Planning an engagement party takes a lot of work. Finding the best food, venues, party favours, and other essentials can make the preparation stage an event of its own. And in recent years, Covid 19 has been an additional stressor for party planners, causing many people to skip out on these events altogether.
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But if there’s one thing worthy of celebration, it’s an engagement. This is the precursor to the biggest day of your life, after all. And although the coronavirus pandemic has created many obstacles, there are plenty of ways to safely plan an engagement party.
With just a little flexibility and an open mind, your engagement party can be a success!
Indoor settings are a bit riskier in an airborne pandemic. So, if the weather permits, consider hosting your party outdoors.
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When you host your engagement party outside, you will have plenty of airflow, which can significantly reduce the spread of virus particles in the air.
Whether you’re hosting your engagement party in your backyard or looking to rent a great party venue, there’s a surefire way to make an outdoor setting work.
Wondering the best way to keep your party covid-safe? It’s simple–keep the virus from entering your party in the first place.
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When you have your guests take a covid test before arriving, it can give you peace of mind during your celebration. That doesn’t mean you should neglect covid precautions altogether–tests can often give false negatives, after all–but if all of your guests have tested negative, you can safely relax the precautions at least a little bit.
If you want your guests to take a test before the party, make sure to inform them of this ahead of time. The availability of covid tests can be unpredictable, and appointments can often have waiting lists, so providing a few weeks or even a month’s notice can make this step easier for everyone.
As you plan for your covid-safe engagement party, pay close attention to the covid rates in your area. The spread of covid can vary depending on your location and the time of year. If the rates are a bit too high for your comfort, consider postponing your party or increasing some of your precautions.
Conversely, if the spread of covid 19 in your area is relatively low, you can also consider relaxing some of your safety precautions.
Regardless of the covid presence in your area, though, remember not to let your guard down altogether–it’s always better to be too cautious than not cautious enough.
While it may be tempting to invite your whole family and friend group to your engagement party, it may not be a wise choice during the covid 19 pandemic. More people at your party means a higher chance of spreading the virus.
So, as you plan your covid-safe engagement party, try to keep your guest list as short as possible. Depending on the size of your venue, the ideal number can vary–but as a general rule of thumb, it’s best to stick with your family and a handful of close friends.
Studies suggest that a well-fitting mask can help reduce the spread of covid 19. As you prepare for your engagement party, consider suggesting that your guests wear masks, especially those who are immunocompromised or unvaccinated.
If you’re worried that those medical masks will bring down the mood at your party, consider getting some cute cloth masks instead. You can buy masks with a variety of fun designs that’ll look adorable in your party photos. You could even find masks that match your party’s theme!
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Be sure to keep plenty of disposable masks on hand, too–people often lose their cloth masks, so it’s smart to have plenty of backups.
And if you have little ones attending your party, make sure you provide masks in varying sizes, as well.
Washing your hands has always been important, but it’s become even more so since the pandemic began. When people cough or sneeze into their hands, they can spread the virus onto the surfaces they touch. And while surface transmission is rare with this virus, it can still linger on surfaces for several days.
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So, to help keep everyone’s hands clean, be sure to keep plenty of hand sanitiser available at your party, especially near food tables and high-touch areas. Make sure it’s a sanitiser with at least 60% alcohol–any lower percentage will not be as effective at killing the virus.
As you arrange the seating for your engagement party, you should make sure there is plenty of room between guests. While wearing masks reduces the risk of spreading covid 19, they can’t stay on while guests are eating. By making sure your dining arrangement is spacious, you can help your guests stay safe even when they’re unmasked.
Consider seating guests from the same households at their own tables–you won’t need to worry about distancing these people. And if possible, make sure there is a six-foot distance between each guest who is not from the same household.
People who are chronically ill, pregnant, immunocompromised, or over the age of 65 can face higher health risks if they contract covid 19. So, if you have any high-risk individuals attending your engagement party, their safety should be your top priority.
Communicate with these people before the event and ask what you can do to help keep them safe. They’ll know what’s best for their health and can help you make the necessary precautions.
In some cases, it may be best for a high-risk person to not attend the party at all, even if there are safety measures in place. That doesn’t mean you need to exclude them altogether, though! Consider giving them a call through Zoom during the party, so they can attend virtually. You could also send them some party favours and cake to enjoy from the comfort of their home.
While it is unlikely for Covid 19 to spread through food or food packaging, the possibility is still there, especially for people who are immunocompromised. Even then, because dining requires guests to remove their masks, serving food at an engagement party can be risky if you’re not careful.
Encourage your guests to sanitize their hands or wear gloves before touching anything in the food area. If you have kids attending your party, make sure they know to use utensils when serving food, or simply have an adult serve them instead. Also, try to avoid sharing drinks or double-dipping.
It’s no secret that alcohol can inhibit your judgment. Regardless of how well you prepare, it’s easy to forget about safety precautions when you’ve had a little too much to drink.
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Because of this, it may be better not to serve alcoholic drinks at your engagement party. And if you do choose to serve drinks, try to keep alcohol consumption to a minimum.
As we mentioned before, surface transmission is quite rare with covid 19. However, it is still a very real possibility, especially when you’re dealing with nonporous surfaces.
Throughout your party, consider using a sanitising wipe to clean off any high-touch surfaces from time to time. This includes doorknobs, tables, railings, and much more.
Preparing an event is stressful enough as it is–and when you’re doing it in the middle of a pandemic, that stress can be twofold. Many people may experience covid-related anxiety when attending gatherings, which can put a damper on the whole experience.
So, if you find yourself feeling nervous before the party, try taking a minute to address your anxiety. Remind yourself that nothing is free of risk, pandemic or not; and so long as you take the necessary precautions, the risk of catching covid 19 at your party will be relatively low.
When it comes to planning an engagement party in a pandemic, you don’t have to choose between staying safe or having a fun celebration. As we learn more about this virus and understand how to stay safe, we can continue to live our lives as we used to, even if it requires a few adjustments here and there.
Try to be creative when you’re planning your engagement party. Consider researching some fun, socially distanced games to play with your loved ones, and stock up on some nifty party favours for your guests to take home.
A high-quality party venue can make or break your celebration. When you find a location you can trust, you can expect a much easier time making these safety adjustments. If you’re struggling to find the right venue that’s compatible with your engagement party plans, consider browsing venue options – to ensure that your engagement party is a success!