In a year where every day delivers a flood of news and exciting (or depressing) turns of events, it’s essential to stay updated on state guidelines that may apply to your wedding. All events, including weddings, are subject to constantly changing circumstances, and whatever is happening now is not necessarily where we’ll be, even three weeks from now.
So how do you stay up-to-date? Your wedding venue and vendors should be aware of the latest state rules, but we recommend checking in weekly or bi-weekly for new updates on your own.
First off, Gov. Phil Scott typically has press conferences on Tuesdays and Fridays. On Fridays, in particular, he tends to make bigger announcements. Check in on his COVID-19 response page, particularly the Phased ReStart section, where he lists out updates in chronological order. Also follow @GovPhilScott on Twitter for announcements.
This is invaluable for not just you, but your guests who are traveling from various regions to attend the wedding.
Next, check the Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD)’s COVID-19 Response and Resources page – specifically, the marriage section – for current capacities and other rules.
Another valuable resource is the Vermont ACCD’s Cross State Travel Map. This map – updated weekly on Tuesdays – is populated with raw data from Johns Hopkins University and uses multiple factors to determine how many active cases are in each county.
The Map identifies quarantine and non-quarantine counties throughout the Northeast including New England; New York; Pennsylvania; Ohio; New Jersey; Delaware; Maryland; Washington, D.C.; Virginia; and West Virginia. Visitors from green counties may travel to Vermont with no quarantine, while those from yellow or red counties are subject to travel restrictions. Vermont counties are exempt from travel restrictions.
This is invaluable for not just you, but your guests who are traveling from various regions to attend the wedding. Be sure to share this information with family and friends well before the big day, so that they can account for it in their travel plans.
The mask mandate is still in effect throughout Vermont. Enacted on August 1, the amendment requires all Vermonters to wear masks or cloth facial coverings any time it is not possible to maintain a physical distance of at least six feet with others from outside their household.
The Vermont Association of Wedding Professionals has also put together an excellent Google Doc, Vermont State Wedding & Event Specific Reopening Guidelines, extracted from the ACCD Phased Reopening Plan.
We know it can be hectic getting your wedding planning done during COVID-19, but hopefully the above info and links can help you plan smarter and have a beautiful, amazing wedding day!
Check out our latest posts for more COVID-19 information and wedding planning tips, as well as how to plan a micro wedding in Vermont.