No jab, no party – vaccination wedding wording etiquette.
Photo and stationery: Rebel Reflect
“Planning a wedding over the past two years can certainly feel as though it has had the fun taken out of it”, says stellar Ivory Tribe stationer Rebel Reflect.
Depending on where you live in Australia, the number of guests is reflective of vaccination status, which may work for some couples, but be a headache for those looking to host a big shebang.
When it comes to this, a lot of couples are feeling frazzled, but we would say communication is key so you and your guests are on the same page prior to the big day.
Luckily for us, the brains behind the Rebel Reflect brand, JoJo is as savvy as they come, having taken the time to consider how we might approach communicating your wish with vaccination wedding wording etiquette.
Just when you thought it was rude to ask for money, tell someone they don’t get a plus one or their kids aren’t invited, we’ve now reached peak awkwardness – asking guests to be vaccinated or they can’t come to your wedding. However, this doesn’t come short of any divisive conversations and disagreements about the ol’ jab though regardless of your personal feelings about vaccinations, it is a personal choice — one that each individual weighs differently.
So how do you communicate this with guests? Well, your invitation should be kept clear of such content. Instead, add an info/details card or include it on your website.
It’s a good idea to clearly communicate what’s required and include options on your rsvp card eg [ ] attending and vaccinated or [ ] sending love from afar. The way you communicate your intentions needs to be compassionate but clear so setting the vibe here is important and we’ve compiled a few examples you may choose to use or adapt.
WORDING EXAMPLES
VAX CHAT
It is difficult for us to ask but by law it is required that all attending guests be fully vaccinated by our wedding date. For our dear family and friends who may not be able to fulfil this requirement we appreciate your circumstances and we look forward to celebrating with you at a later date.
We respectfully request that you RSVP accordingly and we thank you so much for your understanding.
If you want to empathise:
LOVE IN THE TIME OF COVID
This <month> wedding will be a vaccinated-only event.
We understand that this may mean that we can’t celebrate our big day with people we hold dearest. We’re deeply saddened by that. But we just do not feel comfortable taking the risk, and sincerely hope that you understand this decision; it was not one made without consideration.
When in doubt, add humour:
GREETINGS FROM LOCKTOWN
Just sending out a quick but important update about the big day! After a lot of time to think in the world’s longest lockdown #sigh, we’ve been told that in order for our wedding to go ahead, all guests must be fully vaccinated in order to attend. We understand that this might leave you with some questions, so please feel free to reach out. We ask only that you do so respectfully though, as we realise that this is a complex and nuanced topic. Thanks so much!
You know when they say “we need to talk”, it must be serious:
WE NEED TO TALK
We are so excited to see you on our big day! In order to keep everyone safe, we’re required by the venue to follow these health and safety rules:
- If you have been vaccinated, please bring your records and provide them to the host.
- Everyone will be temperature checked on arrival.
- Hand sanitising stations will be provided, please use them liberally!
- Maintain 1.5m social distancing with attendees that aren’t members of your household.
- Stay home if you aren’t feeling well in any way (especially fever, chills, sore throat, cough, stomach ache). We’ll celebrate with you another time!
Thank you for making our day so special for us, in spite of these unusual circumstances.
Don’t let emotions get the best of you if a wedding-party member or guest refuses to get vaccinated. At the end of the day, you’ll want to be surrounded by those who respect your wishes to keep everyone safe. But if you’re having a big venue and a big celebration with your nearest and dearest, and it’s your celebration that you’re paying for, it is okay to ask for these rules to be considered and followed.
Rebel Reflect has a seriously clever and creative approach to event stationery and you can see more of their work here.
