Wedding Covid Vaccination Requirement: How Should I Tell My Guests?

When it comes to weddings, there are a lot of wedding etiquette rules to consider—for the honorees and the guests alike. For the bride and the groom, everything from how to handle registry to who to invite and plus ones, and for the guests gifting and proper attire should be at the top of the list. Well, now the Covid-19 pandemic has added an extra layer of etiquette to consider—to ask guests to be vaccinated or not to ask...and how.   

A viewer named Randi took to Facebook to ask Jove Meyer, top NYC event planner, the proper etiquette when it comes to asking about vaccination status.  

Randi asks, "My daughter is getting married Labor Day 2022 and I'm helping her with wedding planning. I have an etiquette question about Covid vaccinations. How do you nicely tell people they need to be vaccinated to attend the wedding? And then, where do you put that information...should it go on the invitation?" 

If local Covid guidelines aren't enough for you, make your own rules (it's your event!) 

It's also crucial to be as clear as possible when it comes to health and safety. "Be clear and concise about your plans for health and safety so all guests know what to expect and can prepare. Will they need to wear a mask, will it be outside or inside, will you offer testing, will they need to test before, if so when and what kind of test? Start by saying you are so excited to be celebrating with everyone and that you want to do so safely and comfortably so you will be following the local laws and guidelines...if the local guidelines are not enough for you as the host, you can set your own guidelines, just be sure to clearly communicate them so guests can prepare," he says.   

How do I tell wedding guests that I'm requiring Covid vaccination? 

This can definitely be a tough one, but Jove weighs in with the polite way to get this essential info from guests. He explains that "Proof of vaccination required" tends to be the most common way to word this on an invite, but check your local guidelines as requirements are always changing. "When it comes to communication of important details, like health and safety, I think you need to say it often and everywhere you can! I would put the vaccination requirement on the website and in the invitation suite—along with the invitation and RSVP card, so it is super clear for all guests," says Jove. 

"Having it on the website is great as things are constantly changing and with a website you can always update as needed. When including the vaccination requirement on the invitation suite, you can put it at the bottom of the invite (if it is a short sentence), or you can put it on an info card—separate so it doesn't pull focus from the invite. Being on its own card can show how important it is to you," explains Jove.