How to Plan Your 2021 Wedding Around COVID-19
Love isnโt cancelled, and life shall go on. And maybe for you, 2021 is your year to get married. It promises to be a beautifully messy season with postponed 2020 weddings sprinkled amidst those already planned for 2021.
If you postponed your 2020 celebration, I'm truly sorry that you still have to face the challenge of planning a wedding around COVID-19.
I know how hard it is not being able to make many decisions right now. All we can do is consider our options, stay open-minded, and save the decision making for when we can or must. If you cannot (due to lack of certainty on gathering limits for your date, for example) or do not need to decide something right now, set it aside and spare your mind the flip-flopping. On the upside, at least we now know a little more about what to expect and how to plan for this than we did last summer.
Itโs very likely that some degree of gathering restrictions and health orders will be in effect throughout 2021. In fact, some self-disciplined social effects of COVID-19 may linger well into 2022, as we've adopted new standards and expectations for health and cleanliness.
We all know by now the best way to stop the spread is to limit contacts, keep our distance, increase hygiene, and wear a mask, but what does that mean for weddings?
top wedding planning tips during coronavirus
Note: These are my insights as a professional event planner. Public health guidelines supersede the suggestions below and should be followed at all times. I am not a medical professional and this should not be construed as medical or health advice.
1 | Stay informed with facts, not social media.
Stay on top of your local public health and gathering guidelines, as well as travel restrictions should you plan on inviting out of town guests. These are some great resources:
2 | Be flexible with your guest list.
Gathering size restrictions may continue to fluctuate and be unpredictable, which makes guest counts the most challenging aspect of planning a wedding right now.
Start off on the right foot with the expectation of having an intimate wedding. If you started wedding planning before COVID-19 with a large guest list, my advice is to come to terms with one thing: if you can't accept the possibility of reducing your guest list to comply with strict gathering restrictions, consider postponing now.
Right now in Manitoba we are seeing many couples either choosing to postpone their April/May/June wedding, or deciding to go ahead with it and adjusting to the gathering size restriction at the time (even if that means 10 people).
If your wedding is in July or later, plan for a guest list of 100 maximum (or possibly less if all indoor) and focus on quality experiences over quantity. Once you are flexible on the guest count, you can focus on the details (read: fun stuff) that make weddings truly unique, like personalized stationery, fabulous entertainment, stunning decor and florals, and remarkable food and beverages.
Know your venue's capacity. Gathering size restrictions are determined by either general indoor/outdoor gathering size limitations or a percentage of the venue's usual capacity, whichever is smaller.
Break your guest list down into multiple scenarios. Have a guest list of 75, 50, 25, and 10 ready to deploy and execute. Regulations are ever-changing and you may need to downsize (or even be able to upsize!) on short notice.
Use an A/B guest list to gather RSVPs. Send your first round of invitations to guests on your A list (those you really want to have in attendance). For every A list declined RSVP, reach out to those on your B list. Set an earlier RSVP deadline and send out your invitations out three months in advance to allow for time to receive two rounds of RSVPs. Most importantly, don't send save the dates to B-listers and never disclose to guests you are using an A/B list method.
Consider hosting multiple events over a few days with different groups of guests. For example, a pre-wedding dinner with friends, a brunch with extended family, outdoor ceremony for more to attend, and a post-ceremony dinner with closest friends and family could touch all your bases but keep the gathering sizes small.
Be empathetic. Understand that some guests will decline. Although everyone would love to celebrate with you in person, remember that we all have our unique circumstances and challenges, and that means we all have different comfort levels with who we see and how we interact with others.
3 | 6ft please! Allow for social distancing.
Look for ways to space guests out, especially those from different households or social bubbles.
Head outside. Tent weddings are soaring in popularity and for good reason, other than the fact that they can be truly beautiful. We now know that gathering is safer outside in the wide open air, and as a result, outdoor spaces are typically the first to reopen. Plus, it's likely you'll be able to host more people as gathering size limits are higher for an outdoor event than indoor. If you're planning a tent wedding but haven't secured a tent, you'll want to do that as soon as possible because they are in demand. Keep in mind that a tent does not qualify as an outdoor space unless the tent side walls are open.
Restructure the bar. Remind guests to keep their distance while waiting for their bevy with floor markers or signage. If possible, prevent the bar from becoming a bottleneck and unintentional gathering place by offering multiple bars, perhaps one with beer and wine, and another with mixed drinks.
Space tables out. A guideline we saw in 2020 that I think will continue is maintaining 6ft of space between guests at different tables, but allowing each table its standard number of seats with standard spacing (usually 6-8).
