Wedding Restrictions under Level 4 and 5 in Ireland

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Last updated: March 11th 2021

If you're planning a wedding in Ireland under Level 5 restrictions (extending to, at least, April 5th 2021) or you suspect that Level 5 or Level 4 restrictions around the Covid-19 pandemic may still be in place on your wedding date, you're probably very confused about what you are and are not allowed to do on your wedding day. The Irish government have stated that weddings of up to 6 guests are permitted under Level 5 and Level 4, but have given insufficient guidance on how to achieve this, leading to confusion among couples, their guests, suppliers, venue owners, and us, the One Fab Day editorial team! We're working hard to get clarification from the government on these issues, but, in the mean time, we wanted to provide honest answers to the questions we're getting on a daily basis, even if the answer is, "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid we just don't know!"

Photo by Fox + Quil Photography via One Fab Day

But First, a Note on Our Covid-19 Content:

Planning a wedding in a pandemic is a serious business, and we don't take our role in advising couples lightly. It's extremely important to us that we don't pass on information that could lead anyone to put themselves, their partner, their guests or their suppliers at greater risk of Covid-19, or leave them open to fines or other penalties under Irish law. That's why our policy is to only publish that comes from an official government source, and to link to that source every time.

We'd love to be able to give solid answers to all your wedding-related questions, and appreciate how frustrating it is that we can't, so we really appreciate your understanding during these strange times. We are reaching out to the government for more information on a weekly basis, but unfortunately, they've been really unhelpful, and have yet to provide any. And, to make matters even more confusing, all of the documents they've published are subject to change, without notice. Of course, we'll continue to update this feature with information as we get it, so make sure to scroll back to the very top to learn when it was last updated if you're not already sure.

If you've got a question that isn't covered here, do please send us an email (hello@onefabday.com) or a message on Instagram or Facebook, and we'll add that to our list of issues to be clarified.

What about Level 4 Restrictions?

The information below, and all the information in this post, refers to Level 5 as defined in the Irish government’s COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021 Roadmap. It's likely that Level 4 Restrictions will be the same, although, as of yet, only the guest numbers (6) have been confirmed.

Photo by Olga Hogan Photography via One Fab Day

FAQ: Planning a Wedding in Ireland under Level 5 Restrictions:

WEDDING GUESTS

1. How many guests can attend my wedding? 6 guests in total. The couple and wedding venue staff are not included in this number, according to the guidelines provided by Fáilte Ireland to Hotels and Guesthouses.


2. Are my children to be included in the number of guests? We have sought clarification from the government on this, and have not been provided with a response. As children are not mentioned in the guidelines provided by Fáilte Ireland to Hotels and Guesthouses, we’re inclined to think that there is no exemption for them and that they must be included in guest numbers.


3. Are my guests’ children to be included in the number of guests? We have sought clarification from the government on this, and have not been provided with a response. As children are not mentioned in the guidelines provided by Fáilte Ireland to Hotels and Guesthouses, we’re inclined to think that there is no exemption for them and that they must be included in guest numbers.


4. Are babies included in the number of guests? We have sought clarification from the government on this, and have not been provided with a response. As children are not mentioned in the guidelines provided by Fáilte Ireland to Hotels and Guesthouses, we’re inclined to think that there is no exemption for them and that they must be included in the guest numbers. Given how attached newborns are to their parents, we would like to see an exemption introduced for young babies in particular.


5. Does the priest, celebrant or officiant count in the 6 guests? We have sought clarification from the government on this, and have not been provided with a response. Priests, celebrants and officiants are not wedding guests, so we're inclined to think that they're not to be included in guest numbers. However, we haven't been able to find any documents to back this one up. 

Photo by Olga Hogan Photography via One Fab Day

WEDDING VENUES:

It’s worth bearing in mind that, while certain venues are permitted to cater for weddings of up to 6 guests, not all venues are able to do this, for various reasons. You can find out whether a venue is hosting weddings of up to 6 guests at Level 5 or Level 4 by getting in touch with them directly. 

