Set up for a wedding at the Turtle Bay Resort in Oahu , Hawaii
What ’ s trending in weddings
Micro-wedding and Minimonies : Small weddings with 20 guests or less continue to be popular , especially in destination locales , says Andrea Frick , the sales manager at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa . “ Minimonies ,” small weddings with the intent of having a second , larger celebration at another time , are also trending .
Flexible rebooking policies : Larger weddings are now given options to have scaled back events if the number of intended guests drops . Deposit schedules can be reworked accordingly and rebooking options are offered as well .
PASSING THE TESTS Enacting new governmentmandated health regulations as well as company-mandated protocols is another element of the hotel wedding business that sales and catering managers now coordinate .
“ We recommend individual preplated portions of dishes and have redesigned seating arrangements , keeping physical distancing in mind ,” Kumar explains . “ We also ensure all attendees wear masks .” Other essentials like thermal screenings of guests and staff , hygiene kits , queue managers , and sneeze guards are also utilized at IHCL Hotels .
In Mexico , the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal and Hilton Los Cabos underwent specialized training in the new EventReady with CleanStay program from Hilton .
“ We have reconfigured the way we present and serve buffets and we strategically plan the event layouts , considering the number of guests , the ventilation , and prioritizing open venues usages ,” says Nubia Villa , the celebrations sales manager at the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal .
At the Noelle in Nashville , buffets have been passed over in favor of plated meals and action stations , where a server is present at the station instead of having guests serve themselves . “ This not only helps with the flow of the function , but also creates a subtle social distancing aspect without guests even realizing ,” Dukeheart says .
Live-streaming : For guests that can ’ t attend the wedding because of safety or travel concerns , hotels are partnering up with videographers to offer live streaming feeds of the ceremony . Additionally , some weddings will set-up a table in honor of those who couldn ’ t make it .
Longer stays : Guests are making the most out of their travel for a wedding , says Nubia Villa , celebrations manager at the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal in Mexico , and are opting to stay longer and make a vacation out of the trip .
Not just for Saturdays : With demand surging from couples who postponed their weddings in 2020 and 2021 , midweek events are becoming more frequent , Villa adds , since availability is limited . “ Having a wedding on a Saturday is no longer a rule , at least for destination weddings ,” she says .