Provide assigned seating. Guests at each table should be from the same household or social bubble.
Modify the dance floor. With the exception of the first dance, father-daughter and mother-son dances, it's possible that dancing may not be allowed at all. At the very least, guests will need to space out or stay within their small household or social bubbles.
Greet guests from a distance. Unless your wedding is very intimate, it's going to be challenging to circulate around and greet all your guests. Opt for personalized notes at each place setting, and offer a toast thanking guests for attending during these challenging times. For those you are able to circle around to, skip the hugs and greet them with a bow or an air kiss.
4 | Communicate.
Update your guests and vendors as plans evolve.
Make a wedding website. Weddings must adapt to current information, and with regulations constantly changing there has never been a better time to make use of a wedding website to keep guests informed. Include a link to your wedding website on your invitation and let guests know they can find all the information they need there. (I always recommend Squarespace!)
Plans may change. Let guests know you are staying up to date with the latest information, and will adjust plans and let them know as needed.
The importance of health and safety. Safely celebrating while minimizing risk to everyone is of utmost priority. Inform guests of your COVID-19 precautions and mitigation plans, such as mask usage, hand sanitization and spacing of guests. Remind guests to monitor for symptoms and to stay home if they are feeling unwell or come into contact with someone who is ill.
Enforce public health guidelines and share your policies with vendors and guests. Some people have differing views on mask regulations, so it's important that you make it clear you will be following public health rules. Ask vendors what their policies are and make sure they know what your expectations are, too. Come event day, enforcing masks and other health and safety measures will require teamwork between the couple, vendors, and guests. After all, we're in this together!
5 | Go virtual.
Despite a reduced guest list, you can still have all your guests attend virtually from the comfort and safety of their own home. More live streaming options and ideas continue to pop up with DIY or video companies for hire to oversee your live stream. Give your virtual guests VIP status by sending them celebration boxes ahead of time. Include a signature cocktail kit, treats, wedding program with personal note, Spotify playlist and link to the wedding's live stream. You can even arrange to have a meal delivered to their door for your scheduled reception time.
6 | Increase cleanliness.
Avoid self-serve food and drinks. Skip the buffet, family style food service, and sweets table and minimize contact with a plated meal and dessert instead.
Have guests wear masks and sanitize regularly. Public health guidelines suggest that all guests and staff should wear masks for the duration of the event. Hosts should provide plenty of hand sanitization opportunities throughout the space, especially upon entry and exit, before dining, and at the bar and washroom. Have masks available at your welcome table for those who may have forgotten theirs.
Limit speeches. Select your speakers ahead of time and avoid open mic toasts. Have sanitizing wipes on hand and ask your emcee to sanitize the microphone between speakers.
7 | Focus on quality experiences over quantity.
With a smaller guest list, you may find some opportunity in the budget for personal touches and experiences you wouldn't have otherwise done. Guests are likely to mingle less and keep to themselves, so consider an option or two (or more!) to really treat them. Though you will not have the same level of physical contact you once had, you can still make them feel special and find different ways to connect.
Hire entertainment. Live music and other entertainment always makes a big impact, but especially now as something for guests to watch. Consider a string trio during cocktail hour, a feature band performance after dinner, an artist painting a picture in real time, fireworks, or an outdoor photo booth.
Personalize everything. Commission a custom illustration of you or a monogram to include on your invitation, signage, cocktail stir sticks and napkins. Include your favourite quote, lyric or fun couple facts in neon signage, welcome table banner or feature backdrop for the ceremony.
Amp up the decor. Layer in more tabletop details, such as chargers, monogramed napkins, special chairs and linen or add more impact with romantic lighting and jaw dropping floral displays.
Customize the menu. Work with your caterer to build a menu that reflects your favourite dishes and serve it over a multi-course plated meal.
Serve signature cocktails. Choose a cocktail or two honouring your favourite spirits and flavours and give them some quirky names on the bar menu.
Bring your dog. If the venue allows, include your dog in the day. Everyone always enjoys a fluffy greeter wandering around. (Just make sure no one with allergies is attending.)
Gather song requests. Ask guests on your wedding website to submit their song requests for the DJ or band to perform.
As you navigate these uncertain waters, trust that you will find a solution for everything. Lean on your vendors and communicate openly. We have been through this with 2020 weddings already and are accustomed to adapting to whatever is thrown at us. For most, our values remain the same - we make special weddings for special people. It may feel discouraging having to compromise on the guest list or another aspect, but I promise if you look for it, you'll find the bright side.