New Wedding Rules

June 2021 Update

And we’re back to a looong-awaited (kinda) normal! As the vaccination programme extends now to cover the younger demographic, the wedding rules become more and more clear these days, something we’ve been so keen to see happen this summer. And what a come back it has been! With some engagement shoots as well as weddings already in the oven - that’s my way of saying “editing” btw - I’m very keenly awaiting to shoot more this summer.  Keep an eye out on those stories on the blog. And, as always, if you’re here and looking for documentary wedding photography, let’s chat! Click here to ask your question.

For official rules and government updates, click here.

2020 Blog entry

It’s fair to say that COVID-19 and the lockdown measures have initiated a new norm that we try our best to apply in our day to day lives. As of the 4th of July, the wedding industry has been restarted with the new rules issued by the government. I’m listing these below and also describe how venues will be taking them on board to provide their service. 

 From the 4 July, marriage and civil partnership ceremonies in England and Wales are allowed to go ahead. 

Only venues which are able to support social distancing are encouraged to host ceremonies and no more than 30 people may attend (including officiants, photographers and the couple) and everyone must observe social distancing, standing one or two metres apart. 

If either of the couple getting married have symptoms of Covid-19 the ceremony should not go ahead. 

If anyone who was planning to go to the ceremony feels unwell they should not go. 

Weddings are encouraged to be as short as possible which means that only the legally binding parts of ceremony and celebration are encouraged to go ahead. 

It falls on the venue to decide whether the ceremony can happen safely, but the officiant must also agree that it is safe to proceed. 

You won’t be able to eat or drink while getting married unless required for the purposes of solemnisation. 

If you’re exchanging rings all those involved should wash their hands before and after, and the rings should be handled by as few people as possible.
Post-ceremony receptions are not allowed, and only small celebrations of up to two households indoors, or up to 6 people from different households outdoors, are permitted. 

If you’re planning on involving any children in your ceremony, someone should be holding them at all times. 

As water droplets in our breath can spread the virus, there should be no singing, shouting or raising of voices at the ceremony. This also means there should be no loud music which would encourage people to shout over it and any crowd participation during the ceremony should not be done in a raised voice. 

There should be no live instruments that are blown into, or singing to accompany them. 

Seating plans which involve guests sitting opposite each other should be re-worked and measures should be put in place to stop guests from different households touching the same items (such as books or orders of service) or each other’s property. 

If a wedding ceremony is expected to involve washing or submersion in water, this should be done before and not at the venue. 

The government is working on a way in which receptions could go ahead in the future but in a safe way. 

 For full disclosure, the above have been sourced from the Stylist magazine and further read can be accessed via the link here.