Day 12 of the 30 Day Writing Challenge
Getting married during Covid-19? Hardly fun, is it? I have to tell you, this last month has been interesting with the ever evolving guidelines for social gatherings regulated by the government. It’s meant shifting our plans. And that hasn’t exactly always been easy. I have been upset, I have been annoyed, and I’m finally teetering into overwhelmed. I guess I was bound to there, every bride does.
I do want to say, I know I am lucky to be able to gathering with my family for this very special day. I’m lucky that I wasn’t forced to postpone, or have a super small event, with barely my immediate family being with us. So I am not complaining, but rather expressing my thoughts and feelings in regards to how this wedding planning is developing because it’s no where near typical.
To Recap
In January, we cemented plans with a venue for us to be married on August 22, 2020. March 2020, COVID hit. For a few months, our plans were in limbo. At the end of May, beginning of June, we started contacting our venue to get an idea of what would happening and were basically told to postpone and so we started searching for a new venue. All of June was a constant conversation about what we could do and basically going slightly nuts as nothing seemed right, or even reasonable to attempt.
But at the beginning of July, we found a venue that would host fifty people for dinner and we booked with that venue as we were delighted with the grounds and the fact that we could actually gather our family for a wedding dinner. We understood that there would be no dancing, but we also were under the impression that everything else would be pretty standard. For instance, we asked if we could have our first dance and were told yes. But, then the region where our venue is located went into phase 3 of reopening and things started changing.
The guidelines
Because we are now in phase 3, we are able to have our wedding inside in the ballroom as opposed to outside in the tent, so the venue moved us into there without consulting us. Which was not a big deal to me and my hubby to be, but we were told that we could not have table linens. Which begged a few questions, foremost being how ugly are these tables? Because let’s face it, most places have round tables with ugly mental legs and that would just kill the look and feel of the room and wedding. I still have no idea whether or not we can have linens.
Then, I was also told I could not have a guest book. Which did shock me as I didn’t really see why that was in the guidelines. Essentially, it’s because everyone would be touching the book. I was even told providing pens and hand sanitizer wipes would not be sufficient. Which I will admit, really annoyed me. If they (the government, health experts and officials) are constantly telling us to wash our hands, then why wouldn’t this precaution address the concern of being infected through a surface contact? But the venue cannot of course go against the government guidelines without risking being fined or shut down. So that is that. And this is upsetting, because I really wanted that written record from our family of well wishes and advice. It’s a small thing, but it was important to me and I am still upset.
The lastest development today was that no more than four people can be seated at a table and that no one can get up and speak to someone at another table. Even if they are in the same social bubble. Even if that person is their brother. Even if they maintain physical distancing. Now, I’m not really upset about this, but it does make me laugh because it does strike me as bit absurd that even with physical distancing no one can get except to go to the loo or the bar. So I guess a part of me just thinks this is ridiculous and probably unnecessary. But, again, it is what it is. Although, on further thought, how do I seat a family of five? Or a single person? *face plant*
When Life Gives you Lemons…
You know the old saying, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. We are truly trying to make the best of things. So far we have been lucky, now it’s just a matter of being creative with the guidelines. And I think that many of us are learning how to think outside the box during this pandemic. We have found new ways to connect to others, new ways to work, new ways to have fun. It’s not easy trying to organize an event with as many variables as a wedding, but the industry has gotten creative and is also somehow managing to juggle the guidelines. And couples are getting creative too–creating the seating plan will certainly force me to get creative!
For instance, if I can’t have table linens, I will look into having runners and greenery. Maybe even chair covers. As for my guest book, I think that I will have to give up entirely which really saddens me. I’ll have to see and seriously think outside the box. But I plan to make this day work, and for it to be just as special as it would have been without Covid and these restrictions.
Have you been to a wedding during the pandemic? What was it like? Share in the comments below.
