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Savvy September 2021

California September 2020 brides?

Megan, on May 29, 2020 at 2:02 AM Posted in California Planning 0 10

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Hi everyone! Likely not surprising, but my question...okay, I actually have a zillion questions, all COVID-19 related. Our date is September 6, 2020 and after hearing in the same week that our venue extended cancellations from June to July and that our county decided not to end the shelter in place on May 31 as originally planned (also no new end date), we notified some of our guests that we are scaling back the count to family/the wedding party only. We originally had around 80 invited and so far scaled back to 60. We know a handful within that 60 that are likely not going to be able to make it, so we think maybe 50-ish (if that) are attending.

I'm trying to stay positive and think reducing the guest count is enough, but I also think CA is slower to reopen and our county in particular is said to be one of the stricter ones within CA in terms of reopening. Our venue is also part of a state regional park, so I'm thinking they are still going to have a lot of restrictions once they start allowing events to resume. We're working with our vendors on backup plans if we end up needing to scale back on any of their services if we end up downsizing even more, but haven't made any official changes just yet.

Any other northern CA (Alameda or Contra Costa County?) brides out there that are sticking with their 2020 date?Do you think a low guest count is enough, or should we downsize with our vendor services too? Do you think we'll still be required to wear masks in September? Is it bad that I was totally fine with the chopped guest count but really it was the thought of still wearing masks that made me want to say eff it and elope?!

I know ultimately I care most about keeping everyone safe and healthy and, in some form or another, we'll definitely be getting married this year. I'm just wondering if it's worth it to hold onto a bit of hope we'll still have overall the same wedding we pictured, just smaller, or if we should just go ahead and jump to planning an elopement instead?

Sorry to be long-winded, and I have my fingers crossed for the rest of you brides out there in the same boat!

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Latest activity by Liz, on June 11, 2020 at 9:14 PM

