A Helpful List of Covid Wedding Ideas

Here comes the…coughing, sneezing, and fatigue? Nothing would be worse than having your wedding lead to an outbreak of covid-19. That’s why thousands of couples decided to put off tying the knot last year.

In fact, the $74 billion wedding industry took a huge hit as covid safety guidelines were put into place. But as more people have the antibodies or the vaccine, those guidelines are starting to shift.

If you and your honey are ready to walk down the socially distanced aisle, you’ll need some solid covid wedding ideas. That’s where we come in. Keep reading for the best ways to make your big day a safe one.

Determine Your Safety Guidelines

As you begin planning a wedding during a pandemic, talk to your venue about their practices. If you’re using an indoor venue, make sure they’re on board with state and federal guidelines. They may offer extra sanitation services as well as hand sanitizer you can use the day of.

To keep all your guests comfortable, space out seating arrangements to limit crowding. While you may not need to keep everyone six feet apart, try to keep households at the same table. If guests are seated in rows, add at least a few feet of space between them.

Whatever guidelines you decide on, add them to your wedding website. This will help your guests know what to expect before they arrive.

Use Covid Favors and Decor

Just because we’re wearing masks and social distancing doesn’t mean it can’t be cute. You can incorporate safety guidelines into your creative wedding decor in many ways.

First, you can coordinate custom masks with your bridesmaids and groomsmen. Choose a style and design that matches your dress or color scheme. Or, mix and match them to create an eclectic feel.

Cute calligraphy placed in strategic spots can remind your guests to stay safe. Get playful with the wording here! Try something like “distance makes the heart grow fonder” or “spread love, not covid-19”.

You can also help your guests by offering covid wedding favors. Think custom-labeled hand sanitizer or masks that match your fun wedding colors.

Have an Outdoor Ceremony

A backyard wedding has never been more in! If you haven’t landed on a venue yet, consider finding one outdoors. If your guest list won’t fit in your backyard, find a venue with ample outdoor space.

Refurbished barns or warehouses create a unique atmosphere for the ceremony or reception. Venues with sweeping lawns offer guests the chance to mingle safely before and after.

Just be sure your guests will still be comfortable while outside. If you live in a warm climate, make sure the outdoor venue can supply fans or other ways for guests to stay cool.

Figure Out Photos

So, how do you handle family photos when you’re trying to social distance? What if the majority of your guests are videoconferencing?

Wedding photos look a little different these days. Everyone may be wearing masks. Or, you may not take many group photos because of health concerns.

Most of all, you’ll want to find a great photographer. Someone who can think of ways to capture group shots without putting anyone at risk.

Consult Your Photographer

This brings us to our next point! Don’t be afraid to ask your wedding photographer about creative ways to stage photos. Your guests may have to don their cute masks to get in close.

You could also try staggering guests so that they’re not too close. This is where a large venue comes in handy again.

Space out your guests so that they’re not squished together. Stagger each line of people so that there’s space in front of and behind them, too. The photos will look unique and capture the cultural moment.

If your guests are watching the live stream, take a moment to get a photo with them, too. Hold up your computer and make sure everyone’s turned on their camera. Set the view to gallery mode and have your photographer snap a shot of you “with” your virtual guests.

Host a Live Stream

Speaking of a live stream, host one! Gone are the days when far-away family members had to miss out on milestones. Now more than ever, live streams can keep your family feeling connected.

Check with your venue to see if they offer any live-stream services. If not, find a conferencing tool you’re comfortable with. Play around with it and make sure you know how you’re going to use it on the day.

You may want to consider enlisting a friend to manage the camerawork. Or, hire a professional videographer to make sure everyone can see and hear you well.

Get Creative

Some couples opt to get extra creative with their ceremonies. You could take a page from their book and host your own drive-in movie wedding. Cast your ceremony on the big screen while guests stay in their vehicles.

Or, instead of dancing the night away, set up outdoor games that involve minimal contact. Cornhole is one great option, as guests stand far from one another as they play. Giant Jenga works really well, too.

Size Down

Finally, you might want to consider sizing down. Fewer guests mean a smaller risk. Not only that, but it makes it much easier to socially distance!

You may decide that having your closest friends and family at the event is most important. Then, invite others to join online. Or, you could give all your guests the option of tuning in virtually.

A smaller guest list doesn’t mean you should look at small wedding venues, though. Having all that extra space will make it easier to spread out seating.

Covid Wedding Ideas

These are just a handful of our favorite covid wedding ideas. Whether your guests are in-person or online, know you’re surrounded by people who love you. Whether your venue is big or small, take a moment to celebrate the love between you and your soon-to-be spouse.

And to capture the big day as perfect as possible, get in touch about wedding packages here.