4 Must-Know Tips for a COVID-Friendly Wedding

Are you currently planning your tented wedding but are straight out of Covid wedding ideas? Luckily for you, here at the Smokehouse Grill we’ve been working throughout the pandemic to continue to give the best wedding services despite the unprecedented times we’re living in. As experts in tent wedding planning with over 20 years of experience, we’ve created this guide to help you check every box on your wedding checklist.

Covid Wedding Ideas For Social Distancing

Ways to Keep Loved Ones Apart and Safe

The best part of having a tented wedding is the fact that you can keep guests safely spread out more than you can indoors, especially with all of the different sized tents available for rent. Tents are the most effective way to keep guests sheltered in case of inclement weather while also allowing them the space needed to safely social distance. 

We recommend separating guests based on households—this way, guests from different households won’t come in contact with each other, but tables can still be used for the reception. With a bit of communication with guests and planning, you’ll be able to have the wedding of your dreams in a safe way with an elegant tent.

Creative Decor: Think Outside the Tent

Want a Covid Wedding? Ideas are Everywhere for Decorating Your Tent!

With the pandemic being one of the strangest things to happen during our lifetime, it gives a lot of leeway for unique and fun wedding ideas. Tented weddings can be elegant and perfectly show your personality—some of our favorite ways to show your personality while also being safe include:

• Hang lights and using fresh, green plants and flowers to accentuate and tie in the nature around your tent. This creates a fresh and calming atmosphere for guests
• Create an elegant and more extensive menu of single-serve plates for all guests. This avoids any kind of contamination while catering to their tastes
• Get fun with welcome gifts due to a smaller guest list—custom masks, sanitizers, and other exciting protectants. You only have one shot for a pandemic wedding!

Choose the Right Tent for Your COVID Wedding

How to Match Your Guest List and Unique Expression to Different Tents

The most important thing to keep in mind is the size of your tent. Due to Covid regulations, you’ll need to keep your guests socially distanced at all times. Because of these guidelines, it’s crucial to match your guest list’s numbers to the size of your tent in order to have the safest wedding experience possible.

When in doubt, it’s always better to have too large of a tent rather than too small of a tent. By talking with your tent renter, you’ll be able to get a better understanding of how many people you can safely fit into the venue as well as choose from different colors and styles to best fit your needs.

Prepare for Outdoor Weather

Understand Weather Trends and Venue Foot Traffic

There’s nothing worse than planning an outdoor wedding incorrectly and having last minute stress due to inclement weather—however, with proper planning and precautions, no matter if it’s a downpour or sunny, you’ll be prepared. Depending on where you live and where your wedding will be taking place, there are a few things that you should take into consideration when planning a tented wedding. Some of the most important things to keep in mind that we stress include:

• What is the temperature/weather around the time of year that your wedding will be taking place?
• Is there a chance of severe winds or other poor weather conditions at your venue?
• Will your wedding location be in the same place as your reception, or will your guests need to travel there?

By keeping these questions in mind and planning a date and location with consideration to the climate, you’ll be much more prepared for anything and everything. Express your concerns to your rental company and see if a reinforce roof, space heaters, or extra ventilation could help keep your guests comfortable.

Staying cognizant of CDC guidelines and communicating with guests about your wedding’s safety precautions is a key component for a successful day—but don’t forget to have fun with your wedding while you’re at it! With proper planning and help from professionals, there’s nothing stopping you from having the wedding of your dreams with some simple adjustments and the best COVID wedding ideas. Contact the Smokehouse Grill today to learn more about our safety procedures for tented wedding packages and begin your journey into planning your special day.