COVID is Back – Here are 5 questions to ask your venue
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Should the government shut down your venue due to a spike in COVID cases- What is your policy? Please note that the majority of venues will not give you your money back, however, they should allow you to reschedule with no penalty etc…
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Should government require your venue to decrease the number of occupants, do we have a choice to reschedule? With the decrease in occupants – if we have already paid for 100 guest/ would be get a refund if the new allowed count is half capacity?
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Are mask required (by staff, guest, bridal party)? You want to be sure about their rules. At some venues – outside ceremony does not require mask, but inside the reception area – mask may be mandatory (even whilst dancing). Of course the bride does not want all pictures with mask, so find out what is and is not allowed.
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With Covid still very prevalent – Is buffet allowed? If a plated meal becomes necessary, will the venue/ caterer cover the cost for additional servers (As clients desire was originally buffet)
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What cleaning procedures are currently in place at your venue?
Overall, you want to make sure that your venue has procedures in place to keep you and your guest safe. Policies also need to be in place so that you DO NOT lose money in case of a Government Shut Down or Reduction in the number of guest allowed.
When booking your venue, please ensure that you read your contract. There should be verbiage in place that states that in the case of a shut down, you (The Client) will not lose any funds, but instead, your funds will be transferred to a new date.
If for any reason your contract doesn’t have anything written regarding the pandemic- You must ask to have it added and the venue should honor that request. Do not book a venue without a pandemic clause included.