Back in March of 2020, most of us didn’t think we would still be dealing with the pandemic today. Many postponed their wedding plans from 2020 to 2021 thinking that we would be safe to have large gatherings with hugs and dancing all around. Instead it’s time to get creative. Let me introduce you to pandemic wedding planning 101. After having seen 20 weddings last year, we’ve learned a thing or two!

Why Get Married Now?

I hear lots of people say “just wait until it’s safe” but that can be problematic, especially now that we’re stretching into the second year of the pandemic. Many people view a wedding as the first step towards beginning a new life and delaying that can put so much on hold. Whether you want to start a family, buy a house, join together religiously or financially, there are many reasons people want to get married sooner rather than later. Some couples are now onto their second or third postponement, which causes a lot of heartbreak. There are plenty of ways to have a responsible wedding (especially in the summer and early fall) with smaller guest counts, social distancing and paying attention to the restrictions that have been put in place to keep everyone healthy.

Consider Your Venue

All venues have been heavily restricted and are just now beginning to open up. The most strict are generally indoor-only venues, which were capped at 25 guests or below for most of 2020. If you are thinking of changing venues, consider ones with fully outdoor and tented options for all events from the ceremony through reception. Ask about postponement/cancellation plan. Ask about a rain plan. Ask about heating and cooling options. This leads me to my next point…

Cape Cod Micro Wedding-64.jpg — This couple rented an AirBnB on the Cape and then set up a beautiful open sided tent for their 20 guests

Hire a Planner

If you are having a tented wedding, I HIGHLY recommend a planner. See our recommendations HERE. Backyards are a wonderful option but they come with a huge number of logistical hurtles, many of which you probably didn’t think to consider. Having an expert on the scene and throughout the planning process alleviates so much stress so you can focus on all the fun aspects of planning. Things to consider for backyards: tent rental, chair/table rental, linens, plates, silverware, lighting, air conditioning/heating, electricity capacity, bathrooms, catering, catering staging area, parking, décor setup, rain plans and the list goes on.

Use the extra money in the budget that was going to be used on catering to go all out on flowers and beautiful details!

Know The Rules

With pandemic rules changing all the time to keep up with rising and falling case counts, you have to keep your wedding flexible. The best practice is to have your venue booked but wait until about 2 months out to finalize your guest list. A good plan would be to send out a tentative save-the-date to everyone you initially planned to invite with a caveat that celebrating in-person is dependent on restrictions. The actual invites will go out to only the people you can safely invite. Don’t forget to count your vendors as well. Caterers, photographers/videographers, DJ/bands and planners are often part of the overall numbers. This varies from state to state so be sure to check your local rules.

What About Those Who Can’t Come?

Whether it’s due to restrictions, personal comfort levels or they can’t feasibly travel, know that everyone is still wishing you the best for your wedding day. A great way to still include your extended friends and family is to live stream the ceremony and/or the reception events! Whether it be a simple laptop with zoom or a mutli-cam setup done by professionals, they will feel great knowing that you included them in your wedding day. In this sense, video becomes even more important and meaningful.

Zoom of the ceremony expertly set up by the father-of-the-bride!

Know Your Audience

Covid brings out huge variations of comfort and concern among family and friends. The goal is to celebrate in a way which makes everyone comfortable. The most important thing to do is to ask your guests about their comfort level for certain activities then plan accordingly. Even if they don’t ask, make sure grandparents and those with health conditions have extra protection by seating them away from larger groups. Have extra masks and hand sanitizer at the ready. Seat family members together at tables and make a seating chart for the ceremony as well. Make sure there is enough room for everyone to socially distance.

High quality matching face masks really elevate the look

What is a COVID Concierge?

A new trend for 2021 weddings is hiring a COVID concierge to oversee testing and safe practices at the wedding. Some states are allowing large gatherings as long as every guest is tested in advance. Each state varies so be sure to check the most recent mandates.

The more people who are vaccinated the better but we still don’t know whether or not a vaccinated person can pass covid onto someone else. Make sure vaccinated guests still practice safe social distancing and mask wearing while around unvaccinated guests who are not in their pod.

The first dance and parent dances still took place while social distancing

Yes You Can Still Have Fun!

Getting married, no matter when, is a joyous occasion. Most aspects of the day felt completely normal like any other wedding we’ve seen. Getting ready in rooms with the family and bridal party members felt no less fun when popping the bubbly with the girls and seeing mom cry when her daughter put on her dress. The ceremony where the couple locks eyes walking down the aisle were just as monumental as ever. The cocktails and apps were just as tasty, the meals were divine and the speeches still made people cry. The first dance and parent dances still took place. The only thing that felt different was the lack of a dance party.

Example Intimate Weddings

All of these weddings happened between the months of June through October in 2020. The guest count restrictions varied from 10-50 and no open bars or dance floors were allowed. Generally a first dance and parent dances still took place. Mask usage depended on the venue and comfort of guests.

Fun tidbit: we got tested for covid before and after each wedding and with proper social distancing and mask use, we never contracted covid after 20 weddings! Thank you to Somerville for their free testing program.