Well it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster, hasn’t it.
After NSW phased out restrictions in line with vaccination rates we thought we had finally arrived at ‘covid normal’…until Omicron came along.
It’s been hard just keeping up with what are the rules at any point in time.
Let me clarify that for you here and enable you to plan your NSW wedding with minimal stress and uncertainty.
Author: Meggan Brummer
If we haven’t met before, my name is Meggan Brummer - I am an award-winning Celebrant in Sydney, Australia.
I’ve married hundreds of couples over the last 10 years.
I have 20 years experience in professional writing.
What Are The Current COVID Restrictions For Weddings In NSW? (December 2021)
- Anyone can attend a wedding in NSW.
- You do not need to be vaccinated or to show proof of vaccination.
- As of 24th December 2021, Face masks are required for indoor venues subject to exemptions.
- Check in is required once more at places of worship and gatherings afterwards
- Density limits DO NOT apply to Weddings
The main uncertainty for many is of course the status of border or travel restrictions. These have been easing, but check the NSW Government website for up to date guidance.
How To Plan A Wedding During COVID
1. Review agreements with prospective vendors carefully.
Ensure in each case, you have a contract that clearly covers rescheduling, postponements and other changes. Bare in mind that not being able to have the wedding you first imagined with family or friends travelling from overseas or interstate will not automatically entitle you to postpone or cancel without cost. Knowing where you stand upfront is the single most valuable way to avoid stress later. This advice holds true at any time, as I have previously written about when dealing with complaints with Celebrants.
2. Don’t delay finding and booking vendors.
With the added need to understand COVID contingencies from each supplier, you’ll need to allow additional time for your search. Also, your preferred suppliers will likely have a backlog of rescheduled bookings, plus all the couples who have previously been holding off, waiting and watching before commencing their planning will combine to make for a very busy period that is going to limit availability more than normal.
3. Consider a weekday wedding.
If you did need to reschedule due to a tightening of restrictions, your best prospects of keeping your existing venue and team of suppliers together is by having your wedding on a weekday, as demand is lower then. To that end, if you also opt for a weekday initially, you’re more likely to have your first pick of venue and suppliers and in the event of a reschedule it’s doesn’t become another compromise you need to make. You might even save some money.
4. Keep it small.
If you keep your wedding small, should restrictions that limit the number of guests who can attend be in effect on the date of your ceremony, you’re less likely to have to un-invite some of your guests or reschedule. Small weddings can also feel more intimate, be less stressful, and have you feel more present throughout your day.
5. Stay local.
Travel restrictions especially interstate remain the main uncertainty and avoiding a border crossing is prudent when possible.
6. Live stream your ceremony.
Friends and family who are unable to travel or who are vulnerable (with low immune systems) can still be part of your wedding day if you live-stream them in on your ceremony.
7. Remind your guests “No Hugging.”
Social distancing is hard when people’s natural tendency is to hug you and congratulate you. To avoid a flurry of hugs after your ceremony, speak to your celebrant about letting your guests know in a warm and friendly way that they can hug you with their hearts, not their hands.
8. Consider elderly guests or who are otherwise higher-risk.
Think about whether it’s better for your 96-year-old gran to also be at the reception or just the ceremony. Try where possible to have people from the same household seated together.
9. Review the NSW Government’s Wedding COVID-19 Safety Plan.
You can download a copy of this plan here. It contains all the information you need to think about to maintain a safe environment at your wedding.
10. Ask your Celebrant for advise.
Use the knowledge and experience of your celebrant, don’t hesitate to bounce questions off them or sound out your current thinking.
How have I adapted My Services During COVID?
- I’m fully vaccinated.
- I’ve added a live-streaming service to my ceremonies and during COVID I’m offering this to my couples for FREE with my most popular packages.
- I am registered as a COVID-Safe business, as required by NSW regulations. Accordingly, I will only perform ceremonies that comply with the current guidelines on guest numbers, etc.
- I will have a QR code check-in at the ceremony to support contract tracing should it be required.
- I am discussing with my couples how they are styling their ceremony to ensure that all of their guests are seated and suggesting that members of the same household are seated together.
- I am perfectly happy to accommodate wherever possible a change of date or location subject to availability and will work with my couples as necessary to find a new date that works for everyone.
- I conduct all my meetings online over Zoom to minimise travel and practice good social distancing.
- I sanitise my microphone and pen before and after the ceremony and have hand sanitiser available for anyone to use.
- Lastly, know that I will still be hugging you with my heart at the ceremony, but not my hands.
Final Thoughts
Since the start of covid, I have been amazed at how my couples have quickly adapted to the changing requirements necessary to keep the pandemic under control. It really has shown that it’s better to move forward with planning and respond to change if it occurs rather than to keep putting off getting started. So stay safe and move forward.
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