COVID-Conscious Wedding Tips & Ideas
This year, many couples were tasked with not only planning the best day of their lives, but doing so in a way that accounted for the safety and health concerns of all their guests. Although this was no small feat, we saw couples time and again rising to the occasion; crafting unique, beautiful, and thoughtful wedding celebrations that will be remembered throughout their lifetime. Taking tips from happy, wedded couples on the other side of their nuptials, we’ve compiled a few recommendations for if you’re planning a COVID-conscious wedding this year.
The Guest List
When adhering to CDC guidelines, COVID-conscious guest lists are limited to 50 people or fewer and are trimmed down to only the people closest to you and your partner. These small, intimate celebrations, or micro weddings, provide their own set of unique challenges, but ultimately result in a beautiful day surrounded entirely by the people that matter the most.
The Venue
Outside venues provide both a beautiful backdrop for wedding celebrations and also enough fresh air and space to make guests feel comfortable and considered. When outside space isn’t ideal for your unique day, with cooler weather or a preference for a controlled environment moving you inside, venues typically used to accommodate larger guest lists work well for your big day. Vast, airy inside spaces, allow ample room for your guests to move about freely, keeping a safe social distance if they’d like to.
Decor
Spaces large enough to accommodate for social distancing or outside areas transformed into wedding venues rely heavily on decor to set the stage for a beautiful wedding celebration. Large floral installations can help fill airy rooms and create a feeling of intimacy, despite the size of the venue. Additionally, bold, dramatic arches and curated aisle decor help bring the wedding spirit to any outside spaces.
Food
Many caterers are diligently staying up to date with state and local regulations, and are adjusting their menus and serving style to accommodate COVID-conscious events. From offering individually portioned and pre-plated appetizers to decadent personalized dinner plates, guests enjoy a unique dining experience without feeding their health concerns.
Designation
Interaction between guests is an essential piece of wedding day magic, but during a pandemic, not knowing how to navigate this interaction can lead to awkwardness and discomfort for some people. To help facilitate guests demonstrating how they’d like to interact, fun designation methods can be used. For example, providing your guests with red, yellow, or green wrist bands, allows them to communicate how they’d like to be approached throughout the ceremony and reception. With these tokens, a red wrist band signifies “I’m high risk, don’t come near me,” and yellow means, “I’m comfortable talking and being approached.” Finally, a green wrist band demonstrates, “I’m not concerned about COVID-19 or I’ve tested COVID-negative in the last few days."
Masks
Often with the exception of the bride and groom, masks can be encouraged for guests and the bridal party alike. With a thoughtful touch, the wedding’s seamstress can make custom makes for the bridal party, using the same fabric or style to match the bride and groom’s color scheme and attire. In addition to adding a measure of safety, these masks can be fun for photos and are great takeaway items for the people receiving them.