How to lower COVID Risks on your wedding day

The pandemic caused by COVID-19 and its restrictions changed the wedding plans many couples had in mind. If you are amongst the thousands of couples who were waiting for the right moment to say I do, the wait has come to an end. Weddings in England have returned to normality, and social distancing is a thing of the past.

However, the fact that weddings are free from restrictions does not mean the risk of catching COVID has lowered to the point we should carry on without caution. To maintain weddings free from restrictions, couples and vendors must work hand in hand and establish clear protocols to keep everyone safe.

Although vaccines help lower the cases of hospitalisation and death, the number of mild cases is rising. And we all need to understand the pandemic is far from over, but we need to continue with our lives, always following the guidelines from authorities.

A wedding involves many meetings, pre-wedding events, and even post-wedding gatherings. If you wish to lower the risk of catching COVID during the whole process, we recommend reading the following guide.

Avoid the 3 c’s. 

During the whole process of your wedding planning and every event related to your big day, you need to always keep in mind the 3 c’s and avoid them.

Closed. Closed spaces with poor ventilation can be a risk factor; if you meet your potential vendors, try to set your appointments in an outdoor setting. The same goes when you start visiting wedding venues, you prefer an outdoor venue or one with sources of ventilation such as large windows or doors.

Crowded. Even if you are celebrating outdoors, you need to ensure enough space for your guests to take some distance from each other and avoid crowds. Set a large space for your dancefloor and hire waiters to avoid lines and crowds at the bar.

Close contact. Celebrating a wedding without having close contact with others might feel off, but it is necessary if you want to keep your guests safe. Encourage distance between guests; try to keep your music at a lower volume, so your guests do not have to scream at each other while having a conversation.

Practice safe behaviours during your pre-wedding events. 

Stag and hen dos are free of restrictions too, but they can be the perfect opportunity for contagions since you all will be so happy to meet to celebrate finally. The key here is to organise a party where everyone stays safe.

Plan your party well ahead; this is especially important if you want to be extra careful. Because if someone gets sick, there will be plenty of time for them to recover before your wedding day. The last thing you want is to postpone your big day again because a hen or stag party has gone wrong.

You can consider having your party outdoors and maintaining good ventilation if you spend time indoors with people you do not live with. Minimise the time you spend with others, especially indoors. Keep a good distance from other guests, wash your hands constantly with soap and water, or use a hand sanitiser. And if you want to be extra careful, you can encourage your guests to get tested before your event, even if they do not show symptoms.

Outdoors is better. 

If you have no option but to celebrate your wedding indoors, you need to have a plan to renew the air within the venue constantly. Maintain doors and windows open and, if possible, install a couple of fans to make the air circulate. Letting fresh air into your closed wedding venue will reduce the concentration of aerosols spread by someone sick.

Try to host an outdoor ceremony to reduce the time your guests are under the same roof. You can also have an outdoor cocktail and, if possible, your whole event outside. If you are worried about rain or cold, you can set up a tent without sidewalls to let air flow freely.

Common use areas. 

Perhaps you are hosting an outdoor ceremony and reception, but bathrooms are located indoors, or if your event takes place indoors, you might need to take some steps to ensure your guests are not too close for much time.

Talk about those areas with your wedding venue staff; perhaps you can arrange to have someone control the bathroom entrance so that only a couple of guests are indoors simultaneously. You can ask them to leave enough space between tables and chairs for indoor receptions and even sit fewer guests per table.

Transportation. 

Perhaps you have it all figured out for your big day; you ensured proper ventilation, the distance between guests, and all your vendors will use a face covering while at your wedding venue, but what about attendees who share transport and do not live together? The recommendation is for them to wear face coverings while sharing a car and crack open a window if possible.

During your wedding day, you might want to encourage safe behaviours, and your Wedding DJ could be your best ally. You can request him to announce that your guest wears face coverings whenever they are indoors or in a crowded space. Your DJ can also remind them to wash their hands properly every hour or so.

We are happy to know you can now plan your wedding without restrictions, and we want to make sure your event is as safe as it can be. Remember that we at Trez Entertainment have the best options for your Wedding DJ packages and Entertainment Packages, and we will work with you to make your wedding unforgettable.