How Can We Plan Ahead for Guests With Special Needs?

Q. How Can We Plan Ahead for Guests With Special Needs?
A. If you know that you will have guests with special needs attending your vow renewal, be sure to take them into consideration when scouting locations for your ceremony and reception. Be sure to ask the event coordinator if there are accessible walkways, restrooms, and seating for your special needs guests. For example, you’ll want to confirm that reception tables will be at a comfortable height and that there is room for wheelchairs to maneuver through the seating arrangement. You should also keep in mind that some of your special needs guests might need assistance with hors d’oeuvres, bar service, and anything else you may have planned. The last thing you want to do is have grandparents, parents or other guests feeling unwelcome.

If you are unsure if guests with special needs will be attending, you can always list special-needs information, including special seating and parking arrangements, on your personal website, along with an encouraging note that anyone with special needs should feel free to contact you directly or through your site.