Haven’t the people of NZ done an AWESOME job of crushing the Covid-19 curve – we’re feeling super proud and little bit excited that after almost 7 weeks of lockdown – restrictions might be lifting soon and Weddings can happen again.
But things are FAR from “normal” yet – and the Weddings and Events that can and will take place under the Level 2 restrictions are a far cry from the those we’re used to seeing. Here’s some points that you need to be aware of, and adhere to, if you’re planning to get married while the country is at level 2:-
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Your Wedding can only have 100 attendees, regardless of whether it is indoors or outdoors – this number is inclusive of you and your Bridal Party, but does not include staff that are working – ie. serving staff.
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Your guests must be seated and at a safe distance – so you’ll have to think creatively about both your ceremony and meal seating. Consider perhaps having your guests sit in their own bubbles only and making sure your tables are a good distance apart. As your guests have to be seated you can’t have bar leaners or a dance floor.
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Your Wedding is restricted to two hours – this is a huge change from conventional weddings. This essentially allows for a ceremony and a shared meal and speeches.
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Any food that is served should be individually plated and served – so this means no buffets, grazing tables or shared canapes. Have a chat with your wedding venue to make sure that they’re clued up on their responsibilities in terms of food and service restrictions.
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Your guests need to maintain safe social distance from each other – so no crowded dance floors or receiving lines.
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Good hygiene practices are essential – so make sure you have hand sanitiser stations and consider signage reminding people about handwashing practices and cough/sneeze etiquette.
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You need to be able to provide contact details for every person who attends you wedding in the event someone contracts Covid-19. Good contact tracing is essential to stop the spread and so make sure you have contact details for every guest and vendor at your wedding.
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Remind your unwell/sick guests to please stay at home – Isolation and Quarantine rules still apply at Level 2 and will be more important than ever. Consider live streaming your wedding over Zoom or to a private Facebook Group so that overseas and sick guests don’t feel like they’re going to miss out.
So yeah – you can’t have the a normal whole day shindig, you’ll have to forgo a lot of the standard traditions and formalities and maybe you can’t have everyone you know and love present – but you CAN get married. You can say “I do” to the one that you love – and you can do everything in your power to keep the people you love and care about safe while you do it.
Make sure you stay up to date with everything you need to know about Level 2 by visiting the Governments Covid-19 information website and Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and check back to read more about Level 2 Weddings and our Hints and Tips for your special day.
Mrs TW x