How to get married in the middle of a pandemic
Back in March of 2020, I received my first frantic email from one of my wedding coordinating clients. It read as pure panic, something along the lines of “Oh my God, am I going to have to cancel my wedding?”
It was the first in a slew of many, and it kicked off a year and a half of turmoil in the $60 billion a year wedding industry. Once it became clear it was going to take more than a few weeks for life to go back to “normal,” event professionals were forced to adapt and adjust. And we did. We hosted elopements and drive-through ceremonies and Zoom weddings. We made it work. Over the summer of 2021, it seemed like we had finally made it to the promised land. Life wasn’t back to normal, but with vaccines and loosened restrictions, we could finally get back to business, even if it wasn’t exactly as usual.
The fall of 2021 was busy, and a precursor as to what was to come. We’re heading into 2022 expecting it to be the biggest year the wedding industry has seen in modern history. With postponements from 2020 and 2021 finally rescheduled, in addition to the normal slew of weddings seen yearly, approximately 2.5 million weddings are expected to take place in 2022, according to the Wedding Report. Some experts predict the industry could see a boost of up to 20% in profits.
But the Omicron variant might be disrupting those plans, turning an already beleaguered industry on its head once again, forcing both couples and wedding vendors to look for creative solutions. Many couples with weddings scheduled for 2022 have already postponed—some multiple times—and don’t want to have to delay their big day any further. The question remains: is there such a thing as a COVID-safe wedding with case numbers steadily on the rise? It is still possible to have a safe and special celebration, and these are my tricks.
Cut your guest list
This is sometimes an unpopular suggestion (it’s often recommended as a budget saving tip), but in the midst of COVID, it’s necessary, and the majority of your guests are not going to fault you for it. In fact, you might even find that many of your guests, especially those who might be at high risk, are relieved to have an out. The key to approaching this situation is to be open, honest, and communicative. Let your friends and relatives know that safety is your top priority, and because of that, you have decided to scale back on the number of invites. Celebrate with those closest to you now, and plan for a bigger party later. Requiring all guests to be vaccinated and boosted is also important (and may cut your guest list for you!).
Keep it outdoors
I have coordinated both indoor and outdoor weddings in recent months, and guests are noticeably more relaxed when the festivities are outdoors, which means everyone gets to enjoy the party. I’m lucky enough to live and work in Southern California, where outdoor weddings are an option year-round. But no matter where you are hosting your wedding, try your best to keep it outdoors. It’s not only safer, it tends to make all of your guests feel more comfortable because they aren’t squeezing into an enclosed space with a large group of people.
Stay local
Traveling to a wedding can be an issue even when we’re not in the middle of a pandemic, so limiting travel as cases surge is even more essential. Staying local doesn’t necessarily mean local to the couple, but local to where the majority of the guests reside. If you and your partner are the only ones who live in Los Angeles and the rest of your friends and family are out of state, it’s safer for you to travel to them, rather than ask all of them to travel to you. Cutting travel also cuts exposure, which is better for everyone.
Rapid test at the door
I know, easier said than done these days, but one way to ensure everyone feels comfortable attending your event is to rapid test at the door. I have seen this done a couple of ways. One is by hiring a medical concierge service to come and handle the testing for you. The other is to stock up on rapid tests (again, I know that’s not so easy right now!) and employ a friend or family member to oversee testing at the door. If you can afford it, it’s a task best left to the professionals, but either way, testing is key.
Mask up
Of course no one wants to be wearing masks at their wedding, but if your wedding date does happen to fall during a surge, it’s a step you want to think about taking. At this point, we’re all used to wearing them, and you can even get cute ones to match your theme or décor. And of course, your vendors should be masked at all times.
I’m sure there are many couples out there who never envisioned a pandemic raging during their wedding—how could anyone have planned for or expected it? But by now we know there are ways to celebrate while still keeping friends, family members, and wedding industry professionals safe.
2022 is going to be a year full of celebrations, so let’s make sure we’re marking these momentous occasions as safely as possible.
Falon Ballard is the author of Lease on Love (G.P. Putnam’s Sons). When she’s not writing fictional love stories, she’s helping real-life couples celebrate, working as a wedding planner in Southern California.
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