As time ticks on and wedding restrictions are lifted a little its time to review what we can and cannot do when it comes to weddings under the current ‘lockdown-lite’.
Here at NKP we adhere to the Government guidelines to the letter. We will after all have the photographic evidence!
So what is the latest on weddings within the UK?
This guidance was updated on 14.08.2020.
You can read the full guidance here, and for those wanting a snapshot into the latest updates please keep scrolling…
It is worth referring to the section titled ‘Definitions for the purpose of this guidance’ which gives the definitions of terms including but not limited to ‘celebration’, ‘reception’, ‘venue’, ‘household’.
The following in italics is taken directly from the Covid-19 Guidance for wedding and civil partnership receptions and celebrations section of the UK Government website.
During all activities linked to the reception or celebration, all parties, especially people from separate households/bubbles, should adhere to social distancing guidelines; 2 metres or 1 metre with risk mitigation (where 2 metres is not viable). Venues and guest numbers should be chosen to ensure 2 metre spacing is possible for the main sections of the celebrations.
Wherever possible attendees should remain seated to support social distancing safety measures. They should be reminded at key points during the events to maintain social distancing and to avoid physical contact with individuals from different households.
Attendees and staff are strongly encouraged to wear a face covering where social distancing may be difficult and where they come into contact with people they do not normally meet, in line with the guidance on face coverings.
Venue managers should provide hand sanitiser at convenient points throughout the venue, and encourage attendees to use it.
Attendees, including children, should frequently throughout the day wash their hands thoroughly for 20 seconds with running water and soap, or use hand sanitiser ensuring that all parts of the hands are covered.
Any shared facilities for children, such as play corners, soft furnishings, soft toys and toys that are hard to clean, should be removed or closed. Outdoor playgrounds are permitted to open where venue managers risk assess that it is safe to do so and ensure facilities are cleaned regularly. Particular attention should be paid to cleaning frequently touched surfaces and those that are at child height.
Venue managers should record the names and contact details of all persons visiting the venues and keep a written record for at least 21 days to support NHS Test and Trace.
Wherever possible staff should serve all food and drinks to minimise customer self-service, in line with the guidance for restaurants, pubs, bars and takeaway services and attendees should remain seated.
Seating arrangements should follow social distancing guidance, meaning that at most two households (including any support bubbles) are seated together and social distancing is maintained between these groups. Outdoor table service is also preferable.
Dancing should not be permitted due to the increased risk of transmission and dancefloors may be repurposed for additional customer seating or other relevant purposes, ensuring this is in line with the social distancing guidelines.
Venues intending to incorporate any live music, drama or comedy performance should strictly adhere to the Performing Arts guidance. To minimise risk of droplet and aerosol transmission from the combined attendees including the performer/s, audience, wedding party and associated staff and site providers. Outdoor performances are always preferable. Where any indoor performances are planned they should be limited in size, implement strict social distancing rules, only take place where high rates of air flow can be maintained, should use amplification systems to create volume rather than natural voices and should discourage vocal responses or audiences joining in. A solo or small number of performers is preferable and all should be socially distanced. Those planning the wedding should consider how the performers will impact the total size of the wedding party and therefore the safety of their event.
Indoor performances to a live audience with strict social distancing arrangements are expected to resume after 15 August in areas unrestricted by national or local restrictions. Venues should take account of the Performing Arts guidance in organising outdoor performances.
All venues should ensure that steps are taken to avoid people needing to unduly raise their voices to each other at any point in the proceedings. This includes – but is not limited to – refraining from playing music at a volume that makes normal conversation difficult, and avoiding activities such as communal singing or chanting. This is because there is a possible additional risk of transmission in environments where individuals are talking loudly, or singing or chanting as a group, and this applies even if social distancing is being observed or face coverings are used. You should take similar steps to prevent other close contact activities.
Any other activities, including those that are watched by attendees (such as cake cutting) should take place with social distancing being maintained at all times and the numbers of guests involved limited wherever possible, with people remaining in their households/bubbles.
