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10 Guests? Maybe 50? COVID-19 Reception Limitations

10 Guests? Maybe 50? COVID-19 Reception Limitations

April 20, 2020 By Brigid Horne-Nestor Leave a Comment

If you are like me, your “new normal” includes a 2:00pm daily date with Governor Mike Dewine and Dr. Amy Acton. My husband makes me a latte (lucky me!), and together we get the latest updates from their informative press conferences on the COVID-19 pandemic in Ohio. Each day, I try to read between the lines to determine what will happen with weddings after May 1 when the current #stayathome order is set to expire.

Will reception guest lists remain limited to 10 people? Will we be allowed to increase that number to 50 guests? When will we be allowed to have 100, 200 or 300+? There are obviously more questions than answers right now, but today I realized something very important. No matter how many people will be permitted to gather socially after May 1, couples need to remember that the total number of guests must also include the vendors and service staff working in the reception space. This means couples will need to include their photographer, videographer, catering/venue service staff, band/DJ and any other people hired to work at the reception when calculating how many guests will be permitted to attend. The average catered wedding reception requires 1 food/beverage server per 12-15 guests. At a 50 person limit, if you do the math – you’ll quickly discover that 50 “guests” become more like 35-40 friends and family members when you include your vendors/catering team, bridal party and the two of you.

Does that fact change the equation for you? I know it will change things for many of our current clients. The same will be true when we eventually get to increase to the level above that. 100 people will become 75-85 guests, 200 people will only include about 175 friends and family members. After cutting your guest list to 50 or 100, are you prepared to reduce it by another 15-25 people?  None of this is easy, but we are here to help you weigh the pros and cons of all your options. If you are feeling overwhelmed by tough decisions like these, contact us. We solve wedding planning problems every day. It’s not just our job – it’s our calling.

*I’d like to thank Governor Mike Dewine and Dr. Amy Acton for all their hard work and the many lives they have saved by having the courage to make numerous tough decisions. If you need a good laugh, check out this video salute to these 2 Ohio heroes created by Stofka Creative Ltd.

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Filed Under: Helpful Hints, In the News, Wedding Venues, Weddings Tagged With: #cincinnatiwedding, #inthistogetherohio, #postponements, #stayathome, #wedding, #weddings

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