Everything You Need to Know When Planning a Safe Event at The Garden
New Safety Measures at The Garden
On November 13, 2020, Governor Ralph Northam announced new statewide measures aimed at reducing the spread of COVID-19 in Virginia. The new safety measures come after a significant increase of confirmed cases of the virus across the state. The new restrictions reduced the number of people allowed to gather at both indoor and outdoor events from 250 to 25.
In order to comply with state mandates and help prevent the spread of illness, we have adjusted our practices and policies at our event facility. Thinking of planning an event with us? Below are some things to consider as you start planning or adjust your current plans.
Limited Capacity
As stated, at this time we cannot exceed 25 event attendees. This number includes all participants including event planners, guests of honor, children and adults. The Garden event staff is not included in the 25-person capacity count.
Please keep in mind that we cannot allow more guests to join your event and you will likely need to downsize your guest list. In the event that you cannot or do not wish to downsize your event give us a call and we’re more than happy to discuss rescheduling or another solution.
Air Flow, Contact Tracing, and Cleaning
During events, we leave our garage door open to ensure significant airflow. We keep a guest list for all events to allow for the Alexandria Health Department to conduct quick and effective contact tracing. In addition to regular cleaning using CDC-approved cleaners, The Garden uses Building Momentum’s UVC Robot to sanitize surfaces when there is not twelve hours between events.
Although events look different during the pandemic, we believe that the smaller size allows for a more intimate and personal gathering. Please contact us for more information about our safety measures.
Event Catering
Many of our guests share a meal at their event, which looks different during the pandemic. Guests can enjoy a classic seated dinner or an attended buffet. It’s important that self-serve buffets that share utensils are not used to reduce the spread of germs. Instead, event planners should designate one server to serve each guest. All guests must wear a face covering when not eating or drinking.
In order to observe social distancing guidelines, The Garden ensures a six-foot gap between each table. We ask that guests that do not live in the same household maintain adequate distance from each other. The Garden recently renovated our outdoor patio to allow for additional spacing.
Dancing & Entertainment
We understand that many of our guests enjoy dancing and entertainment. For weddings, we allow the bride and groom’s first dance as well as the mother/son dance and the father/daughter dance. Limited dancing is recommended to ensure social distancing can be maintained. The Garden has a complete sound system that can support live bands, DJ’s, and even Spotify playlists. Our SONOS speakers can be controlled from your phone through Spotify.
Décor
As weddings and other events become smaller and more intimate, we’ve seen a trend in couples and event planners spending less of their budget on food and entertainment and more on décor to offer a more immersive experience than they may have planned previously. We are always amazed by the ingenuity of our guests. Recently, our space was turned into a jungle. It’s this type of creative thinking that turns weddings and other events into a truly memorable experience.
At The Garden, we’re committed to the health and safety of our staff and guests. Please contact us today to discuss how we can help you create a memorable experience.