As restrictions relax, engaged couples are excited to finally celebrate their nuptials with their loved ones. But with Covid-19 still looming in the background for anyone who hasn’t been vaccinated, couples must show caution to protect the vulnerable. How do you get it all done without ending up a human pretzel? Read on for some tips on how to safely organize a Covid wedding.
Know your stuff
Soon-to-be newlyweds face many challenges in the New Normal, and to conquer them you must know the reality of what you’re dealing with.
You should familiarize yourself with the laws and regulations affecting the most important participants in the wedding.
That means knowing the local regulations that apply to your venue, required for travel, and in areas from which you have multiple guests or party members attending. While you certainly don’t have to know the specifics of every regulation, being familiar with the most common ones, or those that present the biggest challenge, can help keep your expectations in line with the law and safe industry practice.
Not only is this important for logistics, it can also help keep things in perspective when things don’t go according to plan.
You and your future spouse should also discuss between yourselves what you want regulations to look like.
If you’re a family of healthcare professionals, then requiring vaccinations for everyone may be important to you. If you don’t want to require vaccinations, but also need to keep a bridesmaid who had an organ transplant safe from Covid-19, then you may want to require testing and have more stringent mask and social distancing requirements in place.
If you want to only follow bare minimum protocols required by law or industry standards, you may wish to arrange for a livestream so anyone unable to make it can still celebrate your day. Being clear about what you want up front will help your planner and/or vendors create a plan that delivers the best wedding day possible.
Communication – the key to a successful Covid wedding
Your role as a couple is to initiate conversation about what the experience of the day will be like, from coordinating with planners and vendors to informing guests about the details of the day. This, of course, now includes expectations surrounding Covid.
Working with planners and vendors
While betrothed couples planning a wedding may be tired of hearing about Covid-19 regulations, planners and vendors have been especially exasperated. The hotly debated topic of health restrictions has made trying to operate especially difficult for event vendors, who have had to astronomically adjust in a short period of time.
That said, being in a position of constant adjustment has also taught businesses what industry practices put them in the best position to not only protect them from frivolous complaints, but also deliver a fantastic plan B in a worst-case scenario.
When it comes to Covid-19 safety measures, there are many questions you should ask before signing a contract. For example, you will want to know what their policy is regarding:
- Postponement
- Their ability to facilitate a livestream
- What Covid-19 protocols they enforce
- How they overcome protocols creatively to maintain a sense of intimacy at events
Good vendors want to deliver a perfect day with wonderful memories – which is why they enforce thorough Covid-19 safe practice protocols. Even if the vendor’s standards are more strict than you had hoped, it’s important to remember that a vendor willing to bend the rules on Covid-19 safety probably also will in other areas – like basic food hygiene.
Keeping guests in the loop
It’s very important to be upfront with guests about what Covid-19 safety protocols will be in place. Putting guests in an unexpected position will not only make them uncomfortable, but also cause friction between guests and event staff who are just following the plan that was agreed upon.
There are templates available online you can use to create a custom email or invitation insert informing guests about what to expect.
Here, you can inform guests about:
- Vaccination, testing, or masking requirements
- Safety measures they should expect to be enforced, like social distancing
- Any items you’ll be supplying anything that day, like masks or hand sanitizer
- Information about livestream events for anyone unable to attend the wedding
Make sure you have the Covid-19 safety information for the day included wherever guests can access details for the day, like on your wedding website. It’s important to emphasize to guests that they must adhere to the protocols dictated by the venue or vendors, i.e. mask-wearing, to attend. Invite guests who don’t want to adhere to join the livestream to participate instead.
Covid-19 wedding safety resources
If you are doing a DIY wedding, you may not know how to access the industry guidance that vendors and planners are normally privy to. Here, we’ve compiled some guidance for best practices:
- CDC Events and Gatherings: Readiness and Planning Tool – This checklist created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention help you evaluate your event and take steps to reduce the risk of transmission
- CDC Recommended Guidance on Food Service – This is a thorough guide on safe food service practices. (A quick tip – skip buffets and communal utensils and stick to individual plate settings!)
