AIBU to still hold this wedding reception?

[Temporary99]

I’m due to get married in 2 weeks’ time. We’ve got 30 of us in total and this includes 10 older relatives attending, so safety is very important to us.

The plan was to have a church ceremony and then a reception in my in-laws garden. We’ve taken the rules very seriously and have done a full covid risk assessment for the venue in line with the ones for businesses. It’s a big garden so we can easily spread the tables out with 2m in between, we’ve got hand sanitiser for every table, staff serving the food, one toilet per ten people, paper towels for drying hands.

With the new rules in place we’re wondering if this would be breaking the law? They’ve said the rules don’t apply to wedding receptions but a friend of mine has said they’re not allowed in private homes. All we can see is that it says they have to be in a “Covid secure venue”. We’re very confident that our venue is covid secure and have the paperwork to prove it, but don’t want to get into trouble or risk the police turning up.

The only alternative would be the one restaurant in my in-laws village, which is much smaller than my in-laws garden and is all indoors, so we think this would be less secure.

AIBU?

I would just go for it... you’re being as safe as you can. And much safer than taking your 30 guests to a restaurant (which would be legal).

Unless you have really awful neighbours, it’s very unlikely the police would turn up. And even if they did, they would just have to “explain” why it’s not allowed before they fined you etc.
I don’t know how much the fine is, but you might just consider it an additional wedding expense if it came to it.

I'm afraid it is pretty clear as said above. You cannot do this in a private home or garden. You can do this at a venue which is organised. It's no good just arguing against it, your time would be better employed finding a suitable venue to host your 30 guests legally. I'm sorry to be blunt but this is just the way it is.

You have to go through a process to become registered as Covid Secure - it cannot apply to private homes. The document listed above clearly states that as a private residence you would be breaking the law.

You either pay for a Covid Secure location for a reception or you can be fined for breaking the law.

[quote Temporary99]@Rossita that’s the thing, we can’t see it saying anywhere that it’s illegal.

The people above saying the wedding exemptions don’t apply to receptions are incorrect, that has been made clear online that wedding receptions can have up to 30 people.[/quote]
You’re not looking properly then. It’s has been quite clearly stated that it will be illegal from Monday.

OK thanks everyone. I wanted to push people a bit to make sure it wasn’t just people’s gut reaction they were posting with.

But seems like you have to be a commercial venue to be “covid secure”, which I don’t think is entirely logical - we would happily have the council round to check our venue and go through our risk assessment. But I guess they don’t have the time to do that.

Shame as we think it’s safe but don’t want to risk the fine so will have a look elsewhere. Thanks all.

You could go ahead but it would be illegal and do you want the additional stress of doing something that might cause the police to visit your wedding reception?

That said the sudden changing rules make planning very difficult and I really feel for you.

@Rossita you seem to be completely ignoring the fact they’ve said weddings are an exception to the rules coming in on Monday!

@Temporary99 screen shot from government website where it’s very clear.

[quote Temporary99]@Rossita you seem to be completely ignoring the fact they’ve said weddings are an exception to the rules coming in on Monday![/quote]
This has been explained to you by several other posters.

@Rossita I can do screen grabs too!

From www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-small-marriages-and-civil-partnerships/covid-19-guidance-for-wedding-and-civil-partnership-receptions-and-celebrations

[quote Temporary99]@Rossita that’s the thing, we can’t see it saying anywhere that it’s illegal.

The people above saying the wedding exemptions don’t apply to receptions are incorrect, that has been made clear online that wedding receptions can have up to 30 people.[/quote]
The exemption to the six people rule is for the wedding ceremony and even that needs to be kept to carrying out the legal necessities only. It does not apply to receptions.

If you cannot see this online, I can only think you are subconsciously choosing not to (understandably as it must be very disappointing) but it is perfectly clear.

A “wedding” is not a reception though is it? It’s clearly referring to the ceremony and then says “(in Covid secure venues)” in the screenshot you yourself just posted

Why ask when your so sure your right and will do it even though it’s clearly not allowed

OP your screen gran says there is an exemption for “wedding ceremonies”. Your reception is not part of the ceremony.

Yes and we thought we had made our venue covid secure. We couldn’t see anywhere it saying that only commercial venues could be secure

[quote Temporary99]@Rossita I can do screen grabs too![/quote]
Well done. And your screen shot very clearly states the the new rules don’t apply to wedding ceremonies. A get together in your garden is not part of the ceremony.

This was illegal before the new announcement

Your reception isn't part of the ceremony.

If you've decided youre going ahead crack on and put those ten at risk.

None of it is bloody logical.

Sirzy has given you the link which states that people can't use their gardens.

OP I'm inclined to agree with you that a large garden in reality would be more c19 secure than the inside in a private room of a pub.

But the legislation is clear, a c19 approved venue is ok, your garden isn't ok.

but why can’t we make it covid secure by following the rules as given for venues?

Basically because you're not a business and therefore don't make money for the economy or the government by holding it in your garden.

It's nothing to do with the venue really. It's to do with money from what I can gather.

[quote Temporary99]@Rossita that’s the thing, we can’t see it saying anywhere that it’s illegal.

The people above saying the wedding exemptions don’t apply to receptions are incorrect, that has been made clear online that wedding receptions can have up to 30 people.[/quote]
You will early next week when the legislation is published. Posting links to guidance is not giving you the legislation.

The information on temhe government links posted is put of date, it was last update 15th August therefore does not take into account the law in force from Monday!

the out updated* 🙈🤷‍♀️

@Aragog

but why can’t we make it covid secure by following the rules as given for venues?

Basically because you're not a business and therefore don't make money for the economy or the government by holding it in your garden.

It's nothing to do with the venue really. It's to do with money from what I can gather.

It applies to Charities and Not For Profit organisations too. Local places of worship, charity drop ins etc where I live have all had to submit risk assessments to the HSE and LAs to be recognised as Covid Secure. So it’s not always to do with money...although my friend’s husband is Health and Safety Manager for a few UK theme parks and think that they’ve opened up a huge can of worms re being sued if customers or staff can prove they contracted Covid at the venues. So money could be potentially lost and won quite easily. A lot of these places have had to register a Covid “Lead” to be allowed to operate who will have to take the fall if it all goes tits up. It’s clear there have to be policies and procedures in place and I don’t think it’s all about financial gain personally.