Our state has recently entered Phase 3 of reopening. While Phase 3 does not mean that Covid is longer a problem, it does allow social gatherings. Currently in Louisiana, outdoor gatherings are limited to 250 guests. Luckily, our wedding is nowhere close to that limit! We had long ago chosen to keep our wedding as intimate as possible while including those that mean the most to us. We have invited only 100 guests total, and with the venue being totally outdoors, we expect everyone to be able to celebrate safely.
Masks have been proven effective in slowing the spread of Covid-19. We have both been very diligent in our mask wearing while in indoor public spaces. We encourage our guests who might be uncomfortable otherwise to please wear a mask. While we will not require masks at our wedding, we strongly encourage any at-risk guests to please consider wearing a mask for their safety. We want all our guests to feel at ease while at our wedding and reception. If you're nervous, please feel free to wear your mask!
Louisiana does have a state mask mandate in effect. Our mandate states that everyone in an indoor public space is required to wear a mask. Our wedding is completely outdoors and will not fall into the statewide mandate. You will, however, need to adhere to local mask guidelines while in your hotel common areas, on provided transportation, or inside any public places you may stop along the way.
Afton Villa Gardens is completely outdoors. The ceremony will take place in a beautiful oak alley, and the reception will be under an open sided tent. There will be plenty of fresh air and room for social distancing. We feel very fortunate to have a chosen venue before Covid that will still allow us to have the wedding we always wanted.
We have chosen to provide a shuttle to and from the venue to accommodate our guests and the limited parking. Our shuttle company is taking every precaution. The shuttle will be sanitized between trips to allow guests a safe and clean ride to and from the venue. We ask that our guests all adhere to the state mask mandate and wear masks while on the shuttle. The shuttle is at the leisure of our guests for the night and will make as many trips as necessary to safely transport our guests to and from Afton Villa Gardens.
We are working with our vendor to arrange the ceremony seating with more space between rows. We are also providing extra chairs to allow our guests to give themselves a little extra space. Our guests are encouraged to spread out as much as possible during the ceremony.
Still a little nervous? Nothing to worry about! We have provided a zoom login for our guests that do not feel it would be the best decision for them to attend in person. While you will be deeply missed, we will be happy to have you there however we can.