3 Ways to Have a Wedding During COVID-19
This season of our lives is unprecedented. Every person around the world is being affected by COVID-19 in some way, so wherever you are and however you are experiencing this season, we offer our deepest affection and peace.
If you’re reading this, you are most likely in love and looking to celebrate that love through a wedding or elopement! Congratulations!
But you may also be feeling confused or sad about the direction your wedding and elopement planning has taken. Depending on where you are in the planning/dreaming process, you may have questions like:
Can I even have a wedding during COVID?
What happens if I have to reschedule my wedding due to COVID?
Should I continue planning my wedding during COVID?
Will I lose all my vendor deposits if I start planning a wedding or elopement and have to reschedule during COVID?
Should I plan a wedding for 2021 with COVID still around?
Should we cancel our wedding and elope?
Should we plan an elopement from the start?
Is an elopement a safe option during COVID?
Should we plan a destination wedding or elopement?
Below, we share 3 ways we’ve been navigating wedding and elopement planning with our couples during COVID. We hope these options provide you with a next step and offer some direction. As always, please reach out with any additional questions or concerns HERE. We’d love to guide you through this unprecedented time by bringing FUN, PEACE and EXCITEMENT back into your wedding or elopement planning.
Here are 3 Ways to Have a Wedding During COVID:
One— Elopement
Eloping may be your safest option during COVID! We consider an elopement to include up to 10 people, which falls in line with the CDC’s ban of gatherings over 10 people (which fluctuates per state). This means that in most situations, if you plan or are planning an elopement, you will be able to celebrate it.
Here are some exceptions and other items to consider when eloping:
Keep travel bans in mind. Some cities and states have stay-at-home orders in place. If these guidelines are strict in the area you are planning to elope, you may not be able to travel to the location you are wishing to elope in. Keep an eye on these regulations, as things can change quickly.
Watch for National Park and public land closures. If you are planning to elope in a national park or on public land, keep in mind that some of these places are closed to the public or may fluctuate their hours throughout the year, depending on the spread of COVID.
Have an Airbnb elopement. An airbnb or rental home may be your best option for a getaway elopement. Many airbnbs are still open for booking. An airbnb can provide a break in your routine, space for a few of your loved ones, a scenic backdrop and unique architecture-- it’s an all-in-one experience!
Have an At-Home elopement. Maybe your home is the perfect spot for you and your love! Make it special by having a ceremony in your backyard, a bouquet of seasonal flowers, a decked-out-decorated dinner table, a catered meal by your favorite local restaurant and a dance party!
Make it meaningful. Does an elopement feel lonely to you? Maybe you’ve never heard of a modern elopement! We believe your elopement can be meaningful, beautiful and connective. Check out our post about elopements HERE.
Don’t forget to count your vendors! If there are gathering bans, make sure your vendors are counted in your 10 people. Though they may not be sitting at the table with you (though we’d love that!), they will still be technically considered a part of the gathering.
TWO— Wedding
Surprised that wedding is still on this list?
If a larger celebration is what you envision and will be the most meaningful to you and your partner, you better believe we fully support you having a wedding!
With this said, you do need to abide by CDC and your state (or even county) guidelines for gatherings.
Here are a few ideas on how to still have your wedding on your originally chosen date:
Limit your guest list. If you haven’t sent out invitations yet consider inviting groups of family and friends in sections. As we wait to hear if/when groups larger than 10 or 15 can gather in certain areas, consider inviting an allowed amount of guests first, then sending a second group of invitations up to the next amount of allowed guests. While this will result in not as large of a gathering as you initially planned, it will allow for some of your favorite humans to join you in celebration!
Consider adding virtual elements to your wedding day. Many photography and entertainment companies are adding virtual weddings to their packages. Invite as many guests in-person as is comfortable and safe, but then send the rest of your guests a link to the livestream of the ceremony and reception! Talk with your livestream vendor to see if they can coordinate a dance party with everyone virtually or (for those who live locally) see if your caterer can deliver the reception dinner to their houses so they can share in the reception meal with you.
Drive-In weddings. Similar to a drive-in movie, your guests can stay in their cars while joyfully celebrating you and your partner as you exchange vows, make toasts, and dance! Living in the 21st century, most of us have eaten in our cars. See if your caterer can provide a catered to-go meal, appetizers, or cake for your guests to enjoy in their cars.
Reschedule. We know, it’s a pretty sucky feeling when you have to reschedule. However, we also know that it doesn’t have to suck. Based on your values and desires for your day rescheduling can be the best option. For couples who long to have all their dear ones physically present with them without jeopardizing anyone’s health, this is an amazing plan. While it does stink to wait longer for your wedding celebration, you’ll feel all the more excited and ready when that day comes. This option gets you as close to your Plan A as possible with just the date change. If you choose to reschedule, we highly recommend talking with your wedding planner and venue first to talk about future date options. From there your planner or you can talk with all your other vendors (in this case a group email is a great idea) to see who is available on the new date or take a poll for the date options. Try to change as little as possible since you’ve already built a relationship with your vendors and they are so excited to celebrate with you. This may require some new contracts to be signed. Be patient and flexible with your vendors as they are also navigating this for the first time and want to stay in business so they can celebrate and serve you on your wedding day.
With all of these options, check with your venue to see how they can help accommodate you and your guests while abiding by safety guidelines. Keep in mind, this might still include distanced eating, plated meals instead of buffet, wearing masks, limited physical touch, distanced dancing, hand wash stations, and checking temperatures.
Talk with your wedding planner about how to shift toward one of these options. They will help you coordinate the details and be knowledgeable about the safety guidelines required. If you’re in need of a wedding planner to guide you through this process, contact us HERE.
Three— Elopement + Reception
What? We can combine an elopement with the vivaciousness of a big party. Yes, you can!
Since there is a great unknown of when we can gather safely for a large celebration, consider eloping on a special day and then waiting to plan a wedding reception until you’re more confident about safe gatherings.
This might look like sending elopement announcements after you say “I Do!” that include a note about a reception in the future.
If this is what you and your partner would like to do, ask yourself the following:
Do we want to have a reception date set before we announce a reception? If so, are we open to it potentially changing the date based on local safety requirements?
Are we open to waiting to select a reception date until we have a better idea of when we can gather with our desired guest count?
Your answers to these questions will determine your next steps.
If you have a reception date set, make sure that you understand all of your vendors’ rescheduling policy (just in case). When you send the invitations for the reception, make sure you also have every guest’s email address. This way if any last minutes changes ensue, you can communicate with them quickly.
If you are open to waiting on a reception date, keep your guest list in a safe place so you can quickly send invitations once you have the party details ready! If you’re in need of a planner to guide you through the process of having both an elopement and reception, contact us HERE.
For your reception, you have a few options:
Recreate your ceremony! Don’t be afraid of exchanging your vows again if that is exciting to you.
Start with a cocktail hour. When your guests arrive have fun cocktail hour activities for them to enjoy (bar included). You could have live music, lounges, passed hors d’oeuvres, a fun photo booth or another fun element! This way there’s time for them to relax before the reception dinner.
Show the film. Share the film from your elopement or that highlights photos from your elopement and tells your story. This can help your guests feel like they didn’t miss a thing!
Provide food. With a separate reception you do not have to provide a full dinner. However, dinner is always a good idea. Be sure to note if your reception will include dinner or if it will only be heavy appetizers or a dessert reception.
Create moments with the people you love. This can include speeches, special dances, or fun surprising elements to shower your guests with the love you have for them.
No matter how you choose to get married and celebrate your love, remember that you are worth celebrating and that your love is just as special as if your wedding plans hadn’t changed.
