According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 2 million people get married every year. Of course, weddings and large events were temporarily postponed in the wake of the global pandemic.
Now, as states begin to reopen and allow gatherings with restrictions, brides- and grooms-to-be — and anyone else celebrating a major life milestone or event — are beginning to make plans to host their celebrations in summer or fall. What can you expect as events get back underway? How should you plan for them?
Plan for as Much Normalcy as Possible
Whether you are planning a wedding or celebrating another treasured life milestone, like a graduation, promotion, or baby shower, do what you can to make the event feel as normal as possible.
For example, one idea is to plan an outdoor event to help seize as much normality as possible. When assessing event rental companies near me, look for a company with all the necessary equipment to host an event entirely outdoors. Stay on the lookout for tent rentals, tables and linens, chairs, accessories, bar and bar stools, and outdoor dance floor rentals.
An outdoor event allows for more freedom. Place chairs and tables apart. Transmission is much less likely to occur outdoors with adequate spacing. Give guests the option to wear masks if it makes them most comfortable, however. You may even want to consider providing some. Provide relatively inexpensive, one-use medical masks, or order linen masks with a special message or design particular to your event or wedding.
Greater Precautions, But Greater Intimacy
Yes, you absolutely should plan to sanitize and clean more at events this summer, fall, and for the foreseeable future. Weddings and events have been postponed up until now because, in addition to involving large groups of people, they also entailed a lot of shared, high-touch surfaces. Anything from glasses, chairs, tables, and doorknobs may be touched over and over again.
There are a few reasonable and simple things you can do. Once again, throw events outdoors to avoid enclosed spaces and high-touch, shared surfaces like doorknobs. When exploring event rental companies near me, ask their recommendations. Renting a tent and throwing events outdoors makes a lot of sense right now. Ask what measures companies are taking to make certain linens, utensils, and silverware are safe right now and have multiple hand sanitizer stations available for guests to frequently use and take advantage of. Finally, whittle down guest lists. Make events as intimate as possible. Avoid inviting acquaintances or people you may have otherwise invited to keep up appearances.
Shifting Attitudes About Dinner, Drinks, and Hors D’ouevres
Finally, know that some things will change — and some things will remain different for quite a long time, perhaps the next few years. While buffets and self-serve hors d’oeuvres tables have been staples at weddings, holiday parties, and corporate events in the past few years, the new norm will be sit-down meals. Sit-down meals are much easier to keep an eye on.
Consider multiple courses if you would still like to serve appetizers. Ask guests to sit and have servers come to them. This ensures food is properly stowed away in between servings (even the most well-meaning guests may leave the lid off buffet foods if they see someone else nearby) and keeps common surfaces to a minimum. Instead of having each guest touch a serving spoon or fork, servers pass food to them, and guests touch their own utensils only. The good news is, as this style increasingly becomes the norm, more creative options for serving multi-course meals are bound to appear. Once again, ask event rental companies near me — or local catering companies — how they are planning meals and making over appetizers and dinners during the pandemic.
Are you finally making headway with your next event? After settling on the best event rental companies near me, the next steps are to plan your event with the pandemic in mind. Keep things safe, but as normal as possible. Take extra precautions, and serve meals in courses, not family or buffet-style.