Unless you’re planning to elope (which is always a possibility), your destination wedding will likely involve a few of your nearest and dearest. Justin McCallum says, “If we are or live with an at-risk person and have to say we cannot be at your wedding, we think it sucks too. Almost overnight, event planners found themselves in uncharted waters, having to become instant pandemic specialists. At Art & Soul Events® we’ve recently developed VIRTUAL PARTY PACKAGES , PARTY AT YOUR FRONT DOOR PACKAGE and MICRO-WEDDING PACKAGES (*for when we are allowed to gather again). AllSeated Day Of Mobile App and Check In System. Dedicated Janitorial & Sanitization Crew hired for the duration of the event, continuously disinfecting frequently touched surfaces like bar tops, stair railings, with a special emphasis on bathrooms. At Art & Soul Events® we love to plan and design bold, rebellious, creative, and soulful weddings with non-traditional formats. Grab our free pandemic wedding planning e-book, Thanks for submitting. You said yes! Right now at APW, we’re assuming that the window for coronavirus wedding concerns is now through at least the spring of 2021. Planning a last minute wedding has never been more relevant, and we're sharing the four steps you need to make it happen in 48 hours or less. For too long, I focused on what the day wasn’t instead of … It’s hard to imagine a vaccine being successfully created, mass-produced, and dispensed to the general public much before then… and that’s probably the best-case situation in a huge, worldwide, logistical undertaking. the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception. Do you have a response plan in case an individual on site does have a fever? And remember that guests aren’t the only people at your weddings—vendors are humans with their own health issues and risk tolerance as well. Traditional buffets, family-style meal service, self-serve food stations, and grazing tables are out for now. Was there something you were planning that didn’t 100% represent you and your partner? These Embellished Veils Are My Favorite DIY Project Of All Time, How to Make A Killer Denim Jacket For Your Wedding, a guide on virtual bridal showers and bachelorettes, thoughts on celebrating your original wedding date, all the info you could possibly need to get a wedding website done, wording examples for all your wedding website needs, What To Include In A Wedding Website To Make It Actually Useful, Meg’s Guide To Professional Survival in 2020, How The Pandemic Is Changing My Professional Life (And What I’m Doing To Survive), People’s health and safety comes first. Wedding party photos are generally made up of a large group of extended friends and family, from all different households. Eat your vegetables. Set up a (calm, cool, and collected) family member or friend who can be your point person, and talk to freaked out loved ones on your behalf. Sit down with your partner now and come up with a list of deal-breakers, and also trigger events where you would want to sit down and re-assess. Planning a wedding … Given that this situation is a first for a lot of vendors, they may be willing to be flexible. Take a quick sigh, knowing that you can immediately take those formerly mandatory invitees off of your core invite list. TV flat screens to broadcast the concurrent virtual party? YES! Do we need lapel microphones for the ceremony to mic the officiant, couple, or anyone giving a reading? Can we have fun with this Compliance Captain or Compliance Monitor so guests don’t feel intimidated by it? While I was wading through the initial shock of COVID-19 and our new (ab)normal, I found comfort in reading about the 5 stages of grief. So if you need to go into full-on stress and breakdown mood, do it. You’ll want to add a box of disposable masks, gloves, Clorox wipes, and hand sanitizer to your emergency kit (if available). Is waving the new acceptable greeting? Coffee Service: do we need a coffee station attendant, do we offer tableside coffee service to avoid guests touching the coffee urn and coffee creamers? For couples with an aesthetic that's more sleek and modern than garden-inspired, though, a chic event is still within reach. Here’s everything you need to know about wedding planning during the COVID-19 pandemic. While it isn’t set in stone, some vendors will likely honor the deposit you previously paid, but you’ll also have to work around our calendars since many wedding pros book 6-18 months in advance. Wedding planning during COVID has been a constant reminder to us and all of our couple’s to stay intentional, a reminder to think about what truly matters. Get Ahead “There are many things you can still accomplish in your wedding planning with things being closed. If that’s not your thing, I recommend having no more than 2 or 3 people in your getting ready room, to allow your photographer to comfortably physically distance themselves, while capturing beautiful getting ready details. Maybe. Too many people will end up touching the gift, which increases the chances of passing germs and exposure. Now is the time to throw it out! You’ve been planning for months throughout quarantine. As my bride Jorie said, “it's the highest value-to-dollars-spent"! If you decide to go to a wedding and want to be as safe as possible, Dr. Schaffner says the standard rules of COVID-19 prevention are still important. 