Happy to report that my D’s micro-wedding went off without a hitch. Only nine of us including the bride and groom were there.
Friday night my future in-laws had dinner at my house. That involved a lot of cleaning (H doesn’t want cleaning people to come in the house) and a lot of cooking but I did most of it in advance and it worked out fine.
Saturday the venue was perfect. We had an outdoor ceremony in a really lovely small garden and we had an absolutely amazing officiant. Then we hosted a luncheon in a private room – we had a table sized so we could all talk but it also felt like nobody was on top of each other. The venue also has a few inn rooms so we got one for the day so our group had a private bathroom (for which I brought sanitizer etc. for LOL).
I know the kids are happy to be married. Hopefully we can do the big party they dreamed of next year but for now all is good.
Hard to say. It really did look mangled, like someone had run over it in the parking lot. She wasn’t sure whether she had dropped it or it had been stolen out of her locker at work. But if it had been dropped, where was the bag the ring was in? I think once the manager put out there that the ring wasn’t a diamond, the thief returned it. No word on who turned it in.
Yeah, they have a whole cascading series of things they are doing with all the old family jewelry in order to craft both rings. Gold is so expensive that they are recycling all the crazy old family stuff. One of the rings they are breaking down sounds kind of awesome to me – jade in the shape of a flower!
Went cake tasting today. Secret: this is a local wonder-bakery I trust. But I still think the recipe I use is better.
I tried as hard as I could to leave all this to them. There was a sweet moment when D1 turned to FSIL and told him to make the decisions, it was his ball to run with. He lit up.
Middle of the night musing. All along, I’ve been somewhat blissful about D1 and FSIL handling so many details. I’ve agreed with her choices, she’s considered my suggestions (even when there needed to be lag time, for her to make an idea her own.)
Now, with her starting the new job, my role will pick up. Some crazy little details. And dang, it just struck me we may be putting 25-40 people in a very large room, but more than half of whom I don’t know. I don’t know their precautions the way, eg, I do know how the female attendants are treating covid seriously. (Assuming his family mostly comes, they’re 22, at last count. It’s TBD.)
On the plus side, I’ll get to speak with the caterer, see how they’ll distance people and enforce that.
D1 said the dinner plan is round tables. I’m thinking a table for 8 could be limited to fewer seats/settings. Still awkward. This room can handle 100 easily, plenty of space. But the guests?
I hope he and his family do most of their mingling at the Airbnb they’re sharing.
Oh @lookingforward, these are “time of Covid” details that made me crazy. Being indoors would just magnify the need to identify how the venue plans to deal with distancing etc. Are you having just a sit-down meal or a cocktail party and dancing, too? As for tables, a 60" round usually holds 8-10 people. I might consider 6 people at a 60" round or 8 at a 72" round or even fewer if the space allows.
We used 8ft long tables with 5-6 people at each and separated attendees by family groups, where possible. The only non-family guests were 4 friends of the B and G - one couple and two of S’s friends. The couple had been with the kids during Covid quarantine so I had the B & G on the long side of a 6ft table that abutted another 8 ft. table. The couple sat at one end of the 8ft table and the 2 separate friends sat at the other, closest to S who was comfortable with their Covid precautions. Now, all this worked because we were in a 25’ x 30’ tent with 16 people.
It was a little awkward because the normal socializing that happens at a wedding between families really didn’t happen. Her family spoke mostly to each other, as did ours. Masks were worn when not eating or making toasts. Best advice I have is to lean into it - it is what it is. Trying to make it “like normal” makes it seem even less so.
Sleep well, it will be beautiful no matter the decisions!
Do you expect that it is the venue’s responsibility to enforce the safe rules? Or is that a partnership between “you” and the venue? What do you expect from the venue and what do they expect from you?
If possible I would make an announcement at some point of the expected protocol - and honestly mention that not only do you want to keep guests staff but the venue staff as well who put themselves at risk with every event they work.
There is a definite mentality out there for some people at events that “just this once” I’ll have the freedom of no masks and a sense of normal.
It probably freaked me that there was a news report 20 gals did a bridal weekend somewhere in this area and 19 then tested positive.
The family and attendants sit down dinner is a local limitation. No buffet, passed appetizers, etc. So far. After the ceremony itself, they’ll say goodbyes to those not staying, while the room is reset. That part sounded tight, but she allocated 2+ hours for the meal, so I think she’s got a little fudge factor.
These things are so hard. You here about that wedding in Maine or the bridal shower where there is a large number of people infected. But then you know that there are literally 100’s of weddings and showers occurring where no one is affected.
But it’s still Russian roulette every time a gathering happens.
My friend’s S and FDIL just postponed their wedding until October 2021 - it was scheduled for Key West and that is just not going to happen 4 weeks from now. Her other S is getting married May 1, 2021 - hoping that one can happen, especially since my S’s reception is scheduled for March 2021.
My niece got married this weekend. The wedding was in siblings back yard, which is lovely very pretty. Only parents and sibling of the couple were in attendance along with her best friend as officiant. They did set up an iPad on Zoom so everyone else could see the ceremony but set it up so viewers were muted. It was fun to be able to watch. If someone else tries this you might want to experiment with a microphone on the officiant , it was very difficult to hear because of the distance from the iPad. They plan a big party at some point TBD later. Asked that no gifts be sent until then.
Thanks for the zoom advice, @dragonmom . Son is still planning to marry in October ( we have a small family zoom with them regularly) and hopefully we will at least see the ceremony via zoom. I have made peace with it for the most part but I get a twinge now and again about missing it in person.
Friends posted pictures from their son’s very recent wedding in the NY area on their Facebook pages today- 14 people, probably all local but from a few different households, close together with no masks. It is tough . People want to celebrate, but safety still is a major concern. Son and his fiancee are still looking at a very small outdoor ceremony with no family . Party later for much bigger group with date TBD, as your niece is doing.