I would attend. Covid is certainly a real issue but statistically it doesn’t worry me that I would have serious complications. Most likely outcome is nothing more than maybe getting flu symptoms.
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I would lean toward no, because I don’t think things will be much different in a few months. Not only do I not want to take a chance and end up one of the folks who unexpectedly get very sick (or die), but I don’t want to get it & give it to someone else who might not be willing to take a chance.
If it is not outside or in an open tent, I would say no. If outside, I might consider going; I would mask up & keep my distance.
Flu (the real flu, not the various feverish illnesses that people call “flu”) symptoms can be severe and unpleasant. COVID-19 is often worse and deadlier, and more frequently results in longer term after-effects and disabilities, even in younger people, although it just as often is asymptomatic but contagious, so some people unknowingly spread it to more vulnerable people.
Also, weddings tend to be multi-generational gatherings, so someone less likely to get sick from COVID-19 may be an asymptomatic (at the time) carrier who brings it to the elderly parents or grandparents of the people getting married.
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I know two people personally, both athletes (one triathlete and one a distance runner), no risk factors, who got it last spring and have serious long term effects. One, a physician, has been admitted to the hospital months later and has permanent heart damage. Both are men in their mid 40s. My sisters friend,50 no risk factors, died of it on Sunday. I know statistics say they would all be ok but they are not. Not worth the risk to me (and I have no risk factors either). I’ve had the vaccine and would still not do it unless others were vaccinated as well.
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Until we’re fully vaccinated (at least two weeks past the second shot), we’re not going anywhere for any reason. We’ve already missed a wedding and two funerals. With vaccines here, it makes no sense to us to take any risks now.
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Our family event planned for late May was already postponed until October. Two other weddings are scheduled for October. Im hoping they don’t conflict.
Even by late May, I don’t see how everyone will be vaccinated.
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Feel the same! It is like I don’t want to break my winning streak😂. I have made it this far!
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We are going to a wedding in late April. Husband will be fully vaccinated by then and I’m hoping I will be also. If I’m not then I’ll have to skip it.
I still haven’t had funeral services for my parents who died in March and July of '20. Not a chance I would go to a wedding before I felt it was safe to gather for the funerals.
As noted upthread, the likelihood that everyone will be vaccinated by then is slim and I would not want to risk endangering elderly family members and friends.
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^^cross posted
Unless our kids need us, we aren’t traveling in May, even if we are vaccinated, because of possible potential risk of asymptomatic spread from those vaccinated…
I’m hoping majority of the population will be vaccinated in the next six months and we will leave home again finally.
A niece got engaged during the pandemic. They told everyone they won’t even try to plan a wedding till the pandemic ends. When it finally happens, it will be a huge party. It really gives me something to look forward to!
adding: our kids are worried about the possibility of our grandchildren getting covid from asymptomatic vaccinated adults. Although probably unlikely, I surely get their concern.
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Sounds like about a 75% say no 25% say yes here.
I’m in the “no” category. I would write a very heartfelt letter to the niece and her beau, wishing them the love and care I would say in person. And I would not feel one tinge of guilt or sadness about it. I’m entitled to stay safe and keep my family and especially my community safe.
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I would only attend if it was an outside wedding and I was close to the bride/groom. Oh, and if precautions were going to be taken. We attended a niece’s wedding in September. It was fairly small, outside, and masks had to be worn everywhere except your table while eating (most everyone was seated with their immediate family). Felt very safe. No cases afterwards.
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My two cents: If you are healthy and under 65, Covid poses statistically less risk than many, many other things we don’t shut down the world for. The travel to the wedding would probably pose a higher risk. This is an important life event. If you’re sick, stay home, of course. If this whole thread demonstrates anything, it’s that it’s never going to be “safe.” Go! Enjoy your life! You only get one. 
replying to my own post to add: I will not be responding to anyone who attempts to shame me or to argue, thanks
Just getting ahead of the people who realllllly can’t stand it when people refuse to be afraid
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I got married last year. I know what Covid can do to people but we chose to move forward. I got Covid moderately badly and yes have some lingering issues. No I did not get Covid at my wedding. We have been in contact with our guests and it seems nobody got ill.
I respected those who declined. I understood and was not offended.
We wear masks. We wash our hands. We have traveled in the past year.
I am teaching face to face. My kids are in school and all their activities as normal as is allowed.
As I said, with the vaccine and my ability to mask, I feel safer.
I am sure I am in the extreme minority here (but I guess I am with @chunkylegs), but I would attend the wedding with no worries, vaccine or no. The virus has been around for some time now, nothing I have seen or read would give me any pause.
It was different in the beginning (back in the “bend the curve” early months). But now we have good data showing for instance COVID IFR rates of well under 0.01% for under 25, 0.10% around 50, and 0.40% around 55 (the data are roughly log-linear). Continued extreme restrictions for the vast majority of people make no sense to my mind, the costs are just too high.
Self-isolation of the most vulnerable is not perfect, but of course neither are any measures undertaken by the less vulnerable. After a year of fairly extreme measures, it’s time in my opinion.
This is so hard. We were invited to a wedding in California in May (we live in Massachusetts) and were unsure but fortunately they moved it to May of 2022. So tough that is is your niece and not just a friend. If I were not high risk I would attend an outdoor wedding. Not sure i could handle indoor but I haven’t been indoors with very many people over the past year.
I attended two weddings in Fall 2020. I would go to one in May unless things really take a turn for the worse between now and then. And I’m feeling optimistic it won’t but who knows.
We also go to work, to stores, to restaurants, to family. We are thinking about Disney in May.
I know it’s tough to make these decisions, OP, and I hope whatever you decide goes okay.
A niece is getting married this spring. My DH will likely drive. From what I can see, the wedding venue, outside, holds no more than 40. So it will be small and outdoors. DH and FoB are both Covid concern minimizers, but DH is good about wearing a mask.
Several of us think it is selfish and/or silly of the niece to have this wedding, given other personal circumstances; a city hall or local immediate family only would have been totally appropriate and justifiable with Covid.
DH is not big on weddings and really wouldn’t have an issue missing the event, but is going for his brother who has had some serious health concerns. Brother does not have a Covid careful attitude and has been hospitalized a couple of times in the past year, not Covid, so DH wonders, what happens if his brother catches the Covid from this event? There is no way to know if the brother’s not careful attitude results in any different actual behavior than all my so called careful friends who I then see in photos out and about without masks. I know SIL is very aware of her husband’s health issues and had spoken all last year of being protective, not seeing the kids who work out in the real world etc.
I will not attend; DH rarely gets sick, when he does, it’s over in a day or two. When I get colds, multiple times a year, I am coughing for weeks. I am absolutely enjoying the pandemic precautions. I have not had a cold all year, I may continue to wear a mask after it’s all done, except I feel like the healthiness is really a result of all the sanitizing and others wearing masks. I always sanitized carts, anyway. Everybody can just stop breathing germs on me!
DH will be required to remain apart from me for at least a week after he leaves his brother’s house.
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It’s only February. See how you feel in a month or two. There really isn’t a right or wrong answer…it’s what you personally feel comfortable doing.
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