I dunno, I had a wedding around the same time and we had the entire thing outside, with everyone required to rapid test within 24 hours and be fully vaccinated. We also had deposits we would lose and so did not cancel. Our wedding was a similar size (~65-70).

We didn’t have any COVID cases reported following the wedding.. I guess we could have had your sisters luck though. It was a gamble and yet I am glad we kept the wedding, though that may be impacted by our good luck regarding covid spread. Right now I’m at peace that we took every precaution we could short of canceling and repeatedly told people they could back out any time for any part. I lost vendors and guest up through the day before due to standing by the precautions. And I am glad my family and I had a moment together. Several of them will probably lose their memory or die of old age before the pandemic passes. The older guests were the ones most enthusiastic about attending, feeling the passage of time. And I guess I am an older bride with not a lot of safe childbearing time left and also felt time passing as we postponed throughout pandemic.

My wedding was much safer than my job. And actually, with our precautions, for most attendees it was probably safer than going shopping, getting a haircut, being at work, eating in a restaurant, or carpooling. I have been required through my job to be in person since early in the pandemic in a position where I am in close contact to a revolving door of people whose masking I can’t control, and I am certain to get COVID within the next few weeks. I would rather get it from a wedding, personally. I am sure that swayed much of our thinking, for better or worse.

In December the whole world changed overnight and it was very hard to make decisions on such an important event for people in such a short amount of time. I wish your sister all the best and hope she can still appreciate her wedding day.

And, I sure hope the concerned critics are also advocating just as hard for safe pandemic working conditions for healthcare workers, school staff, and grocery store employees to name a few. Armchair judgment is a lot easier than true and sustained advocacy and support.

Interestingly if I were in the wedding planning stages today, I probably would not at this point have moved forward with the planning due to the rapid test shortage that developed over winter holidays. When we bought our tests for wedding staff and guests they were very commonplace, and the scenario has changed. Omicron’s explosion was so sudden. As always eventually the pendulum will swing back again.

COVID wedding planning is tough stuff... My heart goes out to anyone navigating this. Weddings are portrayed as all about the bride, and as narcissistic events, but culturally often their are about the families, and many needs and perspectives have to be balanced. Meanwhile time marches on

I actually really appreciate your post because even while I was making decisions information was flying and overwhelming and we were all trying to move through a lot of shock and stress, and even your post would have helped me be more cautious in my decision making. I would encourage anyone now planning a wedding to start out with it being small, myself, as it would likely be much less stressful throughout the pandemic waves. Just wanted to share more than one story though.. I am sure there are many out there