Are you asking guests to be tested for covid?

I think if you are having a small enough event and testing is readily accessible in your area (and the results can be obtained quickly), it would be a nice assurance that you could all gather and really celebrate without worry. However, if you are in an area where people can't get tested quickly and inexpensively, or the results take a long time to come, then I think it would be kind of pointless and could be an inconvenience for your guests.

I work at a college and we do periodic testing through a contracted company. Once tested, I get my results within 24 hours. If it was possible to test all my guests in a similar fashion and the cost was reasonable, I would absolutely ask everyone to take Friday off work, get tested, isolate for a day while awaiting their results, and then come straight to the wedding the next day so we could all party like it was 2019 again.

However, that is not what most people have access to. I were to get tested at any of the local test sites in my area, it would take days for my results to come back, and if I were to go to the doctor or a clinic my insurance would get billed and I'd be responsible for my copay, which would be hundreds of dollars and the results would still likely take several days. I have a friend who recently moved across the country, and when she left CA she was able to get tested and get her results quickly but when she moved to Boston (to work in a hospital) the results were going to take a week or more so she just quarantined instead. So I think it really depends on what the testing situation is like and what sort of factors play in for your guests with insurance, travel, work, etc.

My bff had her wedding mid September this year and she didn’t ask anyone to get tested. It’s hard for some people to get tested depending where they live and honestly even if they got tested three days before or so, it doesn’t mean they can’t still get it between then and now

If you are not in an area where state or fed funds have set up testing, and are asymptomatic, your insurance may not cover it, and the test may cost $100-$300 per test. Like here. Would I pay $600 testing fees, knowing that 8 hours after getting the test one or both of us could have acquired it if not quarantined? Not a chance.

Are people traveling to the house for the wedding from other cities/states?

As a health care provider who decides on covid testing here are a few things to consider:

Is covid testing easily available for your guests? What is the cost incurred? If they cannot afford it will you pay for it?

In my clinic, we do not do rapid tests for patients without symptoms. So that means 2-3 days for results.

Will you ask them to quarantine until they get their results? Can they take this additional time off work to wait for their results?

Ultimately these situations meant that I did not ask people to get tested before my wedding. We had people wear masks and social distance and stay home if they were ill or exposed to someone ill.

Don’t have one if it’s a concern.
It is airborne.

I went to a micro wedding this past weekend and I’m so glad I did. The family paid the rapid test for the wedding party and the rest of guest were welcome to take the test and attend the wedding, if they didn’t feel comfortable, they could watch the wedding stream live.
We had a total of 55 people


We are invited to a wedding on Black Friday and it’s around 120 people, not sure if we will go because we know people will see families for thanksgiving, traveling and the future Mr & Mrs are not asking for the Covid test.

I've had people tell me, "If you're wanting to taste people and catching COVID is a huge concern for you, maybe changing your wedding to 2022 would be better". I get it, but **eyeroll**

I think you can only require someone to do something if you are goign to pay for it. But there really is not a point in doing this since you can test and then an hour later be exposed to the virus and not know you have it

I work at a college and get regularly tested, and can tell you that even if everyone gets testing before the wedding, that's no guarantee that everyone at the event will be Covid-free. The tests are really a snapshot in time - it can be possible that someone was exposed immediately before getting tested and will be negative at the time of the test but develop an infection (and possibly symptoms) shortly after. Unless you are expecting guests to quarantine for several days (5-7 days) before getting tested and then remain in quarantine until the start of the wedding and then through the wedding itself, someone could still become infected and have Covid at your wedding and potentially transmit it to others.

Having said that if you are planning on staying in a house with a group of people all weekend, I would feel a lot more comfortable if in the week leading up to the event folks avoided any social events and non-essential activities and then got Covid tests a few days beforehand.

View Quoted Comment Thank you and congrats!! What language are you using to ask this? Are you including the requirement on the invitation ?

View Quoted Comment We’re likely just going to tell people individually. I don’t think we’re going to send out invites again because this is our postponed wedding date (originally was supposed to be the week covid hit in March). So sending invites again just seems weird.


Actually, given how vaccinations are going, we’re considering instead of requiring COVID tests, simply requiring proof of vaccination. Our hope is that by August, most will be vaccinated, and the few people who may not be (bc they’re pregnant, etc) we’ll likely just require them to be especially stringent with masks, etc. The language would be something like “We love you all and are not willing to take any risks with your health. To ensure our happy day remains a happy memory for all, we are requiring all attendants provide proof of vaccination. If you have concerns with this, please reach out.” Something like that.
Ultimately, it’s your wedding day and we’re in a pandemic. You need to set the rules that you think are morally right. If it makes people mad, then maybe they just shouldn’t be there. I know this is harsh, but it’s the sad truth.