Planning your wedding during coronavirus times? With changing rules around guest lists, venue restrictions and social distancing, it’s safe to say your guests might have some extra questions and concerns before the big day rolls around.
So, what’s the best way to put your loved ones at ease and help them prepare for a safe, stress-free celebration? We recommend creating a comprehensive FAQs page on your wedding website that addresses all of these COVID concerns and sets the right expectations for your event.
Not sure what needs to be covered? Read on for 9 essential COVID FAQS you should be including on your wedding website below.
Why should you address COVID-19 on your wedding website?
Realistically, if your wedding is taking place within the next 12 months, COVID-19 will likely have an impact on your day in one way or another. With this in mind, some guests may be more cautious about attending weddings and events during the pandemic.
Remember, your wedding website is a central “hub” for your guests to find all of the information they need to prepare for your day. And if you don’t make any mention of COVID-19? We can guarantee they’ll be hitting you up with questions via endless texts, emails or phone calls instead!
Addressing any COVID concerns via your wedding website is the perfect opportunity to give your guests peace of mind, while also setting some guidelines to ensure your event runs smoothly. You don’t need to create a separate page for these COVID-related questions – you can simply add them to your existing FAQs page to make things easy.
So when it comes to COVID and your wedding day, what do your guests need to know? This will ultimately depend on your venue, location and current restrictions, but there are a few basics that should be covered. From face masks to live streaming and safety precautions, read on for 9 COVID FAQs to include on your wedding website, along with some wording examples to get you started.
How many guests will be attending?
Understandably, if your wedding is taking place during COVID times, guests will want to know more about the size of your event. Will it be a large wedding with over 100 people attending, or an intimate gathering with your nearest and dearest? Your guest numbers may help your loved ones decide on their attendance plans, so it’s a good idea to be upfront about this.
We’d recommend keeping it simple with a statement like: “At this time, we are expecting between 70 to 80 guests. We will keep you posted if anything changes closer to the date!”
Will you encourage social distancing?
Your wedding website FAQs is a great place to set some safety guidelines for the day, including any rules around social distancing. Of course, this will depend on the current guidelines at the time of your wedding, but a gentle reminder will encourage your guests to mingle safely throughout the day.
You might say something like:
“We can’t wait to have all of our favourite people together in one place! With the current guidelines in mind, we do encourage you to refrain from handshakes, hugs or other physical contact with any guests outside of your household. We have also created our seating plan in line with the current COVID-19 restrictions to allow adequate space between guests during dinner, and will be seating guests together with their close family and household members.”
Will the wedding be hosted indoors or outdoors?
Something else that guests may want to consider before confirming their attendance is the location of your event. Will your wedding be hosted in a confined function room, a spacious hall or an outdoor property?
Certain guests may be wary about indoor events during this time, so let them know exactly what to expect by saying something like:
“As an additional safety measure, we have opted to plan an outdoor wedding. Our ceremony will be hosted in the garden, with a marquee reception to follow on the lawn. Rest assured our venue is a sprawling property with plenty of space to move around!”
Or:
“While our reception is taking place indoors, we will be strictly adhering to our venue’s COVID-safe policy including the minimum square metres required per guest.”
Do we need to wear a mask?
Whether masks are mandatory due to your location or whether it’s a matter of personal preference, it’s important to let your loved ones know your stance on them. If you’re encouraging masks, you’ll also want to address whether these will be provided on the day, or if guests should supply their own.
If masks are mandatory, you could say:
“Under the current event restrictions, all guests will be required to wear a mask. We will be providing masks at the venue for your convenience (or, feel free to bring your own if preferred!).”
If masks aren’t required, you could say:
“While it’s not a requirement for our wedding, we completely understand and respect any guests who may wish to wear a mask on the day. Please note that we won’t be supplying masks at the venue, so you will need to provide your own.”
What additional safety measures will be taken on the day?