1. Are wedding receptions permitted to take place at non-traditional venues, for example, restaurants, pubs, and private residences? The COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021 Roadmap states that weddings of up to 6 guests are permitted “regardless of venue,” which suggests that receptions may be hosted at non-traditional venues. However, there has been much confusion on this among venue owners, many of whom are not sure whether they’re permitted to host a wedding at Level 5 or Level 4.  We have sought clarification from the government on this, and have not been provided with a response. 


2. What kind of weddings are permitted? According to the guidelines provided by Fáilte Ireland to Hotels and Guesthouses, wedding ceremonies and receptions of up to 6 guests are permitted. Receptions must be a sit-down meal only.


3. Are Day Two gatherings permitted? There’s no exception mentioned for this, so we have to assume that no, they’re not.

Photo by Aspect Photography via One Fab Day

TRAVEL FOR WEDDINGS:

1. Are couples permitted to travel within Ireland to attend their own wedding? Yes, according to the government guidelines for Level 5. 


2. Are guests permitted to travel within Ireland to attend a wedding? Yes, according to the government guidelines for Level 5. 


3. Are couples permitted to travel from abroad to Ireland to attend their own wedding? In the guidelines for international travel, the Irish government advises against all non-essential international travel, so we’re inclined to think that no, they’re not. However, there’s no definition provided for what might be an essential reason, leading to more confusion among couples. 


4. Are wedding guests permitted to travel from abroad to Ireland to attend a wedding? In the guidelines for international travel, the Irish government advises against all non-essential international travel, so we’re inclined to think that no, they’re not. However, there’s no definition provided for what might be an essential reason, leading to more confusion among guests. 

Photo by Danielle O'Hora Photography via One Fab Day

WEDDING SERVICES:

It’s worth bearing in mind that, while certain suppliers are permitted to cater for weddings of up to 6 guests, not all suppliers are able to do this, for various reasons. You can find out whether a supplier is catering for weddings of up to 6 guests at Level 5 or Level 4 by getting in touch with them directly. 

1. Are wedding services such as videography and floristry permitted at weddings? As they’re not mentioned in the guidelines provided by Fáilte Ireland to Hotels and Guesthouses, we are inclined to think that no, they’re not. We have sought clarification from the government on this, and have not been provided with a response. 


2. Are hair and makeup services permitted at venues or at private residences? As they’re not mentioned in the guidelines provided by Fáilte Ireland to Hotels and Guesthouses, we are inclined to think that no, they’re not.


3. Are clothing alterations and tailoring services permitted, in order to service wedding parties? As they're not mentioned in the list of essential services at Level 5, we're inclined to think that no, they're not. However, we have heard differing reports on this. We have sought clarification from the government on this, and have not been provided with a response.


4. Are car services permitted at weddings? As bus, rail and taxi services are listed among the essential services at Level 5, we're inclined to think that car services are permitted to operate at weddings. We have sought clarification from the government on this, and have not been provided with a response.


5. Are couples permitted to stay overnight in a hotel or other tourist accommodation on the night of the wedding? Yes, according to the guidelines provided by Fáilte Ireland to Hotels and Guesthouses.


6. Are couples' guests permitted to stay overnight in a hotel or other tourist accommodation on the night of the wedding? Yes, according to the guidelines provided by Fáilte Ireland to Hotels and Guesthouses.


7. Are couples permitted to travel for wedding services, e.g. to avail of alterations to a suit? We have sought clarification from the government on this, and have not been provided with a response. 


8. Is live music permitted at a wedding ceremony or reception? No, according to the guidelines provided by Fáilte Ireland to Hotels and Guesthouses, it is not permitted.


9. Is dancing permitted at a wedding? No, according to the guidelines provided by Fáilte Ireland to Hotels and Guesthouses, it is not permitted.

