Wedding receptions are back - latest Government guidelines
The news today is wedding music to our ears! The latest Government guidelines has stated that restrictions are being eased from Saturday 15th August and that wedding receptions in the form of a sit-down meal in a COVID-secure location for up to 30 guests will now be permitted. Here at County Wedding Magazines and Events HQ we're excited for what this means for our readers who have had to cancel or postpone their weddings. Intimate wedding have actually been an increasing trend for a few years now and you will still have all the joys of wedding planning: finding a dream venue, wedding cake and menu tastings, choosing themes and colour schemes, searching for a photographer and a florist the list goes on! Here's all you need to know...
Social distancing
During all activities linked to the reception or celebration, all parties, especially people from separate households/bubbles, should adhere to social distancing guidelines; 2 metres or 1 metre with risk mitigation (where 2 metres is not viable). Venues and guest numbers should be chosen to ensure 2 metre spacing is possible for the main sections of the celebrations.
Wherever possible attendees should remain seated to support social distancing safety measures.
Attendees and staff are strongly encouraged to wear a face covering where social distancing may be difficult.
Attendees, including children, should frequently throughout the day wash their hands.
Venue managers should record the names and contact details of all persons visiting the venues and keep a written record for at least 21 days to support NHS Test and Trace.
Serving and consuming food and drink
Wherever possible staff should serve all food and drinks to minimise customer self-service, and attendees should remain seated.
Seating arrangements should follow social distancing guidance, meaning that at most two households (including any support bubbles) are seated together and social distancing is maintained between these groups. Outdoor tables are also preferable.
Entertainment
Dancing should not be permitted due to the increased risk of transmission and dancefloors may be repurposed for additional customer seating or other relevant purposes, ensuring this is in line with the social distancing guidelines.
Venues intending to incorporate any live music should strictly adhere to the Performing Arts guidance.
Outdoor performances are always preferable.
Where any indoor performances, a solo or small number of performers is preferable and all should be socially distanced.
Those planning the wedding should consider how the performers will impact the total size of the wedding party and therefore the safety of their event.
Refraining from playing music at a volume that makes normal conversation difficult, and avoiding activities such as communal singing or chanting.
Other activities
Any activities, including those that are watched by attendees (such as cake cutting) should take place with social distancing being maintained.
Activities that involve objects being thrown (such as confetti or bouquet toss) or passed from person to person should be avoided.Speeches should be undertaken outside or in well ventilated areas wherever possible.
Photo booths and guest book signing can take place with hand sanitisation encouraged before and after contact.
For more information on all of the above, and additional Government guidleines to ensure you have a COVID-secure wedding day visit gov.uk
We have 19 County Wedding Magazine titles covering most of the UK full of local resources for planning your wedding. Read, as many titles as you like for free now www.county.wedding
Our websites are packed to the brim of inspiration, advice, news and suppliers
County Wedding Events will be hosting Autumn wedding shows so you can meet suppliers face-to-face in a COVID-secure environment
Follow us on social media to keep up to date with everything and anything in our wonderful world of weddings: instagram | facebook | twitter.com
Iconic British brand Dualit presents a curated selection of wedding gifts designed to be cherished for years, and in some cases, generations to come. From romantic, café-style mornings to shared moments over hot chocolate, each gift will be enjoyed well beyond the wedding day. A thoughtful gift for couples who love to bake and a must have for every kitchen. The Dualit Hand Mixer is a firm favourite among top chefs and seen on TV, combining high performance and a chic retro design, this versatile tool is available in Copper or Chrome finish.
READ ARTICLE
Cardiff-based pet carer celebrates 20 years of trusted service
The owner of Petpals Cardiff, Maxine Neal, is celebrating two decades of pet care across the city, having looked after more than 500 animals while building lasting relationships with the people behind them. What began as a simple ambition has grown into one of Cardiff's most trusted pet care services, with Maxine becoming a familiar and reassuring presence for hundreds of local pet owners. "When I started back in 2006, I just knew I wanted to work with animals and be outdoors," she said. "It didn't feel like a traditional 'career path' at the time – it was more about doing something I genuinely loved every day."
READ ARTICLE
Tagvenue Reveals Its 2026 Event Predictions
As the events sector continues to evolve, 2026 is set to mark a clear turning point for UK venues. Leading event booking platform Tagvenue has released its predictions for how the UK events and hospitality sector will evolve in 2026, pointing to a decisive shift away from scale, standardisation and fixed packages, and towards experience-led formats, wellbeing and clearer communication of value. Drawing on booking behaviour across thousands of UK venues, alongside insights from independent hospitality operators, Tagvenue predicts that the most successful event spaces in 2026 will be those that combine strong identity with flexibility, visual appeal and transparency around pricing and experience.
READ ARTICLE
Experts Warn Against Using AI for Wedding Vows
With peak wedding season approaching, experts are warning couples not to rely on AI to write one of the most personal parts of their big day – their vows. A survey by jewellers Queensmith has revealed that more than half (55%) of UK brides and grooms are now using AI tools to help write their wedding vows and speeches, raising questions about authenticity, originality and even potential legal grey areas. The findings come amid a growing debate around AI-written vows after a registrar in the eastern Netherlands saw a marriage called into question when AI was used to help write the ceremony script. In the case, the District Court of Overijssel ruled that "no marriage has been established" after it emerged the registrar had relied on ChatGPT to draft parts of the ceremony. The case has sparked wider concerns that AI-generated wording could unintentionally mirror existing vows or scripts found online, raising questions about originality and authenticity.
