We’re all living in a slightly awkward, in-between time dealing with COVID – especially brides! Instead of weddings being at a complete halt, they’re picking back up again but with restrictions.
As brides start wedding planning again, there are more things to think about so I figured I’d reach out to a Minnesota wedding planner, Events by Melody to give some tips on planning in this gray time! Please keep in mind, these are current Minnesota wedding details and restrictions as of June 22, 2020 and may change over time. 🙂
Events by melody
Minnesota Wedding Planner
Guest List
Given that the COVID pandemic has made a huge impact on weddings, you may be faced with the difficult decision to have to cut down your guest list. Communication is key right now and you’ll want to either post updates on your wedding website or send out a letter in the mail letting guests know you are weighing your options and considering everyone’s safety and wellbeing. It might not be easy having to trim your guest list, but you’ll need to adhere to local regulations at the time of your wedding. Currently in Minnesota, 25% of the max. capacity of the venue is allowed with a max of 250 guests. On top of that, you need to also adhere to social distancing of at least 6′, so that lowers your number even more. At the end of the day, your guests will understand if you need to cut down the numbers to adhere to local regulations. In fact, some guests might not even be comfortable attending your wedding due to the pandemic and perhaps they are avoiding large gatherings at the time. Also, think of those guests who are considered high-risk or who need to travel from afar. Another option is to include the guests who can’t physically be attending your wedding in person to join virtually! Some DJs and videographers have pivoted their businesses to offer this service so check with them to see what your options are.
Food/Beverage
While self-serve options have been a popular option in the past, those types of services may disappear for the time being or possibly even for good if COVID continues to pose a threat. Self-serve options include items such as buffet and family style dinner options, coffee service, dessert tables, water/beverage stations, etc. all might be a thing of the past. Instead, expect your catering crew to hire more staff to be onsite for the duration of your wedding as waitresses/waiters will need to be the ones serving the coffee, dessert, etc. Another option that has been discussed is to still allow self-serve options but those stations must be staffed by a catering professional. This topic is still a work in progress but be sure to follow up with your caterer as they’ll likely be educated on the latest guidelines surrounding this topic.
Dance Floors
This is another subject that is still up in the air and evolving as we obtain more information from local authorities. For now, it sounds like dancing may be permitted, but it depends on the venue on how they want to handle things. With the current MN guidelines in place, all guests must be seated at all times for the duration of your wedding. So, how can dancing even happen then? It sounds like dancing is permitted if you’re dancing with your family (household members). However, if you do not live in the same household, you must be at least 6′ away from others. There is a lot of grey area here. Be sure to contact your venue as they will be able to give you the most recent information on this and what their current policies are.
Layouts/Seating
Under the current MN guidelines, you can only have 6 guests max at standard 72″ round table if they are living in the same household. Otherwise, that number is 4 max if those guests do not live in the same household. So, what does this mean for you? More tables, more linens, more centerpieces… you get the idea (more money this may end up costing you, but may be balanced out with the decreased guest list). You’ll also need to work with your venue to get creative on figuring out what layout works best in their space with your guest count. With only 4 or 6 guests max. per table, this could get tricky (as if putting together a seating chart wasn’t already stressful enough!)
Check out this link below for COVID-19 updates and more tips from Melody!
