Mask mandate during reception

We went to a masked wedding last October and it was just fine! The bride used some of the extra lace from her dress to make a coordinating face mask, and they used the courtyard outside for some photos that looked like a first dance so she could take her mask off!

Well they give the option of going unmasked if vaccinated? or with proof of negative Covid test?

View Quoted Comment No we live in Colorado where the rates are high. As far as I know all my guests are vaccinated

View Quoted Comment I wouldn’t panic yet, you still have 4 months for things to change. If they DO decide to continue on with the mask mandate, I would reach out to them a couple weeks before your wedding and see if they would allow proof of vaccination and a negative test in lieu of wearing masks. Hopefully they will be willing to work with you!

I personally have stayed masked up at a wedding last year and i can tell you it didn't necessarily change anything in terms of fun - i think that might be the other thing to consider is that even if it was mask free or no mask mandate, some people might still wear it anyway to be comfortable. the wedding i went to didn't mandate masks but there were people who wore it still

We arent getting married until next September so hopefully the mask wearing is over by then but yes I am tired of the masks. I dont want all our wedding pictures at ceremony and reception to be us wearing masks. I also have rosacea and the mask wearing at work has had it super inflamed for 2 years now which means not only are my cheeks really red (looks like I have a sunburn) but I also have an itching rash from the rosacea that will not go away while I have to wear a mask at work. When we had our brief break of not having to wear masks at work it took 2 months for the rash to go away 😔 Yes Ive tried all the creams face soaps etc none of it seems to help.

I went to a "masked" wedding in October 2020 (which was outdoors) and two indoor ones in a church in January and March(VA/DC area, so these mandates where pretty serious at the time). The October wedding required all to wear masks (except the bridal party during the wedding). The bride probably could have gotten away without wearing one the rest of the reception, but her mother was fighting cancer at the time. She and her husband only really wore them when talking with guests.

The wedding in January that was indoors also didn't require the bridal party to wear masks, or the bride and groom to wear them while dancing. The March wedding, the bride and groom didn't wear them for important moments, but put them on during the homily as they were seated to the side. The reception was at a home so they took their masks off for the reception.

So I would honestly ask your venue how they handle mask mandates. You can ask all of your guests to be masked but not wear yours for big important moments. I can't imagine that a wedding venue would make you wear a mask during your ceremony or dances, provided that you have your guests wear them. As a guest at these weddings, I had no issues with having to wear my mask and the bridal party being exempt at times.

This is tough. I live in Orlando and debated booked a Disney wedding but Disney still has indoor mask mandates and even though we aren’t getting married til Feb 2023 who knows if this will still be in effect. I ended up booking a venue outside of Disney that is basically outdoors/ covered pavilion so we won’t need them either way. That said, it’s your wedding day and I wouldn’t let the masks ruin it! You will enjoy and have fun no matter what! I would not dwell on it.

A lot can change by April (and I suspect much will). Previous Covid waves seem to last a couple months, and generally are worse when folks are huddled indoors and less so once people start migrating outside again. I think it's way too soon to know what restrictions will exist in April.

I have NOT been to a masked wedding but have done many masked events indoors (I work at a college with an indoor mask mandate) and to be honest you kind of become oblivious to it after a while, especially if you are used to wearing masks (which I'm assuming most people would be if there is a mask mandate in the area).

Additionally as others have mentioned, some venues are more adherent to rules than others. I personally would feel very uncomfortable being unmasked at a wedding where I expected masks to be required (whether because there was a mask mandate in place or because the couple outlined that expectation for me). For one, I might only feel safe going because of the safety precautions in place, and then if I showed up and people weren't following those precautions it would put me in the awkward position of leaving or being forced to participate in something that might feel unsafe to me, both of which would be upsetting, especially if I spent any significant amount of money on attending (attire, lodging, gift, etc). Additionally, even if you HOPE that venues are lax with masking requirements because you personally don't want masks, if masks are required by law/emergency order and your venue disregards it, it would make me question what other regulations the venue is ignoring (such as safety inspections, fire capacity limits, health code violations in food service areas, etc). Just things worth considering as you navigate going forward.

Fingers crossed things are much better in all areas by April!