Special Advice for Weddings following the Mayor's Declaration of Emergency and subsequent concerns |
continue to be updated. NYTimes article on postponements. During the Pandemic This is the policy of your officiant. Except for the couple during
the ceremony,
--Vern Barnet's
policy
Should any of your invited family members and guests indicate ahead of time that they do not want to wear masks, please feel free to share this with them. I imagine most folks by now know that masks do less to protect the wearer than they do by limiting the transmission of the virus to others. You, as bride and groom, are not required to wear masks during the ceremony, but if your attendants are uncomfortable with being close to you during the ceremony, you might consider wearing a mask along with everyone else. The folks at Pilgrim Chapel and I are masked because we would not want to transmit the virus to you or your guests, even though, every hour of every day, we take every precaution not to contract or carry the disease. Since it now appears to be confirmed that the virus can be transmitted by aerosol up to 16 feet away in closed spaces, it is difficult to be certain that one is not a spreader, especially if one has no symptoms. Of course the situation becomes quite concerning with children in some school settings. Ventilation is why I ask the Chapel staff to turn on the ceiling fans. Guests at a wedding want to show that they cherish the couple, the families, and friends gathered for the occasion, and respect the Pilgrim Chapel staff and the officiant, by wearing masks properly. Although surface contagion is rare, right before and after the ceremony, I sanitize my hands so anything object I touch that you will touch will be as safe as possible. I also gargle before the ceremony and ask everyone do the same (see below). Because of my age and my son's compromised condition, I am cautious about the circumstances in which I place myself. For a brief ceremony, I am comfortable standing atop the chancel area with the couple without masks at the bottom of the chancel area on the floor, or, if necessary, at the edge of the top platform (in which case I will be double-masked). If you might want a photo of me without a mask, photographers have found that I can stand outside on the steps of the Chapel with the couple without masks some distance ahead of me. A photo at the Chapel door makes a lovely picture. Masks
must be worn to cover the nose and the mouth. Here is a link to good
advice about masks. Children under 2 should not wear masks.
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