Should I cancel my wedding or honeymoon because of coronavirus? Yes, experts say

Joshua Bote | USA TODAY

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As the coronavirus pandemic ravages the U.S. and the world, those planning their weddings may be wondering whether to cancel their nuptials or honeymoons.

The outbreak shows no signs of stopping anytime soon: Worldwide, more than 265,000 people have been infected, and more than 11,000 have died, according to the Johns Hopkins University data dashboard. In the U.S., more than 14,600 cases have been reported, with more than 200 deaths.

From guests traveling, dozens, if not hundreds, of people in an enclosed space and honeymoon plans, the coronavirus is likely to affect couples planning their wedding.

"We're trying to look forward in time and guess what the situation would be," said Gregory Poland, director of the Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group. "That's a really tough thing to do."

In light of the federal mandate prohibiting groups of more than 10 people, it may be necessary to postpone your wedding.

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My wedding is in the summer. Should I cancel or postpone?

It depends, but you likely will want to cancel if your wedding plans skewed big.

Jaimie Meyer, an infectious disease specialist at Yale School of Medicine, says that you should cancel your wedding, period.

"At the risk of becoming totally unpopular with brides and wedding planners everywhere, yes, weddings should wait," she told USA TODAY.

It may be worth still holding your wedding, Poland says, if your wedding is small — and if guests do not have to fly in for your nuptials.

"The principle is to avoid mixing people from a large number of locations," he said.

One wedding planner, Janessa White of Simply Eloped, suggests holding a no-guest wedding and livestreaming the wedding to guests.

"Once risks subside," she said, "hold a big vow renewal ceremony or reception with your friends and family."

If you do decide to postpone your wedding, Lauren Kay, the executive editor of the wedding planning website The Knot, suggests some best practices.

Send printed cards, personal notes or call guests individually to let them know, Kay says. If you have a website set up for your guests, update that, too.

How should we protect our guests from the coronavirus?

If you do decide to have guests at your wedding, Poland said there are several precautionary measures you can take, from the venue to food service.

He advises holding the wedding outdoors.

"Ventilation and light are crucial to decreasing viral transmission," he said. In addition, distancing people "to the extent you could" – by setting seats at the ceremony at least six feet apart, for example – would help decrease the risk for transmission.

As for the food options, opting for a plated meal instead of a buffet-style meal would reduce the risk.

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But if you do decide to have a buffet at your reception or event, have each guest use their own silverware to serve themselves instead of a "common serving implement that everyone touches," Poland says.

Beyond that, good practices include setting up hand sanitizer stations at every entrance and avoiding instances such as a communal wine cup at a Catholic wedding.

One thing to keep in mind, he says: Don't make your guests wear masks. It doesn't suit the occasion, creates shortages for medical professionals who need them, and more important, they do little to safeguard healthy individuals from coronavirus. Instead, health experts advise practicing good hygiene by washing your hands for at least 20 seconds.

Is it OK to have elderly relatives there? What about pregnant women?

Don't invite your elderly relatives or anyone with underlying medical complications, even if that may mean postponing your wedding.

Officials warn that COVID-19 causes more complications in elderly people, immunocompromised people and pregnant women, and they may face a higher risk of hospitalization, admission to an intensive care unit or even death.

Meyer notes that because they're at highest risk, it may be impossible to protect them from coronavirus without social distancing.

"My advice may be completely unromantic and CDC guidance may lead people to feel bored and lonely, but it is the only way to end this pandemic," she said.

Should couples buy wedding insurance?

Yes, you should look into wedding insurance, Kay says.

"Wedding insurance protects a couple’s investment from circumstances beyond their control and is something we recommend for all couples, not only right now," she said.

But you should check with insurance companies about availability given the economic shift caused by coronavirus. And if a policy is offered, it may not cover a wedding cancellation caused by coronavirus.

What about my honeymoon? Should I avoid certain places or cancel?

All non-essential travel should be cancelled, full stop, Poland says.

"In terms of a honeymoon, my frank opinion at this point is no non-essential travel – it just elevates risk," he said.

President Donald Trump has prohibited travel to Mexico and Canada, and

The Department of State has issued a Level 4 advisory — explicitly stating "do not travel" — for trips abroad.

"U.S. citizens who live in the United States should arrange for immediate return to the United States, unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period," per the advisory.

There is a silver lining, Kay notes.

"For starters, there will be more time to recuperate from their celebrations and they'll have more time to save money for the trip while having the opportunity to make additional plans post-wedding," Kay said.

And many airlines are making it easy by waiving ticket change and cancellation fees for many flights.

Contributing: Curtis Tate, Ryan W. Miller USA TODAY. Follow Joshua Bote on Twitter: @joshua_bote