With Jamie + Cara – Brisbane City Celebrants

What a ride it has been for many couples and also for the wedding industry including Celebrants with wedding restrictions from COVID-19. Following the announcement in late March, that weddings are subject to new restrictions to slow the spread of COVID-19.

The current restrictions allow a maximum of 5 people to be present for the ceremony, which includes the couple, the Celebrant and the 2 witnesses. Celebrations after the ceremony may also be limited due to social distancing rules.

Since this restriction came in to effect, we had a huge couple of weeks working with many of our couples whose weddings were due to take place soon, to assist them in postponing to new dates. Many couple shave opted to have a small and intimate elopement followed by a celebration with guests at a later date when the restrictions have eased.

What precautions are we taking to ensure a safe environment for our couples?

It is so important to us that we adhere to the restrictions to assist the community and the wedding industry in moving out of the COVID-19 restrictions phase. Here are some of the processes we have implemented in line with the guidelines to ensure a safe environment and reduce any potential spread.

Meetings

• Online meetings are now also available for local couples (in addition to our interstate and overseas based couples) we offer our clients a choice of video conferencing methods.
• If or when an ‘in person’ meeting is necessary, we advise clients before the meeting that we will be adhering to social distancing practices and that we will be unable to shake their hand. The response to this has always been received very positively.
• We ask couples to advise us if they haven’t been feeling well or have arrived from overseas within the last 2 weeks, so ‘in person’ meetings can instead take place on line.
• We have antibacterial gel available, and we continue to wash and sanitise our own hands before, after and between every meeting.
• We use antibacterial wipes to clean tables and chairs that are used for the ‘in person’ meeting, both before and after the meeting takes place.
• We use antibacterial wipes to clean the pens used during the meeting.

Weddings

• If using a microphone, we sanitise this before and after use.
• We have hand sanitiser available for use, and we personally use this frequently.
• Before the wedding commences, we include a pre-wedding announcement to remind guests of social distancing requirements and advise them that the couple have requested they avoid shaking hands, hugging and kissing.
• We respectfully aren’t shaking hands or hugging clients.
• We request the full legal names of the 2 witnesses, so they can be printed on the marriage certificates, minimising the time they are in contact with the marriage paperwork.
• We take a new signing pen out of a packet for the couple to use, and allow them to keep this (while using a different pen ourselves).
• Tablecloths from signing tables are hot washed after every ceremony.
• If there is not a Photographer stepping in after we leave, we will offer to take some photos for the couple on our own phone, to then send to them.

If our clients have any further requests that are in accordance and support the health regulations for COVID-10, we are very happy to oblige.

We hope you found this post helpful. If you are looking for a Celebrant for your special day, elopement or legals only wedding, Jamie + Cara are currently still performing weddings within the current restrictions and  would love to hear from you. Contact Jamie + Cara – Brisbane City Celebrants now for more information.

Elopement image 1 via Brisbane Wedding Decorators