Postpone Wedding?

That is up to you because the shutdown will have different requirements so if you are planning a large wedding then maybe. I would first ask your vendors and see what their policies are in regards to postponing.

We are already shut down here 😆 so it has nothing to do with the president elect. I would definitely postpone though, January is going to be far from normal... Not to mention cases are just going to keep rising and the liability and stress would not make the day enjoyable at all!
Best wishes!

I think it depends on what you're looking for. Is the specific date more important to you than having a larger wedding? If so, I would either downsize your guest list, or do a small ceremony on your original date and postpone the larger reception until later. Otherwise, will your vendors let you postpone at no extra cost? Talk with your fiance and figure out what works best for you both. If you're OK with the COVID restrictions in place, and you feel you can safely host your wedding, I say go for it! Otherwise, I would look into postponing if the vendors and venue allow it.

View Quoted Comment The date happened to be one that my fiancé and I could both be off from work! We have opposite schedules and are always on the go. We are having a small wedding, only our immediate family. We will have 30 guests (11 of them being our nieces and nephews). Our venue and photographer have both said they would be happy to change the dates for us, but our honeymoon reservations cannot be changed.

My comment disappeared...I think that this will depend more on where you live and the state level restrictions. I don't think a shutdown is enforceable at the federal level.

For me it would depend on the guest count. If it's not a huge wedding with over 100 people then I personally would continue with it. I would do postpone if your guest count is over 100

Focus on what your state's restrictions are and be sure you are meeting those requirements and making responsible choices. Unfortunately, January is going to be a time of very high cases coming out of Christmas gatherings, and it will really be how your state reacts that ultimately impacts your day.

It's up to you. I will be super suprised if he doesn't do a federal wide shutdown. I didn't want to risk it and I cancelled mine (got all deposits back whew) and now going forward with an outdoor three guest wedding.

From everything that’s been said so far, it sounds more like a long-term, strictly enforced mask mandate is more likely than a complete shut down. But, as unpredictable as things have been this past year, you never know! I would sit down with your fiancé and decide what is most important to you both- getting married now, or having the wedding you had originally envisioned. It is highly likely that cases are going to be super high in January, following Christmas and New Year’s Eve get togethers; so you will all probably have to wear masks, practice social distancing, no dancing, etc. You guys should decide now if you are OK with having a wedding with those restrictions in place. If not, you should contact your vendors soon to secure another date. My best advice would be to make the decision soon so you can stop stressing about it; and if you decide to postpone, you will have a better chance of securing a date that works for you in the future, and plenty of time to make your guests aware.
Did you by chance secure your honeymoon with a credit card? If so, I would contact them and see if they have any Covid rescheduling programs in place. Our flights were nonrefundable through the airline, but since I booked it with my Chase credit card, the credit card company had actually worked out a deal with the airline to allow the flights to be rescheduled within a year of the original date. It’s definitely worth looking into!

The President likely does not have authority to issue a nationwide shutdown via executive order because the Constitution only gives the federal branches of government very specific powers. Regulating the general health, safety and welfare of the citizens is within the purview of the states. Every action by the federal government must fall within one of the specific powers granted to the President or Congress in the Constitution. The CDC only has authority to stop the spread of communicable disease into the country or across state lines under the commerce clause. As others have mentioned, I would focus on your state and county restrictions. If you can still hold your event under those restrictions right now, you may be ok (although they can change). But if the state already prohibits your event, then I would postpone as the situation will likely not improve by Jan. 21.