Newly Engaged? 2020 Wedding Planning Q&A

Planning a wedding is simple: You celebrate your engagement & begin shopping for wedding venues! But, this year, everything feels a little more complicated. To make it easy again, here are answers to all the questions we hear most regularly. Our vow to you, we’ll make planning your wedding feel exciting and romantic! 

CAN WE TOUR YOUR WEDDING VENUES?

Yes! We offer in-person tours where you and your fiancé will meet one of our wedding experts and explore the venue. If you can’t travel, we can also provide a virtual tour via video link.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET MARRIED IN 2020?

Yes! It’s possible and a great idea. We’ve been hosting safe and spectacular since May after a pause in March and April 2020. We give joy and safety equal prominence so that guests feel confident and can enjoy celebrating with the newly married couple.

What do COVID-19 safety measures look like?

We do all we can to make our venues feel safe and look beautiful so you can relax. Here’s an overview of the actions we take:  

• Every event now has a Sanitation Captain
• The venue is cleaned and disinfected in accordance with official local guidelines
• We regularly disinfect high touch surfaces
• We conduct enhanced cleaning between tours and events  
• Sanitizer stations are provided
• Each venue has additional space outdoors, and we have reconfigured the interior to allow for extra physical distance
• Common areas have 6-foot distance markers, and we have friendly signage to help guests remember to stand back when necessary

How do weddings now compare to pre-COVID-19?

The short answer is that not much appears different for guests. Tables are spaced a little further apart, but the room still looks inviting, our team wears inconspicuous masks, food is protected with display screens, and we recommend a seating plan for the ceremony as well as your formal dinner. Activity by our team to sanitize and safeguard is continuous but behind the scenes. We’ve been implementing these procedures at spectacular events all summer and they’re now second nature.

When is a good time to get married?

As social gathering restrictions ease, we would love to help you get married. If you want to get married soon, we can find you a venue, show you how to get a license, introduce you to excellent vendors, and make it happen.

As you would expect, 2021 dates have filled up fast, but we still have limited availability this year and next. Alternatively, you can book now for far in the future if you want to lock in a date.

We can help you plan and host a wedding in just ten days, but most people take between one and eighteen months.

Will our wedding guests need to wear masks?

Wearing a face covering is optional. A wedding is a private event where you have full control over who attends, so wearing a mask is up to the individual although we recommend masks to help slow the spread.
This may change in the future, so please check with your local county guidelines.

Can we have a DJ and dancing at our wedding reception?

As the newly married couple, we fully expect a first dance! All our venues have large dance floors, and your guests can choose to join the floor or boogie in their seats. To paraphrase the famous song: you can dance if you want to!

Will guests be excited to receive a ‘save the date’ now?

Yes! Everyone needs something to look forward to, and a forthcoming marriage is the ultimate good news. While the pandemic is serious, we should embrace love and find reasons to celebrate! Send your engagement announcements, save the date cards, and invitations. You’ll be making your friends and family smile.

>> How to Avoid Wedding Planning Guilt >>

Some of our intended guests might not be able to travel, should we delay wedding planning?

We hear from many guests who traveled for weddings this summer that airports are becoming busier again as people realize they can fly safely. In addition, many couples choose to add a live-streaming service to their ceremony for guests who are happy to celebrate virtually. Of course, if significant guests cannot travel then you may want to look at a date that’s further out.

Are vendors available?

We’d be delighted to introduce you to our hand-selected wedding vendors. As you can imagine, their work stopped outright for a few months this year. This means they now have more time and can give you unequaled attention to help you achieve the exact wedding vision you want.

Are attire/dress shops open for fittings?

Many are open for one-on-one appointments or can help you with a virtual appointment. If you’re at the beginning of your wedding journey, then a virtual consultation can be fun and useful.

>> Wedding Dress Shopping At Home - Your How To Guide >>

A pre-wedding cake tasting sounds fun, can we do that?

Certainly! You can arrange a one-on-one tasting session at most bakeries. Alternatively, some of our favorite cake makers are sending sample kits to clients so you can make a selection from the comfort of your own home.

Is an engagement party, bachelor/ette, bridal shower possible right now?

Wedding Wire, our partner and an eminent authority on weddings, has great suggestions for safe or virtual events alongside ideas to help make your celebrations extra entertaining.

How Can We reassure Guests?

Local advice varies and so do individual approaches. Be kind and understanding to your guests - after all, they're your best friends and family. Anyone can have circumstances you are not aware of so respect their wishes.

We have a downloadable version of this Q&A which you may wish to email or print and share with your anticipated guests to make sure you're all on the same page. 

We’ve all seen the pandemic response is fast changing. As weddings take an
average on ten months to plan, it’s likely that we’ll return to life as you
knew it way before your big event. Talk to our team today to book a venue tour and start your wedding adventure! 

 

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DURING THE PANDEMIC, ALL INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. THE STATEMENTS IN THIS ARTICLE ARE CORRECT AS OF AUGUST 1, 2020.