To think attending this wedding is a bad idea

[frillyfarmer]

Friends' wedding was postponed in May due to Covid, rearranged for end October.

I'd just sort of assumed with the general shitstorm of Covid, and with the laws surrounding gatherings of more than 30 people, this would be postponed again, but we received an email today confirming they are still going ahead.

The church service will be just them and immediate family, as per the rules. The reception is to be held privately (they're landowners) for 160 people. All of our friends are going - they're really looking forwards to a good kick back and a party after months of us not seeing one another.

I feel like we will be missing out on all the fun but I just don't think I can feel comfortable breaking the rules like that, especially considering the fines for attending illegal gatherings.

My husband has said he is happy to either go or not go depending on what I think. We are low risk, healthy in our 30s leading very isolated lifestyle by design as we're farmers. I'm a SAHM to two preschool aged children. My biggest concern is ending up on the front of the daily mail like the house parties in Manchester...

Would you go?

I'm not a naturally "God-fearing", cautious person - but there's 2 issues here: the risk of being in amongst such a large gathering, and the current rules.
Things may change by October either way, but right now I'm gobsmacked that this couple are being so arrogantly and wilfully selfish. Or are they thick or something?
People have made great sacrifices by staying away from loved ones, then knobheads like this can cause outbreaks which hinders all the progress made, and can necessitate in more lockdowns. Shame on them - and someone needs to "snitch", I'm afraid.

It's incredibly selfish.

And the fact that schools are taking children back TO EDUCATE them is irrelevant. Schools are a priority for a reason; parties are not.

I hope someone calls the party in and they all get fined and make the front pages.

If it was me, I’d probably not even think about until mid-October. If the restrictions have been lifted by then, there’s no reason to not go. If there are still restrictions in place which will be broken by going, I wouldn’t go.

A mile from the village, someone will call it in to the police. For that reason alone I would not go, never mind it is unwise to do at the present time.

And this is why we will have lockdowns for a long time. I really hope this isn’t in my area. I hope someone reports them.

Not a fucking chance.
Idiots.

I'd be all over it. In fact, can you get me in?

A lot can happen between now and October.

I'd just delay the decision.

I wouldn't go to a reception with 160 people, no. Even for a wedding, and even on your own land, you're not supposed to have more than 30 at the moment. And you don't want to catch Covid if avoidable: even relatively mild cases are not fun, plus you risk giving it to someone more vulnerable. And even if you don't personally get it, if it turns out you've been exposed, it would mean 2 weeks' quarantine. Not to mention that this sort of huge gathering is the sort of thing that can cause spikes and result in local lockdowns, apart from the danger to those who do get it.

Someone already linked to the early August wedding in Maine that has so far caused 85 infections, one death (a woman who did not go to the wedding), and Covid breakouts in a nursing home and in a jail.

The wedding was in a very rural area, in a town that had had zero cases up to that point. No one from out of state attended the wedding, and most guests were from equally rural, unaffected areas.

The local hospital has had to close to everything but emergencies. The local school closed today because of 6 cases there.

Of the 65 people at the wedding, over half are infected, most of those are symptomatic, and they are as young as 4.

So, 33 infected who went to the wedding, 52 infected who did not go to the wedding.

I'd imagine it's the first time the town of Millinocket has made international news.

To answer your question, no I wouldn't go to a wedding like that OP.

Of course you don't go.

I may be flamed, but I'd report the intention in advance too.

I wouldn’t just not go, I’d also grass them up. Absolute idiocy.

@roarfeckingroarr

I would go

Well you’re stupid then.

I'd go

No and I'd be inclined to report. May be a kill joy but its serious

Absolutely not.

Not least because it is against all guidance, but also because I'm playing by the rules and postponed our wedding, my best friend should have been 1st August, postponed to 25th September and has today announced she IS getting married on 25th but is limited to 30 people which just about covers immediate close family, and do I mind not attending, and other very close friends should have wed today, and have postponed to next year.

Selfish, Selfish attitude.

50/60? Yeah I'd go but then I work in hospitality and probably up close with more than that every day.

160? Not a chance in hell. And sorry (not sorry) but I would report it in advance too, unless I wanted to live in a local lockdown area (hint...I dont)

@RealityExistsInTheHumanMind

I'd go

Well you’re stupid too.

I’d go. I haven’t isolated in the slightest since the beginning

I wouldn’t go, unbelievably selfish and stupid to have a big event .
I know of several people still have issues from covid months on, one of them now has heart problems, one has been sectioned after developing delirium, and another is only 20 and yet really struggling. This is what leads to deaths and serious complications in the wider community, people acting as though the rules don’t apply to them. I would call the police myself in fact

You say you have 2 pre-schoolers. So you're either taking them and thereby exposing them to potential infection or you leave them with somebody and potentially bring the infection to them AND the people caring for them when you pick them up.

Is that enough reason not to go?

I would be less bothered about the technicality of breaking the law and more worried about a risk to myself and my family and not being able to relax. I would send a non committal reply and just duck out at the last moment. Just send a gift.

That is really selfish of them.

It's illegal. It's 160 people. Of course it's a bad idea. I would even report it. If they were stretching the 30 person limit a little bit to make room for close friends and family, I'd turn a blind eye, but 160 people is ridiculous. Nobody needs that many people at their wedding during a pandemic.

Nobody needs that many people at their wedding during a pandemic.

No one needs that many people at their wedding, ever.