In 2020, 47% of couples that had planned to tie the knot ended up rescheduling for a year or more later. Unfortunately, the impact of COVID-19 is still being felt throughout the wedding industry. If you are planning your big day, there are some new things to keep in mind as you plot your most perfect day.
Communication is key in times like these. Which is why creating a plan is important but informing your guests is even more vital. Read on to find out what your wedding invitations should include in terms of COVID-19.
“Disclaimer” Message
The first thing you’ll want to make abundantly clear is that things are a little different than normal. Many people will already expect this to be the case, but an informed guest is a good guest.
Include a sort of “disclaimer” message. This is to remind your guests that the situation is in constant flux. COVID is a new and ever-changing issue that we are all experiencing together.
COVID-19 Wedding Invitation Inserts
Many people don’t want to clutter their beautiful wedding invitations with tons of health and safety information. After all, that’s not what we have dreamed about since we were little, is it? Many people are choosing to include COVID-19 health and safety details on a separate insert.
Health and Safety Plans
Health and safety plans are now necessary to throw an appropriate event. You want this day to be something that you look back on with that same euphoric feeling for the rest of your life. You also don’t want to get a bunch of people sick either.
When you create these plans, be sure to explain them to your guests. Planning is one thing, while getting guests to follow the rules is another.
Logistics
As if you don’t have enough logistical things to think about when planning a wedding! Let your guests know about what plans you’ve put in place to protect them while they attend your event. This can help them make an informed decision about if they can attend.
Information to consider includes:
- Estimated guest count
- Seating arrangements
- Social distancing
- Hand sanitizers
Masks and Vaccination Requirements
Masks and vaccinations can quickly turn into a topic for debate. However, if your guests respect you and your day, they should understand your wishes. Many event spaces are choosing to require specific COVID-19 precautions such as masks and vaccination cards.
Be sure to communicate on your invitation or insert whether they will be required to wear masks and/or be vaccinated. Of course, it’s important to be respectful to your guests, so choose your words wisely.
Testing
Also, inform your guests if you plan to request they get a COVID test before attending. Include how soon you would like for them to be tested before your event as well.
Backup Plans
As previously mentioned, things can change at any moment. It’s important to go into this with a backup plan. Be sure to include your dream date but have a backup date as well if possible. Having this information available ahead of time will benefit you and your guests when it comes to planning.
RSVP
RSVPs are already essential for the traditional wedding planning process. However, they are even more helpful when planning an event during COVID. The number of people attending your event can greatly affect the choices you will need to make.
You should encourage your guests to respond as quickly as possible to their invitations. Unfortunately, there will likely be more people who are unable to attend.
Another thing to keep in mind is the restrictions regarding the number of people that are allowed to gather. This has changed several times, but you should plan to accommodate or change plans if something were to come into effect again.
Instructions for Virtual Attendance
When people are not able to attend, or you’ve chosen to go with a smaller ceremony, allow guests to celebrate with you even from afar. This means that your invitations could be solely a virtual invitation or another backup for people who won’t be able to attend.
Live streaming your wedding has become incredibly common and easy to accomplish. Facebook and Zoom are easy platforms to work with. In addition, you’ll be able to keep this footage of your special day forever.
Take the time to explain how guests can access this. Not everyone is technically proficient, but this process is relatively simple.
FAQ Link
Create a FAQ link for guests to refer to when they need more information. Wedding websites are relatively common and give you the ability to accept RSVPs, share stories, create a wedding registry, and list important information.
This might be a way for you to replace the health and safety insert. But, you’ll want to ensure that everyone has reviewed that information one way or another.
Sending Out Updates
Let your guests know that you will send out updates if anything were to change. Tell them how they will be contacted or where the information will be shared. You may also want to follow up to let them know when things aren’t changing to make sure that they are still on the same page.
Creating Useful Wedding Invitations During COVID
As you know, planning a wedding is no easy feat. Using your wedding invitations as a means to protect and spread information about health and safety is essential in these times! But to make sure that your day is as perfect as you have always dreamt, you need to consider these new details that COVID has presented us with.
One day may we all look back and think of this time with a more positive outlook, and may your day be a shining light in times where things seem so negative!
Need more help planning your big day? Check out our helpful articles and resources!
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