Brian and Holly have had to make some very difficult decisions, but they have done so for the best of everyone.
Until the science changes, they are only welcoming guests and service providers who have been fully-vaccinated against Covid-19 (and boosted if medically recommended) to the group events celebrating their marriage. This condition applies to all groups who are unvaccinated except babes in arms.
They appreciate that free testing is unlikely to be available on their wedding day, but would appreciate it if guests could also take a low cost test for Covid-19 on the day if they have easy access such a test.
If you are demonstrating any respiratory symptoms of Covid-19 before or during our wedding day, that is awful news, and Holly & Brian wish you can get well very soon, but they’d very much appreciate it if you could withdraw your attendance on the day even if your Covid test results are negative. They explain more below:
When planning our marriage, we set two main objectives: to be simple and fun.
The simplest way for us to fulfil our duty to our family, friends and all the people doing their best to provide us with a service during our celebrations is to ensure all reasonable steps are taken to manage all risks to health & safety.
The science says that full vaccination against Covid-19 reduces the risk of transmission through rapid reduction of viral load, shorter duration of illness and fewer, less aggressive symptoms. It is reasonable to follow the science.
Starting from that position of clarity and certainty simplifies the invitation process and puts less pressure on any social distancing measures we may still need to encourage at our events. It is at least simple, but not fun. A wedding where anyone gets Covid-19 is the complete opposite of fun.
We will very gladly roll back from that position and notify everyone involved if the science changes.
Although we recognise the benefits of two metre distancing and mask wearing, we would rather have a health and safety policy that reduces reliance on those social distancing measures so people can choose to meet, shake hands, hug, kiss, and most importantly, dance together in as low risk an environment as reasonably practicable. Alcohol reduces people’s ability to socially distance successfully. That said, we absolutely welcome and will reasonably support any guests who wish to embrace social distancing measures – including wearing a mask – as additional protection for themselves and others in support of our approach to health and safety, but not as an alternative.
Babes in arms are extremely unlikely to transmit Covid-19 to others, so are exempt from all of our proposed health and safety measures.
We are in no way perfect, we don’t know all the science and we recognise we will make mistakes, which we will try to correct in response to facts. However, we are people who need to feel like we’re trying to do the right thing – especially when the right thing is so easily available to us. That sense of social duty and pressure upon us on our wedding day will be heightened.
It is not just “our day”.
Our guests will include elderly and clinically vulnerable people, and we hope pregnant women too. Although those groups are at risk from the most severe symptoms, we want to reduce risk for all guests and service providers from even mild symptoms and the consequences that result.
Any guests and service providers wishing to celebrate with us will need to have commenced vaccination well within the timeframe for our wedding. Hence we are giving people as much notice as possible.
The three main vaccinations currently available in the UK and Europe require a minimum 8 week lag time between first and second dose and then a period of up to 15 days to achieve optimum effectiveness, and a booster dose around six months after the second dose. For these vaccines, the latest possible date to commence vaccination with a double dose vaccination was the 13th of May 2022 and to receive the second dose to complete the vaccination process by 8th July 2022. (The Jannsen / Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires just a single dose and then 14 days to achieve optimum effectiveness. It is not currently available in the UK.) Obviously we need to know whether you wish to attend our wedding events well before then.
If you will not be fully vaccinated to attend any of our events, we would still love to meet you personally another time. Just click here to set a date.
Holly and Brian are extremely disappointed if anyone finds themselves unable to celebrate with them. However, they hope you can take time to understand their reasons, appreciate the difficulties they face, and their attempt to do the right thing. Please send any questions or feedback here.