Brides in states that require masks

I'm in Massachusetts, and we have a mask requirement that started in May and won't end until there's a vaccine or effective treatment. Here all of the COVID rules specifically apply to weddings (maximum gathering sizes, no dance floors, no bars). We postponed our big reception to 2021, and everyone will be wearing masks at our mini-wedding this year. For most venues, I think the fact that it's a private event doesn't mean you wouldn't have to wear masks, because you're in a public place (it counts as a public place if you have to pay to use it even if it's privately owned) and there are staff whose safety should be protected. Some of the things you mentioned would be fine without a mask, though. During the ceremony, as long as your officiant is okay with it, you and your fiancé could be mask free, since everyone else will be farther away. The same thing is true with your first dance and other things that happen while everyone else is sitting. I don't think it's reasonable to distance yourself from all of your guests. You shouldn't be going around hugging everyone like it's 2019, but you should still get within 6 feet of people to thank them for being there. If you really don't want to get near people who come to celebrate with you because you're that worried about having masks in a lot of your pictures, it's probably a good idea to think about postponing until you can more safely be around people.

THIS. the idea of requiring a bride to wear a mask on her wedding day is obscene to me. If you want pictures with the couple, the masks come off; if you're uncomfortable with that, then i guess you're not getting photos. I think about that all the time - masks being in every other photo just completely casts a shadow over the entire event for me. I feel like I would be bitter about this for a very long time if everyone wore masks, esp. after basically postponing a year to avoid this very thing (which apparently basically doesn't matter, as we have no idea when a vaccine will come, if ever).

And it's likely that other states like PA will jump on the mask everywhere bandwagon, so the idea of getting married in a border state would be a moot point, even if we had tens of thousands of dollars to spare. This whole situation just profoundly upsets me.

That's good to know. Still a nightmare to deal with in my opinion, but good to know. I'm thinking at the rate we are going with US infections, masks will be continued to be required everywhere well into 2021, which means I'm cancelling and never getting the day I finally deserve. I mean, how many times and over how much time is postponing worth it to you? I refuse to put my life on hold for two, three years, esp. when i'm not 25, that's insane, I feel ridiculous enough putting it off for an additional ten months. I'd rather have a semi-meaningful elopement then a half-assed wedding day where no one can hug anyone, or dance, pose for pictures with each other, or even physically being present there without worrying they will get sick, even with a sea of masks which really disturbs me and will haunt me for the infinite future.

Girl - I completely feel you (I'll be 36 if we have the big reception next year).

Some days I get upset still but I think I'll make my peace with it in the next few months... I'm looking forward to my micro-wedding this winter, so that helps tremendously.

We have a mask mandate in the city where we are getting married - even if we didn't we would likely ask our guests to wear masks when not eating/drinking just because I feel like its the right thing to do to keep people safe. My fiancé and I won't wear masks during the ceremony as long as our officiant is comfortable with it (although, he is a friend we have been around recently without masks -so I am sure he will be) and we only have a MOH and BM in our wedding party so at least for those pics, it will be okay. For our posed pics, people won't wear masks, again small wedding party so that helps. At this point I have embraced that some pics will have masks and I know years from now it will be a story about the times we are living in! I am ordering my fiancé and I cute masks so we can wear them when talking to people - and I also think it will be funny to have a posed pic or two with masks on just so we have them to laugh at in 5 or so years when am over being a #COVID bride. Like I said - at this point I have embraced it...