Updated August 10, 2020
We’ve been sharing in our California couples’ disappointment at the postponement of their spring, summer, and now fall 2020 weddings, but it has also been incredibly inspiring and uplifting to come together as an industry to minimize the stress for our clients (and each other) as much as possible.
The state of California has issued a “stay at home” order that prohibits citizens from going out in public unless absolutely necessary, in which case people still must maintain social distancing of at least six feet from others outside their households. Governor Newsom has also recently moved the state into Stage 2 for the Resilience Roadmap, which permits a few additional businesses, workplaces, and schools to begin the path to reopening. Because of an increase of COVID cases in July 2020, the re-closure of some of these businesses and services has been mandated. This includes indoor places of worship, which means that indoor wedding ceremonies are currently not permitted.
Since the “stay at home” order was issued in mid-March, Anna Delores Photography has rescheduled all weddings between March and August, and many September and October couples have decided to postpone, as well. Our clients with weddings currently planned for September through December have reached out to confirm availability for 2021 dates as they consider whether to postpone their celebrations.
We are currently able to photograph ONLY outdoor ceremonies according to guidelines within the counties in which we photograph weddings, provided there are no additional mandates issued that prohibit the presence of a professional wedding photographer:
Ventura County
Outdoor wedding ceremonies are permitted as long as they observe social distancing protocols. As long as a wedding ceremony abides by these guidelines, we are able to photograph your event as long as social distancing is practicable and wearing masks is enforced according to county guidelines. Indoor ceremonies (including church ceremonies) and receptions of ANY kind are not currently permitted under the current Ventura County mandate.
Santa Barbara County
Outdoor wedding ceremonies are permitted as long as they observe social distancing protocols. As long as a wedding ceremony abides by these guidelines, we are able to photograph your event as long as social distancing is practicable and wearing masks is enforced according to county guidelines. Indoor ceremonies (including church ceremonies) and receptions of ANY kind are currently not permitted under the current Santa Barbara County mandate.
Based on continued support and communication with the larger wedding community in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, we are hopeful that small gatherings (with professional support staff) will be permitted very soon (our fingers are crossed), however we will also continue to monitor the situation and fully intend to comply with state guidelines regarding both weddings themselves and our ability to work as a non-essential business.
If you are planning to host more than 50 guests at your wedding in 2020, there are various opinions on whether this will be permitted in the state of California; consult with your own wedding planner and/or venue to gauge their approach to these larger events for the remainder of 2020.
Here are some resources to help answer some of your questions and provide support during this time of uncertainty; if you need any help AT ALL, reach out to your wedding professionals for guidance and feedback! We’re all in this together.
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What to expect when postponing your wedding
An extremely helpful article about what to expect from your vendor team, via Harper’s Bazaar
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FAQs about COVID-19
Frequently-asked questions (and answers) for couples currently in the midst of wedding planning
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Coronavirus and your wedding
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Just the facts, please
CDC information on COVID-19
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How to inform guests of postponement
Tips + advice for sharing wedding reschedule information with your family and friends.
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A step-by-step guide to wedding postponement
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Wedding dress designer + bridal boutique policies during COVID-19
via Brides.com
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Support from the wedding community
Your vendors have your back! Via The Wedding Standard
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Self-care suggestions + resources
Virtual workouts, meditation, and online classes
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Wedding planning tasks you CAN do right now!
How else can we help? Please feel free to reach out if there’s anything we can do to support you in your wedding planning journey, whether you’re an Anna Delores Photography client or not! E-mail hello@annadelores.com or find us on Instagram.
Stay safe and healthy, wash your hands and wear your masks!