Savvy September 2020
Liz · on May 29, 2020 at 7:47 PM
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I'm a Nor Cal bride! Our date is September 27th 2020 and as of today, we still plan to get married in Sonoma. Our guest count should be between 80-100 (depending on how many ppl feel comfortable attending, we are only inviting 116). My non-starter, though, is if my guests, myself and my wedding party are required to wear masks. I am hoping that my venue will not require that - we aren't spending thousands and thousands of dollars for this to look like Halloween or a surgical room. I'm ok if masks are optional for guests and required for staff, but having them required for guests seems way too strict in my opinion.
I'm holding out hope until my wedding planner tells me not to As of now, we are still full-steam ahead, hopefully for an 80-100 person wedding with no masks!!
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Savvy September 2021
Megan · on May 29, 2020 at 11:42 PM
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Congrats!!! It’s so comforting to hear from another September bride going forward with plans!! And completely agree on the masks. Our photographer and videographers are two of our most costly vendors and I can’t get past the idea of paying them so much to end up not loving how we look in photos and videos Our venue is both indoor/outdoor so I’m hoping the outdoor part will allow us to do without masks if guests are distanced enough. Our day-of coordinator hasn’t mentioned masks specifically, but thankfully she hasn’t advised postponing or reducing more than we already have, so I’m slowly but surely adjusting to the idea that our reduced guest plan is enough!
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Savvy September 2020
Liz · on May 31, 2020 at 7:24 PM
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Congrats to you as well!! Did you contact your venue or planner about restrictions yet? I contacted our venue and they said they have no info surrounding social gathering guidelines but they are coordinating with catering/staff to ensure safety protocols will be followed. I'm getting pretty nervous here... I think I might contact the venue again to see if they will enforce the mask rule - I like your idea about being outside, not needing a mask for the outdoors as long as you are spaced apart sounds reasonable to me. I am just wanting to know soon in case we need to switch to a venue with less strict guidelines but need to put the venue on our invitations we were hoping to send out by end of July. All this uncertainty is driving me nuuuts, makes it so hard to plan our dream day! 😢😢
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Savvy September 2021
Megan · on June 3, 2020 at 4:35 PM
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I did follow up with our venue this week, and they said they should be letting me know more this week! And outside of reducing our guest count where possible and sticking to outdoor spaces, our day-of coordinator hasn’t mentioned any other anticipated restrictions just yet! I’m in the same boat, I’m getting pretty anxious and want to hear more from our venue. I literally have our invitations in my Minted cart but have been so hesitant to hit “order” because I’m on pins and needles waiting to hear back! Our county opened up more businesses/outdoor activities this week though, fingers crossed that helps!
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Savvy September 2020
Liz · on June 3, 2020 at 8:05 PM
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That's awesome!! I'll be really curious to gear what your venue says about any anticipated restrictions. I spoke with my planner too and she let me know what restrictions they anticipate but nothing has been announced just yet. I'm bracing for the worst but hoping for the best. Honestly I just want to get this thing over with at this point, even if we have to make adjustments and compromise on the masks and dancing. Hoping the masks and dancing restrictions will only be for the next few months tops, maybe come September (if there isn't a second wave 😬) they'll relax their restrictions.
I'm waiting a few more weeks to order our invitations but leaning towards just ordering them sooner than later. What city are you getting married in if you don't mind me asking? We are getting married in Sonoma.
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Savvy September 2021
Megan · on June 3, 2020 at 8:38 PM
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I’m thinking the same!! I’m feeling like I won’t feel confident until July, but that still feels so far awayyyy!! I feel like I have the backup elopement halfway planned in my head at this point, so I’m hoping I don’t break before then only to find out it all would have been okay, lolol. And we’re getting married in Berkeley at the Brazilian Room 😃 and I came across so many beautiful venues in Sonoma when we were first planning, how exciting! Which venue will yours be in if you don’t kind me asking?
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Savvy September 2020
Liz · on June 3, 2020 at 8:46 PM
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July is only one month away, so close!! I hear you on the elopement but I just don't want to compromise the wedding of my dreams. And postponement really isn't an option, we already had to postpone from May 30th to September and I'm getting up there in age, we want to start a family as soon as possible. Ooh I just checked out the Brazilian room, it's stunning!! That ceiling, wow! And lots of outdoor space for you to ultize. We are getting married at Viansa Winery. Prayyying the venue can work with us whatever the restrictions might be 🙏🙏 I just saw a post on this site where the bride and groom are required to wear masks the entire time (hoping our venues are different because they aren't churches). Like literally if I had to choose between no masks or dancing, I'd part with dancing, I know that sounds vein 😂
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Savvy September 2021
Megan · on June 6, 2020 at 12:57 PM
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I agree, I try to get used to the idea of the elopement and it goes so up and down! Postponement isn't an option for us either, my fiance has some career changes that have been in the works for awhile planned for 2021, so we picked getting married in 2020 so we wouldn't be trying to juggle wedding/career stuff at the same time. And I just looked up Viansa, how stunning!! I can definitely see fighting to keep that over an elopement, I'm with ya! lol. And 100% on choosing no masks over dancing, I'm on the exact same page! So much of the wedding planning is trying to get it all to be the same aesthetic, so the planner in me gets so worked up over the masks ruining it.
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Just Said Yes August 2020
Jen · on June 11, 2020 at 2:39 PM
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Hi Ladies
I am getting married on 8/28/2020 in Alameda county and just spoke with my venue yesterday who told me masks are not required at my specific venue because it dubs as a dining location, and if you are serving food and drinks - mask is not required.
As long as gatherings of 100 are aloud by my wedding date - I think all should be good!
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Savvy September 2020
Liz · on June 11, 2020 at 9:14 PM
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That's great news, Jen! And you are practically eating and drinking the entire time at a wedding! I'm thinking gatherings of 100 should be allowed at least outside because that's how many people are allowed for religious services here in CA. Did they mention anything about dancing restrictions?
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