Planning an event during a pandemic takes creativity, flexibility, and a can-do attitude. And I should know; I planned and *safely* hosted my daughter’s wedding this fall!
It’s been quite the stressful road to the aisle for so many
With the advent of the coronavirus brides and grooms, best plans were suddenly ruined, cancelled or put on hold indefinitely. Mini-monies became the new normal, and some couples changed their wedding dates all together—not knowing if they would also be postponed. But my daughter Jacqueline Zobel would have none of this! Her wedding date this fall with fiancé Zack would be the day they say “I do”—no matter the insurmountable obstacles in their way. I’m breaking down how I planned my daughter’s wedding in Aspen during the pandemic so that you too can plan an event with confidence during COVID.
The first, and very real, priority, is keeping everyone safe
I contacted the Hotel Events Director to assure her that the health and safety of our couple and our guests was paramount. To stay safe, we split the guests into groups of young (20 – 35) and older—everyone else. This would put our coveted guests at ease and also have us separated to more efficiently social distance. So yes, I essentially threw two weddings. We had the DJ place speakers in both party rooms and the wedding ceremony had socially distanced seating—the younger people watched the ceremony from the upstairs pool deck.
Before the September wedding, Aspen’s COVID-19 level went down significantly
The county Board of Health kept events at 50 or less with masks and social distancing required as the case and positivity rates got smaller. Then there was the outbreak of a huge fire just over an hour from Pitkin County. Hundreds of firemen were called in and the air quality began to worsen—the major highway into town was closed and the time it took to drive in from Denver nearly doubled. Then the airports closed due to the poor air quality. Another breath was taken, more anxiety set in as the drought and winds blew smoke our way—only to be followed by an unusually early snow and corresponding mudslides. Luckily everything cleared just in time, as Jackie and Zack finally said “I Do” from their hearts.
We really had every curveball possible thrown our way, and through it all, I can attest to the fact that love is not and will not be cancelled because of the pandemic. If you are willing to be creative, relentless, and a little bit crazy, you too can plan a meaningful occasion in a safe way.
