The coronavirus pandemic has been tested in so many ways for so many different people. One such group is future brides and grooms whose plans to get married were disrupted in the past year due to the risk of the spread of COVID among large groups.
In February, Boris Johnson outlined the government’s plans to get the UK out of lockdown and shared a four-step roadmap to ease restrictions. Today we welcome the third stage with joy. Since the Prime Minister’s initial announcement, there have been a number of clarifications about weddings that have given couples some sort of roller coaster ride. So what are the rules for weddings?
Here’s what we know about how and when weddings can take place in England if you are planning on getting married soon …
When (and how) are weddings allowed in England?
Currently and no earlier than May 21st, wedding ceremonies and receptions in England can be held with a maximum of 30 people (excluding people working on the event). Since regional levels have been abolished, it doesn’t matter where you live in the country. These rules apply to everyone.
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Weddings with receptions were reintroduced in Step 2 of the four-step plan that began on April 12th. The dates for each subsequent phase that will take us completely out of the lockdown have been set, but they obviously depend on the number of coronavirus cases, hospital admissions and deaths, which remain manageable. So far it looks like this:
- Of 8th of March, Wedding Ceremonies with 6 people open, but only allowed in exceptional cases and without receptions.
- Of March 29, Wedding Ceremonies with 6 people were not allowed under any circumstances, but wedding receptions were not allowed.
- Of 12. April, Weddings and wedding receptions with up to 15 people are allowed to take place in safe places of COVID-19 that are allowed to be opened.
- 🌟 From 17th of May, Weddings and wedding receptions with up to 30 people are possible indoors or outdoors in a COVID-safe place, even in private gardens. This is a change from the original rules that did not allow private gardens to accommodate wedding receptions.
- Of June 21st (Step four of the plan) is the goal too “Remove all legal restrictions on social contact” at weddings (and other live events like nightclubs and theater performances).
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What are the current rules for weddings and wedding receptions in England?
Now we are in step 3, the allowed guest list for weddings and wedding receptions has doubled to 30 people with no one working on the event. These can take place in all COVID-safe licensed wedding venues as well as in private gardens. Here are some useful key rules to keep in mind:
- If the wedding or reception is outdoors, it can be partially protected with a marquee provided that at least 50% of the walled area is left open.
- In accordance with the law, face coverings must be worn indoors (including places of worship).
- Venues and places of worship may provide food and drink during the ceremony, but they must take reasonable steps to ensure that people remain seated. The sharing of vessels or glasses, even if this is part of a church service, is not permitted.
- You can provide single-use service sheets, prayer mats, or devotional materials, but individuals will need to remove these after the ceremony.
- Donating money should be discouraged as online donations are used whenever possible to minimize contact.
- Professional indoor music performances can take place at a ceremony or reception. There is no limit to the number of performers, but there should be a definition of how many the venue can safely accommodate with social distancing measures between performers and guests.
- Amateur choirs, bands or musicians can perform in groups of up to 6 indoors or 30 outdoors.
- Dancing is discouraged (but not expressly prohibited), except for the couple’s first dance, which is still allowed.
- Reception items such as guest books, photo booths or games are allowed but should be minimized and hand disinfection should be encouraged both before and after contact.
- Whenever possible, speeches should be given outside or in well-ventilated areas (e.g. open windows and doors).
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Speaking to Cosmopolitan in February, UK Weddings Task Force spokeswoman Sarah Haywood said of the plan: “We are delighted that our safe and workable return wedding solutions have been added to the Prime Minister’s timetable. This is frustrating and frustrating disappointing for companies and couples alike that we are approaching June 21 at a snail’s pace.
“We have recommended to the government that weddings pave the way for all events because weddings inherently keep a tightly controlled guest list of a close circle of family members and friends. We have already started pushing for answers as to why some events may close Invite over 1000 guests when the wedding capacity is only 30. It doesn’t make sense. “
It is hoped that even more restrictions as described above can be lifted by June 21st. However, this depends on coronavirus levels remain under control. With the launch of the vaccination program and the fact that more than 36 million people have been vaccinated at the time, everyone is confident that the numbers should stay low enough for the final phase to continue as planned. If so, the wedding industry can bounce back – and thousands of couples across the country can finally say “I’ll do” like they originally planned.
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