Planning wedding festivities can be stressful enough for all parties involved– no matter if you’re the bride, mother of the bride, or maid of honor. Throw a global pandemic in the mix and it can seem next to impossible. Despite the added challenges, there are a few tips you can keep in mind to make wedding festivities as safe and stress-free as possible for yourself and those involved!
Opt for Outside
One of the biggest things to keep in mind when planning a wedding or celebration in 2020 is the available outdoor space. Not only is an outdoor celebration a better option when it comes to reducing the spread of germs, but it is likely that many of your guests will feel more comfortable mentally when socializing in an outdoor setting. Plus, it is easier to maintain social distancing when you aren’t confined to an indoor facility. Keep in mind, however, that any outdoor celebration will require backup plans for “just in case” scenarios, such as bad weather or extreme temperatures.
Nix Shared Food and Beverages
We often don’t realize how many opportunities there are to spread germs at social gatherings, especially while we’re eating and drinking. To keep mealtime sanitary, consider nixing buffet-style shared food and plan for more individually dished or packaged meals and snacks.
When it comes to drinks, keep the punch bowl in the cupboard and fill your coolers to the brim with individual bottles, cans, and mini liquor bottles to avoid sharing full-sized bottles. Serving your guests in this way may make some party planners nervous about running out. Thanks to technology, however, you can refill your coolers almost instantly at the palm of your hand with an app that can have alcohol delivered right to your celebration. Not only will having such a convenient tool in your back pocket help relieve party planning stress, but it saves yourself and your guests from having to leave the celebration to make a grocery store run.
Offer Guests a Virtual Option
Of course, we want all of our favorite people to be able to join in on our big life celebrations, but keep in mind that everyone will have varying comfort levels in light of the current pandemic. If someone backs out of your celebration due to feeling uncomfortable, it is important to remain understanding, supportive, and inclusive. Just because guests may not feel comfortable being there physically, doesn’t necessarily mean that they don’t want to support you emotionally. Give them the opportunity to “be there” by live-streaming your event or send the link out to a zoom channel so remote guests can at least give you their best wishes and watch some of the festivities!
Go Heavy on Cleaning and Sanitizing
It is more important now than ever to keep extra cleaning solutions on hand, especially if you’re planning a party or get together. This includes making plenty of hand sanitizer, disinfectant spray/wipes, and hand soap readily available for your guests to utilize at any point. Many couples are purchasing bulk hand sanitizers as party favors for their guests. By doing this, you’re making sure each guest has access to sanitizer and it helps assure your guests that sanitizing for their health is important to you. For an added touch, print or purchase custom labels for each bottle!