1. Wedding Planning during Covid-19 pandemic Love in the time of Covid-19. You have the freedom to change up the format, invite only the core group of people that matter most, and highlight the wedding day components that are most important to you. But in most cases you’re going to be dealing with many more shades of grey, so think about what your options are. Back in the spring, we spent the better part of a month on the phone and Zoom talking to wedding professionals about coronavirus and weddings. Will you design custom face coverings or buy disposable masks to offer to your guests upon arrival? Bar Service: Waiters tray passing drinks and taking drink orders over standing in bar lines? If You’re Having A Wedding, Be Mindful of The Health Of Your Guests (And Vendors). It’s also unpredictable. Now that we’ve lived through half a year of this nightmare, we figured it was definitely time for an update and a fresh look at wedding planning during COVID. Can you skip dancing? Most of us are not traveling on airplanes right now, unless it’s an absolute emergency. You cannot field every text and question from every guest and relative, so do yourself a couple of favors. Hand Sanitizers at each table and on the bar, or as guest favors? Get enough sleep. Minus the insanity, plus the marriage. 9 Wedding-Worthy Face Masks in a Variety of Styles. How do we handle group portraits and extended family photos while keeping a 6 feet distance? For now, in-person gatherings are currently prohibited in Los Angeles County. Take a walk. If you’re planning a wedding during the COVID-19 pandemic, communicating with your guests is more important than ever.In order to prepare your loved ones for your event, sending a “COVID wedding safety email” in the weeks leading up to your event is essential (we recommend sending this via email and putting the text on your wedding website before RSVPs are due). Throw a virtual engagement party » 5. When we wrote our first big post on planning a wedding in the middle of COVID (back on March 11), things still felt like they might be short-lived. How to move forward with your wedding during COVID-19. Even if you’re giving the couple a check, mail it … Now we toss to y’all. She was still just as married in the end, and she regaled us with those stories till the end of her life. Do we eliminate the classic bridesmaids and groomsmen group photos? By: Diane Forden & Mary Clarke -AS SEEN IN BRIDAL GUIDE MAGAZINE- Click here to instantly access our COVID-19 couple's guide! 1. Keep in mind, the coronavirus wedding situation is always changing, and fast. I know I am not the only one experiencing the frustration, sadness and stress associated with planning a wedding during COVID-19. Planning a wedding was labor intensive before coronavirus became a common phrase. Photographers can no longer cram into a small hotel room with guests from all different households to capture getting ready shots. How can you now reduce the guestlist, you painstakingly created? Lucy explains how to strike the right balance: At a time when coming together is more important than ever, let’s take this opportunity to create meaningful and memorable experiences. It has been a pandemic of disappointments for couples, who had to cancel or postpone their special day. Savor the moment! Update your website with all the coronavirus wedding information you have (as you have it), and point everyone to that website. This isn’t just about their personal health, it’s about the fact that they might be a vector to spread the disease to more vulnerable populations. Physical Space: How do we add more physical space at any staffed food service stations? Food & Beverage Minimums: will F&B minimums and catering guarantees need to be reduced if guest capacities are reduced? Don't let it pass without the laughter and memories that speeches bring. Would that push you back to the side of postponing their weddings you’re not alone everything is?! People attend, are you comfortable moving forward a huge wide shot while everyone physically. 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