Activities that involve objects being thrown (such as confetti or bouquet toss) or passed from person to person should be avoided to reduce the likelihood of transmission.
Speeches should be undertaken outside or in well ventilated areas wherever possible. Ventilation with external air should be maximised in all buildings where people are gathering. For example, windows and doors should be opened as much as possible, and the sides of marquees removed or rolled up, throughout the event and when groups of staff are preparing and clearing away. Air conditioning systems using recirculated air are not advised. PA systems should be utilised wherever possible to help amplify speeches without speakers needing to raise their voices. Social distancing between the speaker and observers should be maintained at all times and neither speakers nor participants should raise their voices, to avoid the increased risk from aerosol transmission.
Objects in the venue
Other objects in the venue being touched by several people (such as guest books or polaroid camera stations) should be minimised and hand sanitisation encouraged both before and after contact. The exchange of cards and gifts during receptions and celebrations should be minimised wherever possible.
For suppliers present during the wedding reception or celebration, they and the venue managers should ensure that all activities undertaken are subject to a risk assessment and that they maintain social distancing during any activities the suppliers are responsible for.
Contact details of all suppliers visiting the venue, including those visiting prior to or following the event, should be recorded and maintained in writing or electronically for 21 days to support NHS Test and Trace in the event of a confirmed case of COVID-19.
Venue managers should ensure that all third-party suppliers follow the guidance on inbound and outbound goods as set out in the guidance on restaurants, pubs, bars and takeaway services.
No more than 30 people should attend a reception or celebration at such venues, and only where this can be safely accommodated with social distancing in a COVID-19 Secure venue.
This is the advised maximum number for all attendees at the event, including the couple and guests. It also includes any third-party suppliers, such as photographers or security. It does not include staff employed by the venue or third-party catering staff.
The government has launched an NHS Test and Trace service to manage the risk of the virus re-emerging. The service:
Further information can be found online, including for people who have come into contact with possible or confirmed cases of COVID-19.
In line with government guidance for other venues including in the retail and hospitality sector, the venue manager should assist this service by keeping an accurate temporary record of visitors for 21 days, in a way that is manageable for the venue, but sufficient to effectively assist NHS Test and Trace with requests for that data if needed for contact tracing and the investigation of local outbreaks.
The NHS Test and Trace service will follow up with people who need to self-isolate because they have had close recent contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus. NHS Test and Trace can be contacted by telephone on: 0300 013 5000. Venue managers do not need to contact visitors themselves.
Please see further guidance on maintaining records of staff, customers and visitors to support NHS Test and Trace.
Where the enforcing authority, such as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or your local authority, identifies employers or venues who are not taking action to comply with the relevant public health legislation to control public health risks, they are empowered to take a range of actions to improve control of venue risks. Enforcement officers will take relevant guidance into account.
Failure to complete a risk assessment which takes account of COVID-19, or completing a risk assessment but failing to put in place sufficient measures to manage the risk of COVID-19, could constitute a breach of existing health and safety legislation.
The actions the enforcing authority can take include the provision of specific advice to venues to support them to achieve the required standard, through to issuing enforcement notices to help secure improvements. Serious breaches and failure to comply with enforcement notices can constitute a criminal offence, with serious fines and even imprisonment for up to 2 years. There is also a wider system of enforcement, which includes specific obligations and conditions for licensed premises.
Venue managers are expected to respond to any advice or notices issued by enforcing authorities rapidly and are required to do so within any timescales imposed by the enforcing authorities. Our expectation is that venues and venue managers will act responsibly and join with the UK’s fight against COVID-19 by working with the government and their sector bodies to protect their workers and the public. However, regulators are carrying out compliance checks nationwide to ensure that employers and venues are taking the necessary steps.
For more information about what this means also check out this blog by Love My Dress.
There’s a really good section titled ‘Highlights from the English guidelines‘ for a quick snapshot for you to refer to.
Above all it is still time to celebrate albeit on a smaller scale. Your wedding day will be wonderful and remember you can also party hard at a later date – a double celebration!
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