DC mayor defends restricting dancing at weddings amid pushback

Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) on Wednesday defended her decision to restrict dancing from wedding receptions, underscoring the city’s progress to mitigate the pandemic thus far.  

Bowser announced on April 26 that weddings are now allowed in a limited capacity in Washington, but dancing would still be a high risk activity amid the pandemic. 

During an interview with CNN, Bowser was asked why dancing was not permitted at wedding events. 

“Well, I think there’s a lot of good to a wedding like people starting off their lives together and doing it in a safe way and not doing it in a way that puts themselves or their guests in danger,” Bowser replied. 

“An alternate headline may be, ‘Now you can host a wedding in Washington, D.C.,’”  Bowser added.

D.C. @MayorBowser defends her ban on dancing: “An alternate headline may be, ‘Now You Can Host a Wedding in Washington, D.C.’ … And just like our restaurant guidelines suggest is that you have to be seated to enjoy the restaurant.” pic.twitter.com/e2gILPVpNu

— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) May 5, 2021

Bowser also touted the work of D.C. inhabitants, saying that their behavior has allowed the city to loosen guidelines and bring back businesses following months of stagnation. 

D.C. weddings are permitted at 25 percent capacity in a room or less than 250 people. However, standing or dancing receptions are not allowed.

According to a report from the DCist, the mayor’s newest restriction on dancing has sent wedding planners scrambling as couples have already booked bands to play at venues with a dance floor. 

“We would have never in a million years put down money and booked a venue if the dancing and celebration part were not on the table,” one groom, who spoke to the outlet on the condition of anonymity, said. 

The mayor added during the interview that her administration is considering opening up activities such as dancing if the positivity rates for the coronavirus in the city decrease. 

The news comes amid a push in the city to incentivize COVID-19 vaccinations. Bowser announced on Tuesday that those who get a vaccination will be able to receive a free beer for those inoculated aged 21 and over.