A GUIDE TO DOWNSIZING YOUR WEDDING

It is no secret COVID has altered wedding plans for so many 2021 couples. Rather than postpone multiple times, many couples have opted to proceed, albeit with a reduced guest list based on current provincial restrictions.  Scaling back your guest list may seem like the impossible task, but we have some recommendations to help keep the planning (and re-planning) process smooth and help execute a safe and beautiful scaled down event.

Review your vendor Contracts

Review every vendor contract carefully when re-planning a wedding day.  Are there penalties based on a reduced guest count? For example, if you ordered 200 wine glasses originally and would now like to reduce to 50, is there a minimum number you have to meet based on the contract?  Following this, we always have conversations with vendors to explain the changes and learn how they can accommodate our clients. How can their services be repurposed based on the reduction? For example, if you hired a 10-piece band, can this be reduced to a trio instead?  Can you split the band service into a smaller set list for your wedding and the rest allocated another for a future event? Many vendors are showing extreme flexibility in these remarkable times, you just need to communicate your needs with them regularly.

Many vendors are showing extreme flexibility in these remarkable times

Create your new lists

It is important to discuss with your partner and your family how ‘scaled back’ you wish to go.  Will your wedding have 10, 25, 50 guests?  You should build out your list in increments of ten.

To create the list, start with immediate family, followed by Aunts and Uncles and your wedding party.  We also recommend removing all out of towners from your list early on, considering travel restrictions will make it very difficult for them to attend.  If the permitted guest count for gatherings increases as your wedding date gets closer, you can easily add more guests, but best to start on the smaller side in the early re-planning stages.

Will your wedding have 10, 25, 50 guests? 

Inform all Guests

For many, the hardest part is to ‘un-invite’ guests who didn’t make the reduced guest list. Ask your stationery designer to create a matching digital design to help convey this information and promise to share photo and video after the wedding day with everyone.

For guests in attendance, let your guests know either through a matching digital design piece or via your wedding website the safety measures in place. With the minimal list of guests, you want to be sure they feel comfortable attending your wedding. Include information on the number of guests expected, hand sanitzer, masks, etc. You could explain the kind of food service they can expect (for example, plated) and provide a separate line for them to rsvp individually to the ceremony and/or reception. This lets the guests know it’s okay to only attend the ceremony if they don’t feel comfortable staying for the reception.

For many, the hardest part is to ‘un-invite’ guests who didn’t make the reduced guest list

Capture the day

With a reduced guest list, you may have room in the budget to add a video service and/or hire a livestream provider to capture the moments to share with family and friends after the wedding.  We can’t emphasize enough how important quality photo or video services are on your wedding day so you can relive those special moments and share with your nearest and dearest for years to come.

You may have room in the budget to add a video service and/or hire a livestream provider

Put The New Plan into Action

Every couple is different, but sometimes a scaled back guest list means moving to a new venue or switching to a venue that offers plenty of outdoor options.  Sometimes, the new plan means working with the same venue, but a new seating arrangement and floor plan is required, so for example instead of rows of tables, you may want to consider seating guests in rounds in their own household ‘bubble.’  This also means re-thinking food service and thinking of alternate ways of entertaining your guests with music or performances in lieu of an open dance floor.

A scaled back guest list means moving to a new venue or switching to a venue that offers plenty of outdoor options 

There is no better time than now, in a pandemic, to hire a wedding planner! A wedding planner not only saves couples time, money and unnecessary stress, but it is our job to work through these restrictions, conduct risk planning assessments and troubleshoot for our clients.  We manage these tough conversations and problem solve with clients every day with lots of prior knowledge and experience about all things weddings!

Interested in working with me? Drop me an email alli@allimae.com

Thanks to Aimee de la Lande Photography for the images featured in this blog and Goldfinch Registry for the opportunity to share on your new platform as well. If you don’t already follow them on social, please check them out!