D.C. has banned dancing at indoor and outdoor weddings even as the city loosens many of its coronavirus-related restrictions.
Mayor Muriel Bowser, who revealed the order at a Monday news conference, said indoor weddings at 25% capacity, or 250 people, will be permitted but “standing and dancing at receptions” are out.
The dancing ban goes into effect Saturday.
Susana Castillo, a spokeswoman for Bowser, told WUSA-TV (Channel 9) that when the mayor issues an order of that sort, it is with public safety in mind.
But Stephanie Sadowski, founder and owner of SRS Events, a D.C.-area wedding planning company, said many couples are choosing instead to relocate their celebrations to Maryland or Virginia where restrictions are looser and that she’s attempting four last-minute moves for weddings in the city scheduled for next month.
“Completely shell-shocked,” Sadowski said of the mayor’s decision, WUSA reported. “There’s hardly been any time to react, rather than being incredibly frustrated and angry with Washington, D.C., and Mayor Bowser for completely blindsiding us.”