Our Cocktails & Details® team hasn’t been using the ‘C-Word,’ – COVID-19 – in our blogs, and social media. Instead, we’ve focused on sharing the fantastic images and stories of our couples.

Weddings Reimagined

Earlier this year, we talked with People TV and The Knot about reimaging weddings during COVID-19. We focused on reimagining intimate experiences that captured what our clients wanted in their original wedding plans.

Reimagining weddings focused on incorporating personal details and unique elements, but on a slightly smaller scale. 

The World As We Know It

As life moves forward, regulations in our little corner of the world, especially around COVID-19 and weddings, have become a little blurry.

What is required, interpreting guidelines, and what is enforced has become confusing for our couples and pros alike.

Rules that allow for fifty people in a space, but allow more than fifty people if you can maintain physical distancing, are hard to decode. For example, outdoor weddings are permitted and encouraged. Even wedding receptions in a tent are allowed – but just not a tent with walls.

Some venues are requiring masks inside. Unfortunately, other spaces are not enforcing masks. And, while we know guests are not required to wear masks while eating and drinking, many are getting a little too comfortable and not putting them back on after dinner.

Reality Of COVID-19 for Wedding Pros

We’re not here to bash people who are not enforcing the rules. We want to share the reality of our Cocktails & Details® team and many of the pros we know.

A majority of the wedding pros we are working with are wearing masks. Wedding pros who are fortunate enough to be working might be around multiple couples and their guests in a single week. Not only do we have families at home that we’re trying to protect, but we’re trying to protect you as well.

Don’t be surprised if some of your wedding pros ask you to sign a waiver. We’re just trying to make sure we’re all safe and protected.

Sharing The Truth

And, it won’t surprise you that our Cocktails & Details® team will be completely honest with you. We’re liable to tell you, ‘yes, you can do this, but think about the complications!’

And honestly, we’ll get the job done, your day will be fantastic – but don’t expect any hugging or kissing from us. We love you, but we’ll get the job done from six paces away.

Suggestions for Safer Weddings

Here are some planning and design suggestions we have put into place or recommend for creating a safer environment.

Getting Ready

• Whenever possible, request larger cottages or meeting spaces so that wedding parties can spread out while getting ready. This provides a more comfortable space for them. But also a safer work environment for the hair and makeup artists, photographers, and videographers working with them.

• Take some time ahead of the wedding to gather your accessories, personal items, and things like invitations so they can be photographed away from the wedding party.

• Consider the idea of choosing outdoor locations to do portraits, family, and wedding party photos wherever possible.

Safer Ceremony Seating

We’re always mindful of physically distant seating when it comes to wedding ceremonies.

• Outdoor wedding ceremonies offer more space to accomplish physical distancing and include beautiful design elements.

• Indoors, primarily in houses of worship with pews, roping off every other pew can keep your guests safely separated. 

• In some areas, houses of worship require assigned seating to maintain physical distancing. Our Cocktails & Details® design team can assist in creating seating charts and pew numbers, similar to those used for a wedding reception. 

• Make masks available to wedding guests who have not brought their own. Providing hand sanitizer is always a nice touch as well.

Cocktails & Details®

• Whenever possible, take advantage of outdoor spaced for all or a portion of your cocktail hour.

• Consider displaying multiple seating charts or dividing escort cards onto several tables to keep wedding guests from crowding together.

• Our Cocktails & Details® team makes sure that high touch areas like your guest book or gift table are wiped down frequently. Including containers for new and used pens.

• For your cocktail hour and late night snacks, stations and passed bites can be plated into individual portions. 

Doing Dinner Right

• Ceremony structures and décor can often be repurposed for your reception. These can create decorative dividers that can work well for areas like the bar to keep guests from crowding. 

• Display signage with Signature Cocktails, beer, and wine selections several feet out from the bar. Signage can assist in making choices before they reach the bar and keep the line moving. 

• In addition to keeping dining tables six feet apart – consider a redesign for some smaller tables, keeping family groups seated together.

• Plated dinner service can help minimize unnecessary movement. Consider a served salad rather than a preset salad. During dinner, Wine service is an elegant touch and keeps guests from moving around and gathering at the bar.

• If you choose to offer a buffet dinner, sneeze guards are a MUST. But, also consider investing in additional staff to serve guests, rather than having them touch utensils.

Toasts, Entertainment, and Wedding Cake

• DJs and MCs can usually provide additional microphones for the people making toasts – these can easily be wiped down before and after each toast or blessing.

• Gathering on a dancefloor can be a significant concern. Creating multiple smaller dance floors around the ballroom or dancing outdoors can be creative and safe options.

• If dancing is not an option, look at other entertainment forms to keep your wedding guests engaged. Specialty musicians, singers, or performances can add a unique and personal touch.

• Photobooths can easily be adapted to include single-use props and provide hand sanitizer.

• Consider a smaller version of your wedding cake for display purposes with the cake being cut and plated or boxed for your guests.

These suggestions are just the tip of the iceberg! 

We know that every couple, family, and situation are different. Our Cocktails & Details® planning and design teams are happy to work with you to create an incredible wedding day- memorable for all the right reasons.

Our Cocktails & Details® team looks forward to celebrating safely with you and your loved ones.