselves when going to the buffet. A buffet is not ideal when it comes to abiding by the social distancing guidelines, a plated event with table service may prove safer. Minimize the touching, rather than appetizer stations, arrange hors d’oeuvres on individual plates placed at the guest tables.
Give Practical Mementos
No couple will want to sacrifice fun altogether at their wedding during the current pandemic. Instead, they’ll more likely emphasize good, clean fun during their beautiful celebrations. How about your mementos reflecting that? Pick face masks that match your wedding theme, colors or aesthetics, and give hand sanitizers in personalized and stylish dispensers as wedding favors.
Even though COVID-19 has forced many couples to postpone their nuptials, it isn’t stopping many others from having their wedding. Many couples have opted to change their original plans to meet the current health and safety requirements for gathering/events. From changing the size of the wedding party to skipping the buffet, some couples are making their wedding a reality during COVID-19. Don’t let COVID-19 stop you from getting hitched.
Please keep Exchange Hall in mind for future events. In an effort to ensure our community doesn’t spread COVID-19, we will remain closed till the state moves to a Phase 4 reopening. If you have questions regarding our venue, please give us a call today.