Protocol for Your Safe Covid-Era Wedding.

Can you believe it!? We are still in the Covid times! And now, we are in the newest phase of Covid times- the completely-unprepared-cause-for-stress-and-PTSD-Omg-are-we-ready, re-introduction phase. Just today, Governor Cuomo announced the new protocol for events in New York-. which is quite the lengthy read. In Nashville, approval of your event through an application is required through the Health Department, but the safety agreements within the application are vague. Chicago ‘s rules are clear but there are still gaps in how our clients and their guests party safely and truthfully, the above is all headache inducing. For that reason, (and cause let’s be real, planners know how to handle weddings) we’ve created our own comprehensive suggested protocol for your safe Covid-era wedding that include the guidelines of the cities above and our own suggestions.

A note: I am not a government official, I do not work for the CDC, I am not a medical professional nor have I ever played one on TV. This is a wedding planning blog only.

Before you embark on your Covid-era wedding journey…

There are a few things to remember…

Understand you are at the mercy of the City/County/State rules. There is no breaking the rules. Breaking the rules could result in fines, shutting down your event, and risking the lives of your guests. Do not break the rules. Do not ask your vendors to break the rules. Here at The Get Together Events Co., we will break a contract before we break the rules. #GoodKidsClub.
There is no “fudging” the numbers. No matter what your venue, vendors or family say. If the max capacity is 75, The max capacity is 75. Most cities are saying that max capacity is without staff but for this, make sure you refer to point #1.
Understand the rules can pivot and adjust quickly. We cannot predict an uptick in numbers in a local area. We cannot predict how the government will respond to said uptick. So there will always be a chance that the rules can change quickly. This is an understanding you need to have as you embark on your Covid-era wedding journey. Flexibility and understanding is key.
Understand that we are all learning as we go. Although sometimes I feel like I look it, I shockingly was not alive in the 1918 pandemic. So this is everyone’s first pandemic. We are all learning as we go, including those making the rules. So we’ve gotta go with grace.
Over communicate with your guests. More than EVER you are going to get text messages about your wedding. They are going to freak you out and make you nervous. To calm EVERYONE down, plan to over communicate with your guests. Have a website that everyone can refer to with your plans, have a wedding specific email so folks don’t inundate your personal inbox, and perhaps start wedding group texts in the event things change quickly.

Three weeks prior to your wedding:

So you’ve made it this far… the countdown clock is officially on and now is the time to really firm up your Covid implementations:

Assume that the rules you’ve got now are the rules you’ll have. Whatever the local guidelines are right now for your wedding, are the guidelines that will be in place at the time of your wedding. Do not plan for a wedding larger than what is allowed at this time.
- There is always a chance of potential change, but any loosening of the rules is most commonly now released a month ahead of time.
- If rules need to be tightened, those could go into effect immediately and that is a risk that we take. There is potential to be grandfathered into the old rules if your event is within a few days of the new rules, but that is not guaranteed.. Remember, it’s just a risk we take!
Re-confirm and communicate with your vendors. (Or have your wedding coordinator do so). Now that we are assuming that the rules in place are the rules we will have, reconfirm with all vendors and the venue that they are abiding by these rules as well and that they are taking their own safety measures to ensure a safe environment.

Two weeks prior to your wedding:

It’s Quar Quar time!! It’s two weeks before your wedding and there is no turning back now! The vendors have been paid and the guarantees have been placed. With that reason (and also like, your health and well-being) you do NOT want to get Covid. It’s very hard to have a wedding when the betrothed can’t attend! At this point in time, it’s time to quarantine and limit contact as much as possible to avoid any testing surprises.
Have all wedding errands, trials, tests, etc. complete by this time. This goes along with the above but have anything you need to get physically done before your wedding completed at this point. Dress fittings, makeup trials, etc. Get it done! Sure, you might not be able to have a spray tan ahead of your wedding, but self tanner has really come a long way.
Locate your testing spot. Because of weather, test quantities or many other factors, test locations can be closed or delayed in returning results. So do your research while you’re quarantining to confirm where you are going to get tested and that they have a 24-48 hour turnaround time on that test.

Three days prior to your wedding:

Time to get tested! After your quarantine, it is time to get tested to confirm you are good to party and not spread germs at your wedding. Remember that there is a risk that you could test positive- which means we will not be able to proceed with the wedding.
Time for your guests to get tested! All guests should be tested within three days of wedding and limit their interactions to the outside world.
1. Folks that are vaccinated need to provide proof of vaccination at least 14 days prior to event. Children over the age of 2 should still be tested.
2. All vendors should be tested within this time period as well. If there are costs associated, clients should assume this cost.
3. If anyone tests positive, any guests that were exposed to the positive guest should also not attend the wedding.
Maintain your quarantine Do not come into contact with anyone that is not attending the wedding AND has not yet been tested themselves.
If they’ve gotten results and are attending the wedding: You are officially in the Wedding Pod!

One to two days prior to your wedding:

Have all guests submit test results. Remember above when I said to make a designated wedding email address? Yeah. it's for this. Manage test results like you manage your RSVPs- delegate and make a family member handle this.
Expect guests to drop off. There will most likely be folx that test positive. There will most likely be folx that didn’t test positive themselves but were exposed to someone who did. There will be drops in your guest count because of this, or because of new Covid fears in your guests. Let them drop off. It’s okay. They still love you.
Expect a vendor change. As vendors, we are trained to push through a cold, a sore throat, even the stomach flu, but we can’t push through this. If a vendor tests positive (and remember, vendors will be going to weddings every weekend) they will be unable to cover your wedding. With The Get Together Events Co., we always have a back up coordinator scheduled for these instances. If another vendor has to remove themselves, we can all work together to find a replacement. Make sure to read your vendors’ contracts for their terms on these sorts of instances.

Wedding Day:

You made it! Just because you’ve made it this far, doesn’t mean we can put our guards down.

All guests must wear masks. This should be ALL the time. ANYTIME they are doing anything but eating or drinking seated at a table.
All guests should maintain a distance of 6 feet whenever possible. Dance like Elaine! Own your space!
Vendors and Venue will oversee their own established protocol and shall be masked the entire time.
1. A vendor sign-in should be at the door for all vendors and full staff to sign-in, in the instance of contact tracing.
A guest should be assigned to be the “Temperature Attendant”, (like a guestbook attendant) to take guest temperature at the door. Temperatures over 100.4 should not be allowed in.
A guest should be assigned to be the “RSVP Attendant” to check guests in as they arrive. If their test result is not recorded, or cannot be shown at the door, they cannot come inside.
PLUS all clearly outlined local Covid rules.

Post-Wedding Day:

Get tested again. You were just around a ton of people! Isolate as much as possible. Hopefully that’s snuggled up with your new spouse on a minimoon.
Keep in touch with your guests. Make sure your guests know that if they do contract Covid within 14 days of your wedding, they should let you know and contact tracing should go into affect.

It’s overwhelming. I know. But remember, this is one day of your LIFETIME of marriage. Covid isn’t forever. These memories will still be magical. Also, hire a wedding coordinator to help you navigate all of this.

Got thoughts? Got ideas? As always, the Covid-era is an ever evolving situation and our rules and regulations must evolve with them. We are all in this together. Let me know!

For more Covid tips and guidelines, check out our other blog posts: