Intimate Gatherings and Small Guest Lists

Due to COVID-19, more people are having small and intimate wedding gatherings to abide by policies and guidelines. To prioritize the health and safety of families, couples are making the difficult decision to decrease their guest lists. Smaller weddings allow for a more intimate setting and atmosphere. As COVID guidelines relax, it will be interesting to see if this trend sticks or if there is a wave of large weddings.

  

Backyard Venues

Outdoor weddings have become more popular due to COVID-19 as it provides a safer environment and allows more space to social distance. Additionally, as guest lists have become smaller, intimate settings such as a backyard are being utilized.

 

Assigned Seating

While assigned seating is often used for specific family members during the ceremony, more people are using it for all their guests due to COVID-19. Seating groups by pods has also become popular as guests want to know who they are sitting with prior to the event.

 

 

Individualized Eating

Formal dinner services, and individualized food displays including mini wedding cakes, have become popular as a safety precaution for COVID-19. While buffet catering used to be the usual choice, couples are choosing individualized options to limit the sharing of utensils and uncovered food. This is made easier when you have smaller guest lists and assigned seating as mentioned earlier.

 

Live Streaming

As COVID-19 greatly affected people’s ability to travel, live streaming your ceremony has become an alternative option. For those who can’t travel or visit, live streaming is a great idea. While it may seem unconventional, as long as there are no technical issues live streaming allows for more friends and family to be involved and is a great way to record those special moments.

 

These are just a few trends that have risen since COVID-19 and social distancing guidelines. It will be interesting to see how many of them remain over the next few years, and which ones disappear. All these trends can be difficult to keep up with so why not utilize us for your wedding planning. Our Conference and Event Services Team can help you navigate the difficulty of planning a wedding and ensure your special day is perfect. Check us out on Instagram at going_tothechapel for beautiful pictures and inspiration!