What are the new rules for weddings in the UK?
14 August 2020, 14:33
As coronavirus lockdown measures ease, what are the new rules on COVID-19 weddings?
From 15 August, wedding receptions are allowed to take place again in England.
Weddings were banned back in March when lockdown was first introduced, ruining thousands of plans for couples across Britain.
Now, with lockdown easing across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, there are new rules around weddings.
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Are weddings allowed in the UK now?
From August 15, people in England can have up to 30 people at their wedding reception for the first time in months.
The guests at weddings must follow social distancing rules.
At the moment, in Northern Ireland and Wales, only small outdoor weddings are allowed.
In Scotland, indoor weddings are allowed, but only with up to 20 people allowed at the ceremony.
What are the COVID-19 wedding rules?
GOV.UK have laid out some rules for couples to follow before and on their wedding day -
- Weddings should only take place in COVID-19 secure environments
- Ceremonies and services should be concluded in the shortest reasonable time
- No food or drink should be consumed as a part of the marriage or civil partnership ceremony unless required for the purposes of solemnisation
- The rings should be handled by as few people as possible
- People should avoid singing, shouting, raising voices and/or playing music at a volume that makes normal conversation difficult or that may encourage shouting
- Wherever possible, adhere to social distancing of at least 2 metres, or 1 mere with risk mitigation (where 2 metres is not viable)
- Venue managers should take steps to prevent visitors from touching or kissing devotional and other objects that are handled communally
You can find all the guidelines for weddings in England here.