As well as addressing key questions regarding masks and social distancing, you can also take this opportunity to share any additional safety precautions you’ll be taking on the day.
For example – will you have hand sanitizer available at the venue? Will food and drink be served in a way that reduces the spread of germs? Go ahead and outline the steps you’ll be taking to plan a COVID-safe event to give your guests some extra reassurance before the day.
You might choose to say something like:
“Please be assured that your health and safety is our top priority! Along with adhering to the current restrictions and guidelines, we have chosen to implement the following additional safety measures at our wedding:
- We will have multiple sanitizing stations set up around the venue, including upon arrival and in each bathroom.
- We have a detailed COVID-safe plan that has been approved by our venue, and will have a dedicated COVID marshall monitoring the event.
- Food will be served alternate-drop style to reduce contact between guests.
- Individual drink orders will be taken, with glasses washed and sterilized after each use. We will also be providing each guest with a personalized champagne flute that we encourage you to use for toasts and top-ups throughout the day!
- All wait staff and bar staff will be wearing masks and gloves.
- Our seating plan has been arranged to allow for 1.5m between each table, and we will be grouping guests according to their families and household members.”
Are we allowed to dance?
Dance floor restrictions have been one of the more contentious issues when it comes to weddings hosted during the pandemic!
Chances are, you might not know the answer until closer to the day. However, you can still brief your guests by saying something like:
“We have our fingers and toes crossed that dancing will be allowed at our wedding! We will be keeping a close eye on the current restrictions, and can update you closer to the day. If dancing is not allowed, fear not – we have some fun reception games and entertainment up our sleeve to keep you amused for the evening!””
How will changes be communicated before the day?
If there’s one thing we’ve learnt about pandemic weddings, it’s that changes can occur at literally any moment! Whether you’re forced to reduce your guest list, change locations or even postpone your special day, it’s essential to have a plan for communicating this with your guests.
Use your wedding website FAQS to let your loved ones know exactly how you’ll be updating them with any last-minute changes.
You can say something like:
“Rest assured we will keep you in the loop regarding any important changes with an email alert. In the unfortunate event that we have to cancel or postpone our special day, we will also reach out to all guests individually to confirm a new date.”
Ps – we’d recommend using an online platform like WedSites that allows you to send group email blasts to guests, rather than having to fire off multiple texts!
Will live streaming options be available if we can’t attend?
Live streaming your wedding is the perfect way to share your celebration with guests who may be unable to attend in person. While your FAQs page should hopefully alleviate as many concerns as possible, some of your guests – particularly those who are high risk – may feel more comfortable attending your wedding “virtually” instead.
If you’re planning a live stream component, use your wedding website FAQs to share the important details your guests will need to know about. For example:
- Which elements of the day will be live streamed?
- What time does the live stream start and finish?
- Where can we access the live stream?
- Can we replay the live stream after the wedding?
Did you know we can host your virtual wedding here at WedSites? Learn more about hosting your virtual wedding online here!
When is the last date we can RSVP?
Understandably, some guests may not be able to RSVP to your wedding immediately, particularly if they live interstate or abroad. This can put you in a tricky position, because you’ll still need to confirm numbers at least 2 weeks before the wedding to finalise floor plans and catering.
Use your wedding website FAQs to let guests know you understand their situation, while gently reminding them of your RSVP date and method.
For example:
“We completely understand some of you may not be able to confirm your attendance until closer to the date, particularly those who are travelling. However, we will require your RSVP no later than (insert date here) in order to confirm numbers with our caterer and venue. You can RSVP online here: (insert link)”
Keeping guests informed
Planning a wedding during COVID times is stressful enough – the last thing you want to be dealing with is endless questions from your guests! Addressing these COVID FAQs on your wedding website will not only help you save time, but also ensure your guests feel as comfortable as possible before the day.
Looking for more tips on planning your wedding during a pandemic? Read our guide on where to begin with planning your wedding during COVID-19 here!