- Bridal Guide’s Creative Covid-Friendly Seating Ideas – This is a collection of innovators who took seized social distancing protocols as an opportunity to create art
- The Knot’s Suggestions for Kid Activities – This guide offers ideas to ensure your youngest loved ones are having as much fun as the grown-ups
Wedding Wire’s safe Covid wedding collection
- Covid-19 Wedding Safety Guidelines – This piece reviews the Covid-19 safety practices guests want to see at weddings
- Covid-19 Wedding Glossary – This glossary fills you in on all the new wedding industry terms for the New Normal
- Creative Social Distancing Ideas – This list gives inspiration on how to make Covid-19 safety measures just look like part of the extravagance
- Covid-Related Wedding Expenses You Need To Budget For – This guide fills you in on the extra expenses to consider when planning a Covid-19 wedding
- Covid-Friendly Entertainment Ideas – This list offers ideas for when a dance floor isn’t an option
How onsite testing can keep your wedding safe
Testing anyone who is unvaccinated for Covid-19 can help keep vulnerable people at your event safe. Many venues and vendors test employees regularly for Covid-19 as part of a built in safety plan. Depending on the venue, some may require guests to either provide proof of vaccination or take a Covid-19 test in order to enter.
While this seems extreme, it’s important to remember that children under 12 are not yet eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine, and some areas have had an uptick in cases in children. Plus, not everyone fully benefits from vaccination. For example, people who have had organ transplants have much lower levels of immunity even after getting vaccinated.
On-site testing is a powerful measure that can enable vulnerable people to still celebrate with their loved ones. If your venue doesn’t enforce a Covid-19 testing policy for unvaccinated guests and it’s something you want, you can arrange for it yourself.
How does onsite Covid testing for weddings work?
Mobile Covid-19 testing services like Drip Hydration will send a nurse (or team of nurses, depending on the size of your wedding) to your venue and administer Covid-19 tests to your guests.
- Rapid antigen tests can produce results in 15 minutes or less, making them an ideal choice for pre-entry health screenings. It is important to note, however, that these tests have a 1 in 5 false negative ratio. If you just want industry-standard testing for events in place as an extra precaution, rapid antigen tests fit the bill.
- If there are specific person(s) attending your wedding who don’t benefit from immunity that you need to protect, Rapid Accula PCR tests may be the answer. These tests offer highly accurate results in 30 minutes or less.
Guests may appreciate having documentation of a negative Covid-19 test, especially if they have to travel for the wedding and fulfill airline testing requirements.
Related:
- How To Perform A Covid Event Risk Assessment
- 5 Reasons to Get IV Hydration Therapy for Your Bachelorette or Bachelor Party
- Help Keep Your Staff Healthy With COVID-19 Testing For Businesses
- Are Covid-19 At-Home Tests Accurate?
- GSU Researchers Find A Way To Suppress Covid-19 Transmission
- Top Tips For Throwing A Wedding In Dallas During Covid-19
- 5 Ways Covid-19 Has Impacted Small Businesses
Drip Hydration Can Help Keep Covid-19 Away From Your Wedding Day
If you’re in need of a mobile Covid-19 testing service for your wedding festivities, consider Drip Hydration. Our testing services are run by Registered Nurses under the guidance of our medical director, who is an MD. We can consult with you and give advice on how to make your event safer from Covid-19, and how to lay out the testing area to ensure guests’ comfort and privacy.
If someone tests positive, we can give advice on what they should do until they can get in touch with their primary doctor. We offer both rapid antigen and rapid Accula PCR on-site testing services. Whether it’s a ‘mini-mony’ or large extravaganza, Drip Hydration can focus on Covid while you focus on your celebration. Call or click the button below for a consultation today!