Photo by Aspect Photography via One Fab Day

HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WEDDINGS:

1. What is best practice for mask wearing at a wedding? By law, you have to wear masks or face coverings in certain indoor settings, which are defined here. Wedding venues are not listed, but some non-traditional wedding venues, such as museums, are listed (that said, there’s been some confusion as to whether these types of venues are currently permitted to host weddings - see the Wedding Venues section above). The government also advises wearing a mask or face covering when staying 2 metres apart from people is difficult, in busy indoor and outdoor spaces where a lot of people gather, and around people aged 70 or over or people who are medically vulnerable. It’s worth bearing all of this in mind in advance of your wedding, and on the day itself. If you are providing face coverings for your guests, you should ensure that they comply with government guidelines given here. More guidelines on wearing face coverings are available here. For the wedding reception, which must be a sit-down meal only, we can look to Government public health advice on dining at restaurants for guidance. It states that you do not have to wear a face covering or mask while eating and drinking, but you should wear one anytime you’re not at your table, including when arriving at or leaving your table. Face coverings or masks must be worn by the staff during the service of the meal, according to the guidelines provided by Fáilte Ireland to Hotels and Guesthouses.


2. What is best practice for social distancing at a wedding? While no direct guidance has been provided by the government on social distancing at weddings, we can assume that physical distancing is recommended. The guidelines provided by Fáilte Ireland to Hotels and Guesthouses states that as much furniture as possible should be removed from rooms to ensure maximum space for social distancing at weddings and that there must be adequate spacing between guests at each table. The HSPC Guidance for Food Service Businesses states that physical distancing of at least 1 metre should be maintained between people seated at tables, and physical distancing of at least 2 metres should be maintained between separate tables, although this can be reduced to 1 metre in certain circumstances. It's worth thinking about your guests as belonging to separate household pods, and keeping this in mind when discussing seating arrangements with your ceremony and reception venues. The factors used by the HSE to determine who is considered a close contact of a person with Covid-19 might be useful in risk assessment, too. They can include more than 15 minutes of face-to-face contact within 2 metres of someone who has Covid-19, indoors or outdoors, and sometimes more than 2 hours in an indoor space with someone who has Covid-19. 


3. What is best practice for hand sanitising at a wedding? Government Public Health advice is to wash your hands properly and often, particularly when leaving and arriving at buildings, and before and after being in a crowd indoors or outdoors. According to the guidelines provided by Fáilte Ireland to Hotels and Guesthouses, the venue must ensure that hand sanitisers (including touchless dispensers where possible) are readily available and accessible to all, at each access point. If you are providing additional hand sanitisers for your guests, you should check that they are registered for use in Ireland - a list is available here. 

Photo by Dasha Caffrey via One Fab Day

REGISTRATION OF MARRIAGE:

1. Is the registry office open during level 5? As far as we are aware, registry office services are operating as normal. We have sought clarification from the HSE on this, and have not been provided with a response. 


2. If a couple needs to change their wedding date due to Covid-19 restrictions, do they need to reapply for their marriage license? Yes. The HSE have confirmed to us by email that, if a couple has already had their marriage notification appointment, and received their marriage license, but now need to change their date, they will have to reapply, but they will not be charged the statutory fee of €200 again.

RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES:

1. Are the Catholic Church permitting wedding ceremonies on a Sunday? Traditionally, Catholic ceremonies didn’t take place on Sundays in Ireland, but, since the pandemic, some dioceses have allowed them. Reports from couples suggest that the policy on this varies from priest to priest and diocese to diocese, so it’s best to contact your priest, and/or the priest in the church where you hope to get married, to find out more.

Photo by Olga Hogan Photography via One Fab Day

WEDDINGS AFTER APRIL 5th 2021:

1. When will Ireland move to Level 4/Level 3/Level 2/Level 1 restrictions? Unfortunately, we won't know until further information is issued by the government.


2. What will weddings look like after April 5, 2021? Unfortunately, we won't know until further information is issued by the government. But we are working on content that will provide information to couples for weddings at Levels 3, 2 and 1.

We've created lots of helpful content around adapting your wedding plans for Covid-19 restrictions - you'll find it all here. 

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