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Please remember that weddings are a combination of many industries. DJ’s, hair + makeup teams, caterers, photographers, etc. each have their own restrictions being placed on them that will affect an event and how it will be able to take place. 

The below is a collection of all the new guidelines and laws, and is a work in progress as details are released and confirmed by the Governor’s office.

The wedding industry fought hard to convince the state to allow weddings to take place again in phase 2 and 3. Initially, the governor was not allowing any events and many couples were forced to postpone their wedding and vendors lost a significant amount of income. In that fight, we promised we would follow safety precautions if they would allow our clients to have their weddings, and allow us to go back to work. 

We won that fight, and our clients are now able to get married and wedding vendors are able to get back to work! But, we made promises that we would be safe, and weddings are only being allowed right now because of those promises, so specific laws have been put in place. Weddings can only happen if:

• The wedding planners can meet and maintain all requirements needed to comply with the guidance for Phase 1, 2 and 3 Religious and Faith-based Organizations; and 
• If food is served at a reception for a wedding, the venue must comply with the guidance for Dine-in Restaurants and Taverns; and 
• They conduct only those activities that are allowed under their county’s phase status. Weddings and Funerals Memo

Below are a few of the key requirements, including sources: I encourage every couple and wedding vendor to thoroughly read through all the guidelines listed above for additional rules and information, this is not a complete list, just an overview of some key points.

Note: These requirements apply to ALL weddings, regardless of location. A backyard wedding becomes a public event the moment money is exchanged for a service. It’s not fair to put your vendors at risk by expecting them to work a wedding that is not following the current laws, and many vendors have a safety clause in their contract that would allow them to leave an unsafe event, without being required to refund anything. Please don’t make them have to use it, trust me, we don’t want to.

• Rehearsal Guidelines: Only 5 in attendance, including planner, if done prior to the wedding day. Masks and 6′ social distancing are required. Rehearsal dinners are currently not allowed.
• Weddings and Funerals Memo
• Masks are required by ALL guests and vendors. They must be worn before, during, and after the ceremony. The only exception is while seated at their reception table AND eating/drinking. – Page 4, #4  Religious and Faith Based Orgs Page 1, #4  Restaurant and Tavern Guidance

Special note on the Mask Guidelines: ALL businesses (venue, catering, photographer, DJ, ect…) are REQUIRED to enforce the mask law, or face penalties of $10,000 or more

If “a business is not adequately enforcing the face mask order or other Safe Start requirements…  violations can be enforced by Labor & Industries as a safety and health violation by the employer that could carry a penalty of nearly $10,000 or more.”

• If a customer or individual (wedding guest) refuses to wear a face covering but does not have a medical condition or disability that prevents them from wearing a mask, they should be politely told that the business cannot serve them and that they need to leave the premises.
• If the individual refuses to leave, the business representative should follow whatever procedures they normally follow if an individual refuses to leave the establishment when asked to do so (including contacting local law enforcement to indicate that the individual is trespassing). 
• Individuals (guests) not following the DOH order on face coverings may be subject to a misdemeanor charge with a fine of up to $100 and/or up to 90 days in county jail per RCW 43.70.130(7), RCW 70.05.120(4), and WAC 246-100-070(3).
• Social distancing (of at least 6’) is required by ALL guests and vendors at all times. – Page 2  Phase 1-3 Religious and Faith Based orgs
• Phase 2 allows for indoor weddings at 25% capacity up to 200, whichever is less, so as long as the 6’ distancing restriction can be met. As you are making your sample floor plans be sure to consider the rain plan. In case of rain, the 6’ distancing restriction must still be met. Please note that everyone on site falls into guest capacity – vendors, guests, and bridal parties. – Page 1 of link above.
•  Planners are responsible for enforcing all requirements (ie. mask wearing, social distancing, etc.) and if there is not a professional Planner hired for the event then the Client/Couple bears responsibility. (Note to couples, you do NOT want to spend your wedding day having to enforce these laws, hire a planner to help) (Phone call to health department and see below) Wedding and Funerals Memo
• No standing permitted at any time, cocktail hour must be seated at tables and no dancing. Guests must arrive, sit for the ceremony, can move to the reception area, but must remain at their tables for the duration of the event. Also, no live entertainment – Page 1 #9 and #10 Phase 2-3 Restaurant and Tavern Guidance
• The ceremony and reception must be “co-located.” This means you can not be married in a church and then travel to a reception in a different location read further in Wedding and Funeral Memo 
• Vendors, guests, and employees must take their temperature before attending the event. Any individual with a temperature of 100.4°F should not be permitted to attend. Page 5, #15 Read more in Phase 1-3 Religious and Faith Based Orgs
• Any individual with a household member who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or with symptoms of COVID-19 (including a fever above 100.4°F) should not be permitted to attend. Page 5 #15 read further in Phase 1-3 Religious and Faith Based Orgs
• Ceremony seating must maintain 6ft physical distancing between households. It is recommended to assign seating for the ceremony, this way the same households can sit together, otherwise all chairs must be set 6′ apart. Page 5, #12 of Phase 1-3 Religious and Faith Based Orgs
• All tables must be 5 guests or less from the same household in phase 2. . Bottom of page 1, #2 Phase 2-3 Restaurant and Tavern Guidances and Page 5, #12 Phase 1-3 Religious and Faith Based Orgs
• Reception tables must be placed far enough apart when measured from occupied chair to occupied chair, to ensure guests seated at a table are a minimum of 6’ away from guests at adjacent tables, or there must be a physical barrier or wall separating tables. Page 1, #3 Phase 2 and 3 Restaurant and Tavern Guidance

Note: These guidelines are changing constantly, but are expected to be in effect until a cure or vaccine is available for Covid-19, regardless of the phases. Please do your part in helping to educate our local vendors and clients so we can continue to have safe weddings!

This is not an official government document, but all links provided are.

Thanks to Rebecca Phillips for gathering and sharing this information.