COVID-19 Checklist for Planning a Wedding

COVID-19 Checklist for Planning a Wedding

Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials!

This checklist will help guide the planning of your wedding to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and adhere to the current public health orders.

Work with your wedding vendors and/or wedding planner to ensure that you are making informed decisions and avoiding risks.

Family or cultural expectations may need to be relaxed to protect the safety of participants. Consider postponing your wedding to a later date or plan a virtual celebration.

  1. Currently: Gathering limits are restricted!
    • Banquet halls and event spaces are permitted to open for select purposes, which may not include events or gatherings associated with a wedding.
    • Indoor and outdoor dining at restaurants and other food premises is not permitted.
    • Connect Virtually Limit Gathering Physical Distance Wear a Mask,
    • Download COVID Alert AppA. Stay informed and Ask questions of the service providers you hire (e.g. ceremony and reception venues, florist, and food service vendor).
    • Review your venue/vendor contracts and insurance policy.
    • Check the City’s website for current information and guidance about COVID-19.
    • Review the COVID-19 Guidelines for Indoor & Outdoor Events & Gatherings and COVID-19 Guidance for Places of Worship for more information.
    • Communicate with your partner and service providers. Maintain open communication with your partner and wedding planning services. Support each other and be flexible.
    • Many businesses are impacted by the pandemic. Create a backup plan with a few alternative dates.
    • Consider a virtual ceremony, outdoor ceremony, tented reception, a smaller indoor wedding, or delaying the event until public health measures are less restrictive.
    • Make adjustments to your wedding checklist to accommodate public health measures.
    • Shop online or by phone for venues, flowers, and other wedding necessities.
  2. Limit the number of guests!
    • To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Government of your province has surely implemented mandatory restrictions on the number of people who can attend a wedding service or ceremony and related social gatherings.
    • Limit in-person attendance in compliance with the provincial mandatory restrictions (visit provincial websites).
    • Larger events can be scheduled after the pandemic.
    • Consider having a drive-in ceremony where guests remain in their vehicles. Vehicles must remain two metres apart and can only contain members of the same household. Consider adding a virtual component to allow friends and family to participate. This may also benefit guests who cannot be there in person due to distance/ travel restrictions or are at higher risk for illness due to age and health conditions.
  3. Capacity Limits for Wedding – Events Wedding or religious service, rite or ceremony!
    • Wedding reception / social gatherings associated with a wedding ceremony or religious serviceIndoor10 people or less – None permitted*
    • Outdoor10 people or less – None permitted*
    • Exception for members of a single household, or a gathering that includes one person from outside the household who lives alone.
  4. Communicate with guests before the event!
    • Use technology to keep guests informed, such as a wedding website or social media. Inform your guests about the precautions you are taking to keep everyone safe.
    • Ask attendees to bring their own mask and have extras if people forget to bring one.
    • Encourage guests to stay home if they are feeling unwell. If hosting a virtual service, post instructions on how to access it online.
  5. Encourage physical distancing!
    • Space seating two metres apart and arrange by household.
    • Post signs to remind guests to stay two metres/six feet from others they do not live with.
    • Use floor markings to let guests know where to stand in the reception line to stay safe.
    • Remind guests to refrain from hugging, kissing, and shaking hands. Lookup suggestions on how to greet each other from a distance.
  6. Hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette and face masks!
    • Wash your hands often and have hand sanitizer available. Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands.
    • Cough or sneeze into elbow or tissue.
    • A mask must be worn at all times when indoors and when physical distancing is difficult.
    • Avoid adjusting your face mask when in use. The couple may remove their masks during the wedding ceremony.
    • Masks may be removed by performers when behind a physical barrier (e.g. singing or playing wind/brass instrument), or engaging in physical activity (e.g. dancing).
    • Children under two years of age, people with health issues that make wearing a mask difficult, and those who are unable to put on a mask without assistance are exempted from wearing a mask. Lookup scenarios on mask exemptions, on provincial/federal websites.
  7. Increase ventilation!
    • Increase ventilation by opening windows and increasing air exchange settings on HVAC systems, if possible.
    • Ensure HVAC systems are properly maintained and replace filters as appropriate. Arrange furniture away from air vents and high airflow areas; direct fans upwards, away from people.
  8. Modify the wedding service and reception!
    • Host virtual services and celebrations, where possible. Where appropriate, consider using outdoor spaces. Avoid close contact or sharing of ceremonial objects or personal items.
    • Create an online registration book for guests.
    • Consider individual hand sanitizer and personalized masks as party favours or gift bags.
    • Limit close group photos to people in the same household or have guests wear a mask, even when outdoors.
    • Avoid activities that allow guests to congregate or share items (e.g. photo booths).
    • Consider limiting alcohol service to prevent guests from relaxing physical distancing measures.
    • Dancing among guests is not permitted. The couple’s dance, and father-daughter, mother-son dances are permitted.
  9. Food and drink!
    • Indoor and outdoor dining, including at restaurants, is not permitted at this time.
    • Meeting and event spaces are permitted to open for select purposes only. Seek Guidance for Food Premises for more information.
  10. Singing, music and entertainment!
    • Singing and musical wind instruments can project respiratory droplets further than two metres and are higher risk activities.
    • Dancing, singing and the live performance of brass or wind instruments are prohibited where food is served.
    • Congregational singing is strongly discouraged, even with masks. Use pre-recorded music or virtual performances. Avoid vocalists and wind instruments. Vocalist or musicians must perform behind a barrier such as plexiglass.
    • Musicians should physically distance from each other and guests and wear a mask when not performing. If live or recorded music is used, keep the volume low so the officiant, guests and staff do not need to speak louder, or lean closer to hear the conversation.
    • Performers and officiant should have their own microphone. Do not share microphones.
  11. Attendance list for contact tracing!
    • Encourage your guests to download the COVID Alert app.
    • If a guest becomes ill during the service/reception, ask them to go home and self-isolate.
    • Keep an electronic list of your guests and staff in attendance. Information collected is voluntary and can only be used by public health for COVID-19 contact tracing. The attendance list can be deleted after 30 days.
May 1, 2021No comments

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