Weddings, civil partnerships, religious services and funerals

Government Guidance

You can attend places of worship for a service if you’re in a medium alert level area. However, you must not mingle with anyone in a group of more than 6 people, other than with people you live with or have formed a support bubble with. You should follow the national guidance on the safe use of places of worship.

Wedding and civil partnership ceremonies and receptions must only take place in COVID-19-secure venues or in public outdoor spaces unless in exceptional circumstances. Weddings, civil partnership ceremonies and wedding receptions are restricted to 15 people. Receptions should be sit down meals to ensure people can keep their distance from each other and mustn’t take place in private dwellings

Funerals must only take place in COVID-secure venues or in public outdoor spaces with up to 30 people in attendance. Wakes or linked ceremonial events (such as stone-settings) before or after the funeral are limited to 15 people and must not take place in private homes. Where food or drink is consumed, this should be in the form of a sit down meal.

Anyone working at a wedding, civil partnership ceremony, reception, wake or funeral is not generally counted as part of the limit. Within these larger gatherings, people do not need to limit their interaction to groups of 6 or their own household, but social distancing should still be followed between people who do not live together or share a support bubble.

Read the guidance on small marriages and civil partnerships and managing a funeral during the coronavirus pandemic.