Weddings working around guidelines
As Gov. Tom Wolf announced tighter limits on indoor dining, gatherings and bar service because of a recent spike in COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania, Robin McDougal and Alexandria Jordan were meeting with Maddie Perdziola and Eric Stack to discuss final preparations for their wedding Friday in the ballroom at the Hilton Garden Inn.
Wolf’s latest order, which took effect Thursday, prohibits indoor events and gatherings of more than 25 people while outdoor events cannot exceed 250. The maximum occupancy limits include staff. Also, alcohol and cocktails can only be served while guests are seated at tables eating.
“(The news) was absolutely heartbreaking,” said Perdziola. “I turned to my fiancé. We looked at each other when Alex said, ‘We’ll figure it out. We’ll make it happen.'”
The Perdziola-Stack nuptials had been in the works since an engagement in October 2018. Originally, the Bethel Park High School graduates selected May 16 for their wedding date and venue because their prom was held then at the Hilton Garden Inn. Additionally, Jordan, who is the hotel’s social sales manager, had worked with the couple since December, 2018.
“I couldn’t have picked a better wedding coordinator,” Perdziola said of Jordan. “She has been so understanding. The Hilton Garden Inn has done amazing things for us. We didn’t want to postpone again, and they made it work.”
After a garden wedding ceremony, the reception was held outdoors underneath tents that could accommodate the 114 guests. While there was no bar, cocktails were served. However, guests had to be seated in order to imbibe.
Additionally, the hotel and guests adhered to all guidelines, including wearing masks.
“We were OK with that,” Perdziola said. “Frankly, though, more people were comfortable because it was going to be outside now.”
An outdoor wedding is not without risk. McDougal and Jordan were pleased the weather cooperated. Because the venue is on a hill, there’s always a pleasant breeze, they said.
To pull off such an event took all their years of experience. They said there had been a lot of chances in a quick turnaround time.
Since mid-March, the pair have been contending with the fluctuations the coronavirus pandemic has imposed on the hospitality industry.
“A nightmare. A complete nightmare,” emphasized McDougal, who is the hotel’s director of sales. “We’re living it and breathing it.”
“We are doing whatever we can to think outside of the box,” chimed in Jordan. “We are attempting to be as accommodating as possible to make dream dates come true.”
From April through June, McDougal said all events at the Hilton Garden Inn were canceled. Typically, the venue hosts between 50 to 70 weddings a year. While there was no wedding scheduled for Saturday, she said there are “tons on the books,” including two weddings this week that could draw upwards of 200 guests.
“We’ll just get a bigger tent and use the parking lot. The couples are on board with that. The most important thing for them is they are getting married. People don’t want to give up. Our brides and grooms want to get married.”
“A lot of these people have been in a holding pattern,” agreed Jordan. “They want to marry and celebrate, and we are using all of our creativity and providing a service that is as seamless as possible to see that it happens for them.
“It’s been a very hard year for couples. They’ve been thrown curve ball after curve ball. We try to have their backs and make sure we are doing everything in our power to make their day occur as close as possible to the vision they have for it in as safe a manner by following the guidelines.”
According to McDougal, pre-COVID weddings that attracted an average of 300 typically saw a decline in attendance from 20 to 25%. Since COVID hit, the percentage is probably 40.
“If they are comfortable, they will come. Those who are not will decline. We are all entitled to our own feelings,” she said.
Because the restrictions have narrowed again, McDougal added that people are starting to panic. “They want to know what their options are,” she said. “Weddings are having a new look now.”
Because of the restrictions, traditional buffets are history and the fabled Pittsburgh cookie table has received a makeover at The Hilton Garden Inn. Desserts are now boxed up for guests and displayed prominently on lit tables. The hotel provides a space for wedding patrons to get together to assemble their boxes.
“We tell our brides and grooms we cannot do buffets or cookie tables because it isn’t safe. People breathe on it, sneeze on it and cough on it, but by doing it in advance we are able to maintain that part of our culture. It looks different, but it’s a creative way to keep a tradition.”
Until a vaccine is discovered, the traditional wedding for the foreseeable future has changed, say McDougal and Jordan. The pair, though, have the flexibility to weather the fluctuations that reopening and reductions bring.
“It’s been an emotional roller-coaster,” McDougal said. “We are looking at things in different ways than we ever looked at before. It’s a learning process. We are doing things normally but in a different manner to follow restrictions but not as the sacrifice of our service.”
“We are learning new things every day,” agreed Jordan. “The adjustments are just as shocking to us as to our clients. Things pop up, but we are there for them. One of the things we do feel strongly about and are proud of is our relationships with couples and families. We are just as invested in their day as they are. We want them to have the event they envisioned just as much so we try to make it as painless as possible as far as this transitioning.”
For Perdziola and Stack, that was settling and reassuring. Perdziola said that helped her calmly walk down the aisle.
“Absolutely, there had been a lot of anxious moments and tears. Honestly, the worst part was calling our date and rescheduling and not knowing if the second date would go through. We have been through so much. I’m just excited to be married.”