Venues, couples working around lack of guidelines for weddings in Kentucky

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — The wedding-planning process can bring much stress to a venue and especially the couple tying the knot. Throw the COVID-19 pandemic into the mix, and the happiest of all days can quickly become a nightmare.

For Kyle Smith and Amy Teta, their June 13 wedding day was slated to be the best celebration a newlywed couple could hope for. More than 300 people were invited to the ceremony and reception.

As the day approached, however, things got complicated. In March, the state began restricting large gatherings to curb the spread of the virus.

"We kinda thought, 'OK, that's exactly three months away; surely it'll calm down by then,'" Teta said.

Unfortunately, the restrictions only got tighter. The soon-to-be Smiths were forced to rework the entire wedding.

Restrictions have loosened recently, so the couple is sticking with the June 13 date. The guest list had to be trimmed down, however, and they'll miss out on the large reception they'd hoped for.

"It's just so disappointing," Smith said. "I was really looking forward to celebrating with everybody."

The couples aren't the only ones grappling with these tough decisions. Wedding venues are also struggling.

Some venues have cancelled or rescheduled up to 70 weddings because of pandemic-related issues.

"It's been ... um ... it's been a challenge," said Erica Outlaw, weddings director of Ice House in downtown Louisville.

Canceling or rescheduling weddings has cost Ice House thousands of dollars, Outlaw added.

The frustrating part for both couples and venues, they say, is the lack of guidelines provided for resuming weddings and events.

"There's been no formal event guidelines that have been released up to this point," Outlaw said. "We've honestly ridden the coattails of the guidelines for the number of people for gatherings, as well as guidelines for the percentage in restaurants. So we've kind of made up our own based on those two, and we're rolling with it."

Ice House is adapting by hosting weddings of up to 50 people beginning in just a few weeks. Each party will sit at a safe distance from one another, masks will be provided and food will be delivered straight to the table.

As for Teta and Smith, their ceremony will look quite different with social distancing.

"Even with social distancing, all our guests can sit comfortably 6 feet apart in every third row," Teta said. "That day we're just going to have a small celebration with friends and family."

While couples and venues seek more answers and direction from the state, many weddings will resume until weddings return to normal, only in a smaller fashion.

However, the more-intimate weddings may not be the worst thing to happen for both venues and couples.

"They're going to receive a much more tailored experience because of the lower guest count," Outlaw said. "They'll have the opportunity to interact and engage with less people and get the quality over the quantity."

"Obviously I want to be able to celebrate with everybody, but I think that's why it was so important for us to still get married on June 13 so we could get married and start our lives together," Smith added.

To see a specific venue's guidelines, visit their website or call them directly.