Whether you’re newly engaged or you’ve been waiting for a while, there are still so many questions that remain when it comes to 2021 weddings amidst a pandemic:
“Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence”
Colin Powell
- Will my 2021 wedding be allowed to happen?
- Will I have to reduce the number of guests?
- Should I consider postponing my wedding?
- How will the vaccine rollout affect my wedding?
- Will my guests be required to wear masks?
While we remain hopeful these future celebrations can return to normal soon, we’ve been closely following the recommendations, restrictions and news bulletins put out by health experts while we wait for the COVID-19 vaccine to become available for the general public. There is still plenty of uncertainty around 2021 and how we will be able to interact with others, but we have noticed some emerging trends and want to share our opinion with you on this year’s potential wedding landscape:
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Weddings from January to May 2021
If your 2021 wedding falls between the months of January and May this year, you must decide whether you are willing to compromise your wedding plans in order to meet all of the restrictions in place if you want to keep your original wedding date. We’ve heard that some kind of social gathering restriction will most likely remain in place until May 2021, or until the general public has access to the COVID-19 vaccine. We know from personal experience that a pandemic wedding is possible because we have organised several in the last year. However, keep in mind that a spring 2021 wedding will most likely look similar to those in 2020, rather than the pre-COVID weddings you may have envisioned.
Begin thinking about which wedding details you can live without and which you cannot during your decision-making process. If you decide to keep your original early 2021 wedding date, some compromises you may have to make include: all attendees wearing masks on the dance floor, plated meals instead of a buffet, assigned tables throughout the celebration, various reception restrictions, and most likely a reduced headcount. Consider that anything that may help limit the spread of COVID-19 may become a requirement at your wedding if you decide to go ahead with it. Until the vaccine is available to the general public, you should consider implementing the same safety precautions at your wedding that have been expected throughout the pandemic, in accordance with your wedding location and local ordinance. If you’re not sure where to begin, consider the following:
Are we willing to proceed with our wedding if the current restrictions remain in place?
If you and your fiance say no to this question, we recommend that you begin discussions with your wedding planner, venue, vendors, and invited guests about postponing the wedding to a later date.
Weddings from June to December 2021
If your wedding takes place between June and December in 2021, we wish we could tell you it will be a piece of cake from there! We, like the rest of the world, cannot predict the future or when the vaccine will be available to the general public. If we had the data and information to give you specific advice on how to proceed, you can bet we’d dole it out like ice cream! We believe, however, that this information will become widely available in the coming months, and we will eagerly await its arrival alongside you.
If you’re planning a wedding this summer, fall, or winter, we encourage you to be optimistic. Health experts and professionals around the world appear optimistic that vaccines will be available to the public by May-June 2021, so there is hope that restrictions will be eased, if not lifted, in the coming months. However, we recommend that you start talking to your fiance and family right away about what compromises you’re willing to make if the vaccines don’t arrive on time. You may be asked to pivot at the last minute, so consider the following while you wait:
How many people have you invited to your wedding so far? Are you willing to limit the total number of guests if necessary? If so, what is the smallest number of guests you are willing to accept?
What is the size of your venue? Is there enough space to properly space out the tables and all of your guests if social distancing is still in effect?
Is it possible to have an outdoor reception or an open-air tent?
Are you willing to proceed with the celebration if masks are still required at your prefered wedding location? Consider how you will look in photographs, at the reception, on the dance floor, and how your guests will feel overall.
Do you intend to serve a buffet? Would you consider serving a plated meal instead if the restrictions limit your guests’ movement?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, we recommend taking a deep breath and sighing it out. This scenario could not have been predicted, and there is no right or wrong answer to any of these questions. It is entirely up to you how you want your wedding to look – COVID or not. If you want to have a pre-COVID wedding, you may have to be patient as the world adjusts and vaccines are administered. If getting married on your original date is important to you, it’s time to start thinking about possible compromises to make it all happen.
If you’re still undecided about your 2021 wedding, that’s fine! All we are suggesting is that you begin having these conversations with all parties involved so that you are prepared for whatever scenario may arise. We understand that these are difficult decisions to make, but the added pressure of having to make them quickly when constraints change can make the process a lot more stressful if you haven’t already discussed them and the options.
We know this isn’t a fun or easy process, and we’re sorry you have to add more stress and consideration to planning your special wedding celebration. If you’re thinking about a wedding in 2021, whether you’re newly engaged or have been planning it for a while, reach out to us for help navigating the planning process in the midst of a pandemic. We reimagined weddings as we knew them in 2020 to continue celebrating the union of loved ones, and if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that the joyful art of celebration is no less meaningful with a small guest list or a socially distanced design.
