Planning a Holiday Season Elopement?

The holidays are a special time for many people as they usually get some time away from work. It is also a chance to see friends and family that they haven’t seen in a while. Those same reasons are why the holiday season elopement has also become a popular choice in recent years. The idea of a Christmas or New Year wedding are fun and romantic. It is often one of the few times that both parties can take the time off work to travel. However, as with most 2020 weddings, planning a holiday season elopement might prove tricky this year! We have been contacted by a number of couples already who are asking about the potential obstacles that they might face if they choose to elope this holiday season.  Let’s explore some of the challenges that could arise!

INTERNATIONAL Travel Restrictions

One of the biggest challenges that could impact your plans for a holiday season elopement will be government-imposed travel restrictions. At present, there are many International Travel Restrictions.  The United States has implemented special entry requirements to help slow the spread of COVID-19. For example, the USA/Canada and USA/Mexico borders are currently closed for “non-essential” travel.  Those entering from Canada may be asked to self-isolate upon arrival depending on the state you are visiting. You may also be asked to present a negative COVID-19 test result, again depending on the state you are visiting.

Entry into the United States has also been suspended for many other countries across Europe and Asia. There is an exception for U.S. citizens coming back from those countries. This means that if you do plan on traveling to the United States for a holiday season elopement, you may need to plan for a longer stay than you first anticipated in order to allow for quarantine periods.   

Domestic Travel Restrictions

It is not only international travel that may prove difficult over the festive period. There are also travel restrictions being implemented in 22 states at the time of this writing. This is an ongoing situation that changes daily. Even if a state you intend to visit is currently allowing free movement across state lines, that could change in the days leading up to – or during your visit.

If you are intending to travel to a different state for your holiday season elopement, then you must pay close attention to the current restrictions both in your state and the one you are traveling to. It is advisable to monitor these closely for possible changes as the situation changes. The same self-isolation requirements and proof of negative COVID-19 status may also apply in states with tighter travel restrictions.

Other Potential Holiday Season Elopement Restrictions

Is a holiday season elopement out of the question? The answer is no – not entirely! However, it may be wise to plan your wedding close to home in order to avoid the complex travel requirements. If you do choose to stick close to your home turf, then most of the same restrictions that other Coronavirus brides have been faced with are going to apply. You should check if your state or county has restrictions on the number of people allowed to gather. You will also want to look at the local mask ordinances to find out if any guests will be required to wear a face covering.

If you are to have a successful holiday season elopement in 2020 then it would likely be best to choose an outdoor venue or one that is spacious enough to allow social distancing among guests. You may wish to go the technological route and keep the ceremony to just the two of you and allow guests to watch the proceedings via Zoom or Skype. 

Should you Wait it Out?

Upon hearing that their plans for a holiday season elopement could prove difficult some couples are asking if they would be better postponing their plans until later in 2021. That is a difficult question to answer too and it comes down to personal choice. The latest talk from health experts suggests that the Flu season is going to be particularly bad on top of an increase of COVID-19 cases through February 2021. It could be close to Summertime before vaccines are available to the general public to control the pandemic.

With the situation changing rapidly and frequently it is difficult to predict when things will return to anything close to “normal”! If you do choose to wait it out, then you could be waiting for a long time.  Many larger wedding venues are already booked. However, if you are okay with having a smaller wedding and staying near home, then a holiday season elopement is still within your reach!  Please let us know if you have any questions.