© Fox News
One wedding planner complained that D.C.'s starting to feel a little like the mythical town of Bomont in the classic movie Footloose -- the town that banned dancing.
"Completely shell-shocked," Stephanie Sadowski of SRS Events said of her reaction to hearing the news.
The city is loosening some pandemic restrictions, but at her news conference Monday, Sadowski said Mayor Muriel Bowser sneaked in a bombshell. The latest order allows indoor weddings at 25% capacity, or 250 people -- which was a bit of relief -- but "standing and dancing at receptions are not allowed."
For some couples, no standing or dancing is a deal-breaker.
"There's hardly been any time to react, rather than being incredibly frustrated and angry with Washington DC and Mayor Bowser for completely blindsiding us," Sadowski said.
When WUSA9 asked Susana Castillo, a spokeswoman for the mayor, about pandemic restrictions on weddings a month ago, she said the city would continue to assess and adjust them as needed, but said the city's top priority is ensuring the safety of residents and visitors.
WUSA9 reached out to Bowser's office again for comment on the dancing/standing ban, but has not yet received a response.
The dancing ban goes into effect May 1 and applies to both indoor and outdoor receptions. Some couples are rushing to relocate their celebrations to Maryland or Virginia venues where restrictions are looser.
Sadowski said she had four weddings planned in D.C. next month, at the height of the wedding season, and she's scrambling to move all of them.
"I cannot even believe we're in 2021 right now, and we are saying no dancing," she said. "Why can't we just have masks?"
Spring is here, love is blooming, but in D.C, forget kicking off your Sunday shoes -- you're not allowed to dance at your wedding reception.
Reader Comments
R.C.
kissblowhold your breath and throw a kiss at the bride's veil from the other side of the stage. Conjugation unauthorized. And no smiling!I learned that by five years on this job.
RC
Weddings: I told a friend (who agreed with me and regrets and opined those officially approved relationship mistakes) when he was talking about being married and divorced thrice and was still paying for the last over-exuberant ceremony and reception that an officially recognized marriage is a financial contract and if you love someone what's the point of a certificate from TPB acknowledging it or anyone witnessing pledges of loyalty?
Some rough stats here summarily (depending on where you read): ~1/3 - 1/2 American marriages end in divorce and a study indicated that the more is spent on wedding rings and the wedding, the higher probability of a secession.
What happens when the people stand up and say that they are fed up.
Guests can't stand up, but servers can?
Will culinary staff be seated and socially distanced?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Guests can't stand up, but servers can? Maybe the solution is for everyone use wheelchairs on the dance floor. Should make for some great videos of malignant compliance.
Will culinary staff be seated and socially distanced as well?
Inquiring minds want to know.
About 90% of our people improve with it. Local pain clinic using it as well, and not just for intended purpose.
Benfotiamine and Alpha Lipoic Acid can also be helpful. They all work in different ways, and can be used together.