D4
FALL & WINTER BRIDAL
THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2020
CHRIS CHRISTEN Omaha World-Herald
DAY OF THE WEDDING
Here are proven ways to keep everyone healthy and at ease in what still is a COVID-cautious wedding world.
Reception » Create table assignments that only include members of the same household and maintain at least 6 feet of social distance with those outside your household or friend group. » Set up multiple smaller dance floors to minimize people partying shoulder to shoulder. » Trade a buffet for a sit-down meal. Or serve individually wrapped food items. This might include a gourmet sack lunch for the reception meal, and a sweet-and-salty dessert table with individually wrapped treats dressed up with custom stickers and-or ribbon. » Serve bottled drinks, and avoid community drink stations. Havewaiters go tableside to pour champagne for toasts. Or place bottles on each guest table.
Ceremony » Create a station for temperature checks and hand sanitizing for guests arriving for the ceremony and reception. » Encourage mask-wearing indoors and outdoors where maintaining 6 feet of social distance will be difficult. » Skip paper programs and email or text a digital version to your guests. » Seat guests by household for the ceremony and encourage social distancing among people outside family and friend groups. » Livestream your ceremony for family and friends who are unable to attend. » Skip the receiving line and go table to table at the reception to acknowledge your guests. » No hugs! Instead bump elbows, wave or blow mask-shielded kisses.
Couples marrying in late 2020 and early 2021 no doubt are feeling insecure about their ceremony and reception plans amid the coronavirus pandemic. Six months ago, celebrating in person with lots of guests anywhere in the U.S. was an impossibility because of COVID-19 lockdowns. A flicker of normalcy briefly returned — at least to Nebraska weddings. In early September, state-imposed health mandates for reception venues were mostly lifted. Now, they’re coming back. This is definitely not the time to throw caution to the wind. Those COVID-19 germs are still out there. And health officials continue to encourage people to follow voluntary guidelines to reduce the risk of a resurgence of the disease.
Before the ceremony
» Downsize your guest list without apology — out of an abundance of caution. If you have a wedding website, post a memo to your guests saying that you regret that your numbers are going to be limited to immediate family and their plus-ones — or whatever you decide. Everyone will understand. And, trust us, your wedding memories will not be compromised. Every couple we’ve encountered has cherished their downsized day. » Two weeks before the ceremony, check in with your wedding party to be sure no one is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. If so, ask them to be tested to be sure it’s safe to travel and mingle with others.
Place hand sanitizer in strategic locations throughout the ceremony and reception venues. Consider a small bottle for every guest table. [ ]
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