Spring has sprung which means wedding season will be back in full force! Unfortunately, we’re in 2020-2.0 which means you’ll probably be implementing some COVID-19 safety restrictions on your “I Do” day. While my husband and I ended up getting married during a lull in our states COVID-19 spikes, we still made many, many changes to our wedding day. If you’re getting married in the coronavirus era, here is wedding advice from a COVID bride.
#1. Do not feel guilty about your COVID wedding.
I had quite a few people in my circle who just couldn’t fathom how I could still want to get married when a global pandemic was happening. I know, people were sick and dying and the uncertainty was too much to handle for most of us. But I needed joy. And I needed life to move forward.
It wasn’t a decision we took lightly either, with planning, canceling venues, switching our protocol–it’s all time, work, and money. At the end of the day, you shouldn’t feel guilty moving forward with your wedding so long as you do it safely.
#2. Let people decide what they want to do!
When we decided to cut our wedding guest list in half in order to meet state guidelines, we knew it was going to be a challenge. But if we wanted to get married, it was necessary. The first step we took was reaching out to our entire bridal party to basically say look, no hard feelings if you don’t want to do this, but we need to know ASAP. And that did mean we lost some of our bridal party members–but it was okay! You can’t harbor ill feelings towards people you care about because they have concerns–so don’t be that couple. (Trust me, I know those people–they are the worst!)
Once we had the bridal party taken care of, we (and by we, I mean me) started drafting letters to go inside our bridal shower and wedding invitations basically saying that the numbers would be cut down, social distancing and CDC guidelines would be followed, etc. In addition, we made sure to say that everyones health and safety matters–if you RSVP yes but become ill, don’t come. If you don’t feel comfortable attending–don’t come, it’s alright!
We found that by letting our guests make that call themselves and honestly, giving people an out that required no discussion, no explanation just an RSVP of “no,” made everyone feel better about the situation.
#3. Be prepared!
Planning a wedding, bridal shower, or engagement party in the pre-COVID days was relatively easy–you needed food, drinks, venue. Done. (Alright, not easy–but the stress you felt was normal wedding stress, not holy– the world is ending around me stress.) In the COVID-19 era, you need all those things plus hand sanitizer, masks, gloves, throw-away/individual use items, more seating that is spaced out, vendors who will correctly follow COVID-19 guidelines, etc. It gets expensive! And let me tell you, I know plastic and paper plates are not every gals cup of tea, but trust me, when there is a global pandemic that transfers from respiratory droplets and saliva, you don’t want to be touching people’s nasty utensils!
Plus, Amazon, Michaels, Target–they all have super cute party supplies that matches your theme without compromising on safety.
One more thing on being prepared–be very, very prepared for people who will tell you what to do and how. Everyone thinks they are a wedding expert, and everyone things they know what to handle a global pandemic–but they don’t. Do your research, ask questions, and be honest. (And take a deep breath before responding to any unsolicited COVID wedding advice.)
#4. Don’t let fear take over.
I am not a crier by nature, but when I tell you I would just sob because I had the fear of causing the death of friends and family looming over me, it was no joke. But I also knew I couldn’t let that anxiety take over. I gave people the option not to come, heck–I encouraged people NOT to come. So you can’t feel bad or worry about the unknown.
And by the way–no one caught COVID-19 at my shower or wedding… so it CAN be done.
#5. Enjoy your day.
Whether it’s your bridal shower or wedding, you need to remember to enjoy it. I feel like I didn’t enjoy my events as much as I should have because I was afraid! In fact, the next day my mom and I just stress cried together before my husband and I went on our social distance honeymoon. And now looking back, I should have taken the time to remember that I did what I could to keep people safe, I didn’t make anyone feel like they had to be there, I even called guests who I worried about attending to let them know I had concerns. But people have to make their own personal choices. By laying it out there, by following guidelines, by practicing social distancing, you have done your part.
Don’t let anyone take that away from you! You didn’t choose to have this happen, and if you’re like me, you were more worried about having loved ones not even be able to see you get married in a year or two down the line, so you did what you had to do. And I don’t regret that one bit.
Getting Married in 2021? Take some advice from this COVID bride!
Hey COVID bride, I see you panicking! Have concerns or questions about how you can have a wedding to remember while keeping others safe? Drop me a comment and I can help!
