October Wedding Advice

I’d continue as planned. Or cancel. You don’t want to look back on your day and regret not having the wedding you wanted. But if you’re comfortable having a smaller wedding or not having a party vibe you can include games or other methods of keeping your guests entertained.

I definitely wouldn't continue as planned with 350 people, I feel that is wayy too risky. I do like your idea of live streaming it and having a celebration next year. If you don't want to wait to get married then have a minimony and a reception at a later date.

If you’re going to do a church wedding with a reception next year, I’d personally make the church part immediate family only and then host a small dinner for those guests. If you want to invite more, I’d really encourage you to have a cake and punch reception at the church for your guests. The reception is the thank you to your guests for attending your wedding ceremony, so you don’t want to wait an entire year to “thank them”. I totally understand not wanting to wait to get married this year but wanting a safe reception next year. My FH and I decided to elope with just parents next month and a reception as planned next fall after facing the possibility of having to postpone a second time. We’ll be treating our guests to a brunch after our sunrise ceremony as our thank you.

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Thank you for your advice!! To all of the above. It is hard when I don't feel supported in the decision from my family...I really appreciate it!

I Personally Say To Continue As Planned. There Will Be People Who Are Going To Decline Because They Aren't Comfortable - And The Others Who Attend Know The Risk They Are Taking . Just Take Precautions And Celebrate The Day You Have Been Planning. This Virus isn't Something We Can Control-I Wouldnt Let It Stop Me From Living My Life.

If You Have A Lot Of Older People Attending Or Those With Other Health Conditions-I Would Say To Stream The Wedding Virtually For Them To Lessen That Risk.

I Have Also Seen A Lot Of Posts From Other Brides About Planning A Reception Later On And That Is Totally Okay Too If Your Venue Will Let You Postpone Or Refund You.

Do What YOU Think You Should Do. It Is A Hard Decision To Make And Unfortunately These Are Not The Best Circumstances. I Wish You The Best Of Luck And I Hope You Have A Great Wedding

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Thank you!!

I'd continue as planned, but definitely let those invited that you will not be hurt if they feel they cannot make it in person.

I don’t see any way to safely have a 300 person wedding right now unfortunately.

View Quoted Comment Many people in Ohio are having big weddings. We are actually permitted to have them and have dancing. I have been to two and you wouldn't even know covid existed. Right or wrong people know the risk if they don't want to come they can certainly decline. The other bride is right. Cant stop living. Plus all the lies in the media. A mask is not needed now its needed now temperature checks dont work? Like come on. Oh and at those weddings I attended. Not one case of covid.

View Quoted Comment Just because it’s permitted doesn’t make it safe. Keep watching Fox News for your updates, good luck with your day.

We did something very similar to this! We decided to postpone the large reception and just have a small church ceremony and then a “mini” reception in my parents’ backyard with parents, grandparents, and the wedding party. Total is was about 20 people. We allowed aunts, uncles, and first cousins to come to the church to see us get married as well, but not the reception afterwards. They were happy to come see us and very understanding that we couldn’t host them at this time! We didn’t open the church up to everyone because we were still worried about having too many people and putting our grandparents at risk. We got married in June and it was amazing. I really didn’t want to lose our original date because of all the things I had with the date on them, we didn’t know when we’d actually be able to have the big reception with everything going on, and we’ve been together 7 years so it was time. My parents worked really hard to make sure our reception really felt like a wedding, so we had toasts, cake cutting, first dances, etc. I couldn’t have asked for more!
I think what you’re considering is the way to go. Get married and celebrate small, and you can celebrate again in the future when things settle. 350 people is a lot to gather, and your memories of the day might be ruined if friends or family get seriously ill after your wedding. We got lucky (even with 20 people) that no one came sick and no one was sick after. With that small number I also asked our guests to avoid unnecessary travel or outings to try to minimize risks, but you wouldn’t be able to do that with a large group. Best of luck, I know this isn’t easy!

View Quoted Comment Thank you! This was very very helpful! I appreciate you sharing what you did and how well it went! Congrats!!

As you see, you’re going to get a lot of feelings on this. We’re going forward with our 9/12 wedding in Cleveland. We had 265ish invites with some plus ones so we were around 300 mark total, knowing we had declines and some solo’s. FWIW we’re at 161 yes, 57 no, and 40 some we need to chase down a few days after the deadline.


I am a physician and I whole heartedly disagree that you “can’t” safely have a wedding for 300. My venue is quite large and appropriately distanced for 300+ and in my opinion is doing everything right: mandatory masks, temperature scanning and heath screening for entry, seated butler served cocktail hour, White glove service for plated dinner . Etc . If I didn’t think we could pull this off safely I’d postpone, but I’m unsure things will be much better in the next year or so.
As other posters have said, we asked anyone uncomfortable or showing any symptoms, as well as anyone with positive contact refrain from attending and put a disclosure about no hard feelings for our declines.
I know several other physicians in the NEO region who are going forth with “sizable” weddings. Hope this helps

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Thank you! It does! Good luck with your wedding in a few weeks!!

View Quoted Comment Again many weddings going on. Not one has gotten sick. People are tired of being controlled. Sheep

View Quoted Comment I agree i have been to two weddings and see many many large weddings in Ohio that are being held safely. No one has gotten sick that I attended with well over 100 people. One wedding had zero social distancing on the dance floor. Is it right no but people are sick and tired of being controlled by the government. If you are sick or have health issues. Stay home. Also many many people have recovered from covid no one mentions that. The sick and the elderly are at risk if you look at the deaths over 80 percent are in nursing homes! Every area of the country is also different as well. It Seems to me a lot of brides that are not moving forward want to judge those that are. They are rude and negative. Placing guilt on people that are moving forward. I said a lot people not all! Im not sure if it is because they are angry they have moved their date or what. Im so sick of everyone’s opinion they think that their way is the correct way and thats what everyone should be doing. In Ohio we have a liar for a Governor who cant make up his mind or even seem to know what is going on. He was a positive covid and less than 24 hrs later negative? How are we to believe anything he says hahah. I don't. Also, we are not a hot spot in Cle either.


Congrats on your day it will be beautiful and fun. Im getting off this wedding wire for awhile