A
communion
or a
baptism
 or a
wedding
 to celebrate in 2021 in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic? Find the latest news, the rules in force and some ideas for a festive and unforgettable wedding despite the pandemic.

With the beautiful days, the religious ceremonies approach. Once again this year, the wedding industry has been particularly affected by the health crisis of
coronavirus
. If the number of people must be limited according to the latest government information, religious ceremonies at the place of worship and at the town hall are currently not prohibited.

For worship in a place of worship, the rule is to limit the number of people to every third seat and every second row . Thus, "services in places of worship are permitted on condition that they leave two empty seats between each person or family entity, and every other occupied row. The 30-person limit no longer applies as of December 3, 2020 and weddings are limited to a maximum of 6 people", said the government.

For the civil celebration in the town hall, it is necessary in theory to respect the quota of 6 people (without including the civil registrar and the town hall secretary), to wear the mask and to respect the social distancing. However, the number of guests also depends on the size of the venue: i.e. two free seats between each person or family entity, and only every other row can be occupied. The best thing to do is to contact the town hall or the prefecture of the place of your wedding.


Tip:
these restrictions may not include children under the age of 12, check with your local government.

Outdoor weddings: Gatherings of more than 6 people outdoors are prohibited under penalty of a 135 euro fine. On March 23, 2021 and following a carnival that brought together more than 6,000 people in the streets of Marseille,
Gérald Darmanin
 asked for a reinforcement of the controls and the verbalization for all the people who would break the rules.

Which travel certificate to go to a wedding?

If you organize your wedding in a sanitary way, guests will be able to go there even if they live in a confined area. To do so, you just need to check the "compelling family reason" exemption.

Tips for a wedding with as many people as possible even during the Coronavirus period?

These restrictions should not detract from the magic of the ceremony, but we will have to be even more imaginative and innovative. Several ideas are emerging for a warm and unique ceremony. For example, a marriage in several groupsA more intimate and different atmosphere with for example the closest family for the religious celebration, the civil celebration at the town hall with friends, a welcome drink with another group of 6 and finally the meal with a small mix of your choice.

Innovative and unforgettable ideas for your wedding

Others have taken up the practice, common in the United States, of broadcasting the event in a video zoom ceremony . A professional or a family member films the scene live and broadcasts it so that no one is left out. The advantage of this software is that it is free during a 40 min session and can connect up to 1000 participants at the same time, 49 of whom are on screen. The bride and groom can also record themselves "backstage" throughout the wedding preparations and film the wedding continuously. Family and friends will be able to participate live in the ceremony and send simultaneous messages to the bride and groom. Memories recorded for life, we bet that this new practice will last well beyond the pandemic.

Please note that the number of people on the public road at the exit of the place of worship or the town hall is also limited to 6.

If some of your guests absolutely want to join the event physically, they can park in their car at the exit of the ceremony venue (while watching the event streaming on their phone and tablet) and honk the horn as soon as the bride and groom exit to accompany the procession by car to the next location of the event.

If the number of guests is limited, there is nothing to prevent you from hosting your guests in regular groups of 6 people for a day or a weekend. This will allow you to take pictures with more guests, take pictures, participate in the video, give the wedding gift in person and be physically part of this "different" but unique wedding.

Safety for all and above all: If the restriction of the number of people makes it possible to avoid large gatherings and the risk of contagion, it is strongly advised to ask all your guests for a PCR test less than 72 hours before the event. An outdoor reception is always safer than an indoor one (think of the tent in case of rain). A meal at the table (one seat apart for each family group) rather than a buffet will also reduce the risk of contamination. Limiting alcohol is also a good idea to prevent the relaxation of barrier gestures.

A welcome gift bag for each guest including a mask (the MUST is a personalized mask for your wedding), an individual pen for the guest book and a small bottle of hydro-alcoholic gel is also a very appreciated idea. Finally, consider repeating the safety rules on boards in different areas of your reception venue.

We wish you all a beautiful wedding, communion or baptism ceremony!

=> Find our selection of formal wear and procession for children

HERE

=> Find thenews of the government concerning the marriages and gatherings

HERE

=> Fill out your "Compelling Family Reason" travel certificate

HERE

=> Information on the Zoom video broadcasting software

HERE

=> Order personalized masks for your wedding

HERE