Hello, hello!
Our team at Serendipitous Events has had such a great year so far full of weddings & events & for that we would love to say THANK YOU! Thank you to all of our wonderful brides & grooms, clients, & vendors for making this year so successful amidst everything that has happened. With that said, I would like to talk about the question that has popped up at all of our events & will continue to be a question for as long as COVID-19 is around - How To Plan Your Event During A Pandemic?
If you were or are still going to be a 2020 bride, groom, mother of the bride, vendor, etc. you know all about having to accommodate & compromise a few things on your big day that you wouldn’t have initially chosen or done. Since March, the wedding & event industry has been hit hard with postponements & overall cancellations due to the infamous coronavirus. All wedding professionals have become very creative with ways to continue your celebration in a safe way, of course!
Here are a few ways to make family & guests feel a little more comfortable during your event:
#1) SANITIZER: Most venues have accommodated to this pretty well in the Sioux Falls area & have provided extra hand sanitation pumps throughout their building, but we also recommend placing hand sanitizer in high traffic areas such as the bar, buffet line, dessert table, guest book table, & guest tables. A lot of our clients have also gotten creative & have had travel sized hand sanitizer as gift favors with sayings like: “Spread love, not germs.”
2.) STOPLIGHT METHOD: The stoplight method includes colored bracelets in green, yellow, & red. Just like a stoplight, the bracelets hold the same meaning. Green = Comfortable with hugs & celebrating on the dance floor! Yellow = Okay with talking! Red = I’m celebrating from a distance. This has been used at SO many weddings & events that most guests are accustomed to this system by now. It is a great visual for the bride & groom who are going around during dinner time to thank their guests, & also perfect for the DJ to see who is comfortable on the dance floor as they go around to dismiss tables for dinner.
3.) MASKS: The most common tip - Provide disposable masks for your guests to use! Guests who will want to wear masks, will more than likely bring their own, but it is a nice gesture to have placed at the guest book table upon entrance - along with a bottle of hand sanitizer, of course!
4.) OUTSIDE: If able, have your wedding be outdoors as much as possible! Luckily for us, we have great venues in our area that are able to accommodate this request with most venues having areas for outdoor ceremonies, cocktail hours, & the option to have garage doors & barn doors open during your reception & still have that indoor feeling. You may also opt for a tent wedding! This allows your guests ease of mind when attending knowing there will be plenty of space to enjoy the evening!
Picture: Jake Photography | Tent: Ideal Tent & Event Rentals | Lighting: DJ Jer
5.) SEATING: Have extra seating in your floor plan! This allows for guests to be able to be spread out during your ceremony & dinner at their comfort level. Another fun element to include would be to mix & match furniture & spread out for your ceremony. Talk about eye appealing & ultimate comfort!
6.) COMMUNICATION: Be transparent to your guests! This is such a HUGE point while planning during the current pandemic we’re in. You want all of your favorite people to be able to attend your big day & stay as safe as possible! A great way to do this is to have a website stating your guest count so older guests or any guest with a compromised immune system knows how many people are expected & they can determine if they are comfortable accepting the invitation to celebrate! Another tip would be to let guests know whether or not your event will be hosted outdoors or if any social distancing guidelines are in place, such as masks required, so they can plan ahead of time.
It is YOUR big day & it is entirely up to you how you would like to approach celebrating, but keep in mind of those around you. Thank you for tuning in - If you have any other suggestions or ideas you have done at your events in regards to guest safety or anything COVID related please leave them in the comments, we would LOVE to hear them!
“Because at the end of the day this is about the bride and groom. The day and the people are important, but the marriage is the most important.”
Pictured: All 6 of our rockstar planners & most of our amazing 2020 couples. <3