FAQ’s About Weddings in the Days of COVID
Article by | Erin Joyner, Owner & Executive Coordinator of Wonderfully Wed
Photos by | Ashley Monogue Photography
Should I cancel or postpone my wedding?
Canceling your wedding is not necessary; especially with all of the information we now have about COVID and how to protect people. I understand that it’s overwhelming for couples to wonder about spending so much money only to have very few people come and risk someone getting sick. At the beginning of the shut downs, we postponed about ten weddings from the spring to the summer and fall. Since then, we’ve needed to reschedule two weddings for personal reasons related to the virus. But other than that, it’s been business as usual for our clients. However, numbers have been much smaller, so if it is really important to you to have large numbers, then you should consider postponing. The trick in that is that we really don’t know what things will look like in a year. Yes, we have vaccines, but the virus has mutated and we have a new strand. We really don’t know what that will do to our future. I think the best move going forward is to plan around the current guidelines and only invite half of the number of guests that your venue can hold.
What does a “COVID” wedding look like?
Current guidelines state that you should have a mask on at a wedding when you are indoors, except when you are eating and drinking. We put no more than 8 people per table and recommend a seating chart so you can put people who came together at the same table. Plan to have more tables than you need so that people have room to spread out and sit only with people they came with. I think it is prudent as the host of your wedding for you to make sure you do everything in your power to avoid getting the virus around your wedding so you aren’t spreading it to all of your guests. You, your fiancé, and your families can all self-quarantine to the best of your ability for two weeks before the wedding. 
You can request that your bridal party do the same since you will all be together for the weekend, if they are able. If they have a job that is impossible to work from home, just ask them to be extra cautious. You might put something on your invitations and/or website reminding guests to be extra careful in the weeks leading up to the wedding. I also highly recommend that you provide masks and hand sanitizer for your guests and have signs reminding people to be cautious. We have taken even more precautions with grandparents who choose to come (most of them don’t). They have come for the ceremony only and if they decide to stay for the reception, we put them at a table by themselves or with close family and further away from other guests.
Will People Still Have Fun at My Wedding?
Having these reminders does not hamper the joy your guests will feel celebrating you as a couple. We have still had so much fun at all of our weddings since starting back in July. I think people are so happy to be able to celebrate during this time. There will be guests who decide not to come the week of the wedding because they have had direct exposure or just don’t feel comfortable. You have to depend on people to be honest about their level of exposure, so if you have guests on your list that you think might not be as cautious and aren’t taking it as seriously, consider not inviting them. People at weddings tend to spend time with people they come to the wedding with, even under normal circumstances. So it really ends up not being so different as before COVID. But there will be families coming from all over who haven’t seen each other in a while, and they will want to hug and talk closely. They’ll also want to hug you and your new spouse. It’s difficult to avoid all exposure or potential exposure, so there is a level of risk for sure. But taking the precautions mentioned above will minimize the risk and ensure that you are still able to celebrate your most special day!
Vendor Credits from Featured Wedding
Coordination | Wonderfully Wed
Venue | Brownstone Reserve
Cake | Fabulous Fare
DJ | Downtown Event Services
Photographer | Ashley Monogue Photography
Caterer | Buppy’s Catering
Rentals | Details Party Rental
Videographer | Truly Texas
Bartender | Luke’s Bartending Service
Florist| Unforgettable Floral