COVID has made communicating about weddings and gatherings difficult. We recommend putting together a COVID policy for your gathering that respects your boundaries as a couple  and aligns with the CDC guidelines. We encourage you to proactively share that information with all your guests in as clear of a fashion as possible. If you are looking for some templates on verbiage that are both kind and clear, take a look at the blog below!

COVID PRECAUTION FAQs.

Most wedding websites have an FAQ section for their guests. In it, we recommend explaining your COVID policy and going into any further detail that you feel you need to. If you would like some sample verbiage, we have provided some from one of our couples below! Feel free to replace it with your own COVID wedding policy if it differs from the template’s.

As of now, to keep your guests and vendors we recommend that you encourage your guests to wear masks when socializing with people not in their households. This, of course, excludes eating. Our advice is to have guests bring their own masks, provide some for those who forget, and follow the recommended guidelines of masking indoors and in outdoor crowded areas.

What COVID precautions should I plan for?

We ask that any guest who is not yet fully vaccinated to please make every effort to keep yourself and our other guests safe by following CDC guidelines regarding COVID-19. This includes following recommended quarantine guidelines prior to attending a group gathering. If you are unable to quarantine or are flying or traveling, we request that you obtain a COVID test 1–3 days prior to the celebration to ensure you are negative for the virus. We will be asking for proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test prior to attending/at the door. Thank you for taking these additional steps to protect the health of our loved ones, we know it comes at additional inconvenience and we are deeply grateful.

Who should get tested for COVID before attending?

The CDC recommends that any air passenger, whether flying domestic or internationally, get a COVID test 1-3 days before travel to be sure that they are negative. We are additionally requesting that any guests traveling by car from outside the area as well as guests not yet fully vaccinated and unable to quarantine please obtain a negative COVID test prior to attending.

Where can I go if I need a COVID test?

[Provide the closest sites to your venue, including resources on where to find free testing in your state. For Washington State that would be: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/COVID19/TestingforCOVID19/TestingLocations ]

Is there a masking policy?

Currently Washington State has a mandate to wear masks in indoors and crowded outdoor places. [The following sentence depends on if you want to require masks at certain portions of your event. As a bottom line, we encourage you to provide masks for your guests.] We are encouraging/requiring everyone to bring masks to our event, and we will provide masks for any guests that would like to use one to increase their protection. If you are looking for information on the state’s guidelines, you can read them here.

A REMINDER TO GET TESTED OR VACCINATED TWO WEEKS BEFORE YOUR EVENT.

In this template, we have made it the venue’s policy to be vaccinated or tested. You can take ownership for the guidelines, or you can also pass the buck to the venue or an external source to remove the heat off yourselves as the couple. We totally get you wanting to remove any and all drama that could sprout at a family event.

Hello Dear Friends and Family,

We wanted to send out a pre-wedding reminder regarding COVID testing prior to our events. It is a requirement of our wedding venue that anyone who is not currently vaccinated presents a negative PCR test within 48 hours of the event to be allowed to attend. Please make sure to plan ahead if appointments are required for your testing facility and to be able to receive results before the start of an event. 

There are a couple of ways to get us that info! After testing, when you pull up your result on the website please text or email a screenshot/copy/attachment to [Couple Names].

• [Person 1 Name, email, phone number]

• [Person 2 Name, email, phone number]

For our guests flying in from out of town, here is a great resource for finding local sites that are available for free tests: [provide the best resource of your area to find free testing].

The closest location to [your venue] looks to be the [Facility Name].

Click here[insert link to facility’s site] to set up an appointment online.

We are asking that everyone bring their own mask to wear when we are indoors or mixing households outdoors in order to protect [immune-compromised individuals and the children] at our event. We will also be providing masks for everyone just in case.

If you have questions about this please let us know. If we are in the last day or two leading into the wedding, we may refer you to our wedding coordinator, [Coordinator’s Name], for answers while we focus on the last details of the ceremony.

Thank you for helping us to have the safest celebration we can. We are thrilled you are coming and can't wait to party with you!

Love,

[Couple’s Names]

Making your COVID-19 policy clear to your guests is important for keeping you, your guests, and your vendors all on the same page and comfortable. As guidelines continue to change and the virus evolves, we empower you to have as many boundaries as you need to feel comfortable at your wedding. While we wish we could move past this virus, it is important to acknowledge the risks inherent in hosting a gathering at this time. We hope these templates can help you communicate your boundaries.

If you are looking for more up-to-date information on etiquette and updates on how to navigate COVID, Elisabeth Kramer has done a wonderful job at saying on top of new announcements and creating resources for couples on navigating COVID with their guests. Check out her site here!

— Kelleen, Tapestry Content Manager