Updated COVID Restrictions for Weddings and Events in New England, NY, and NJ

As we’re entering the holiday season and preparing for a new wedding season, COVID restrictions continue to change by the day. Couples are beginning to have to make decisions on postponements, some for a second time. We thought that before our offices close for the holidays, it would be helpful to share a round up of all of the current information available for COVID-19 gatherings and travel, including event specific guidelines when they are available. All of this information is current as of December 17, 2020, to the best of our knowledge and research. If you are considering holding your wedding in any of the New England states, NY, or NJ please be sure to check the state’s website for any updates or changes to these guidelines. We’ll also be adding updates to the best of our abilities as they become available.

Maine Weddings

Indoor Events and weddings: No more than 50 guests, regardless of space capacity
Outdoor Events and weddings: No more than 100 guests
Other Event and Wedding restrictions: Must maintain social distancing rules and caterer must follow all food restrictions, which differ by county.
Time limitation: Any business that serves food and drink must close by 9pm until at least January 3rd (per 12/11 executive order)
Face Coverings: Required
For out of town guests: There are no restrictions on guests traveling from New Hampshire and Vermont. Everyone else will either need to complete a 10 day quarantine or fill out a Certificate of Compliance. For this certificate, you will need proof of a negative COVID test.

New Hampshire

*New Hampshire has a set of guidelines specifically for weddings

Indoor Events and weddings: Up to 50% of normal capacity
Outdoor Events and weddings: No restrictions
Other Event and Wedding restrictions: No more than 6 guests per table, all tables must be 6ft apart, and food service guidance must be followed. Additionally, “small group bands and solo music artists are allowed to perform in outdoor areas as long as they can maintain social distance of 6 feet apart from each other and any table.”Social distancing rules must be enforced.
Time Limitation: No current COVID-related restrictions
Face Coverings: Required
For out of town guests: There are no restrictions for guests traveling from the surrounding New England states of Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Everyone else will need to complete a 10 day quarantine. According to New Hampshire’s COVID guidance website, this quarantine can be shortened “If the person is asymptomatic and has a negative PCR test on or after day 7 of quarantining. This 7-day “test out” of travel quarantine option applies ONLY to travel-related quarantine and NOT quarantine due to other types of exposure.”

Vermont

***Effective November 14th, you are not permitted to socialize with people outside of your own household in Vermont. This means that unless you live with the people you want to invite to your wedding, you cannot have a wedding at this time. You can find more information on this here. The existing guidelines for social gatherings/events are below. Again, if your guests don’t live with you, these guidelines are irrelevant.

Indoor Events and weddings: Up to 50% of normal capacity or one person per 100 square feet (up to 75 people). This number does not include staff.

Outdoor Events and weddings: Up to 50% of normal capacity or one person per 100 square feet (up to 150 people). This number does not include staff.
Other Event and Wedding restrictions: No standing food service (e.g. cocktail hour). If the reception takes place at a restaurant, tables must be separated by household.
Time Limitation: Food and beverage service must end at 10pm
Face Coverings: Required inside at all times. Required outside only when social distancing isn’t possible.
For out of town guests: All wedding out-of-town guests will need to complete a 14 day quarantine. All guests who are coming in a personal vehicle (i.e. not via public transportation) have the option of completing a 7 day quarantine in their home state, followed by a negative PCR test. You must continue to quarantine until you reach your destination in Vermont.

Massachusetts

Indoor Events and weddings: As of November 6th, indoor gatherings at private residences (or any place that doesn’t qualify as a venue or public space) are limited to 10 people. Indoor gatherings at venues or public spaces are limited to 25 people. These numbers do not include staff.
Outdoor Events and weddings: Outdoor gatherings at private residences (or any place that doesn’t qualify as a venue or public space) are limited to 25 people. Outdoor gatherings taking place at venues or public spaces are limited to 50 people, as of December 13th. These numbers do not include staff.
Other Event and Wedding restrictions: No dance floors, buffets, or bars. Social distancing rules must still be enforced. There are nuanced rules about live music performances, including distancing rules. Performances at indoor venues may not include singing or the playing of wind or brass instruments.
Time Limitation: All gatherings must end by 9:30pm
Face Coverings: Required for everyone over the age of 5 in all public spaces. They are required in private homes for gatherings of more than 10 people, where participants are not all from the same household.
For out of town guests: Everyone must complete the Massachusetts Travel Form prior to arrival. Guest traveling from lower risk states (currently only Hawaii) do not need to quarantine. Travelers from all other states must complete a 14 day quarantine OR receive a negative COVID test result on a sample taken 72 hours of arrival. If you don’t have your results back by the time you arrive, you must quarantine until you receive a negative test result.

Rhode Island

Indoor Events and weddings: Limited to 25 people, except for previously scheduled weddings (pre-covid)
Outdoor Events and weddings: Limited to 75 people, except for previously scheduled weddings (pre-covid)
Other Event and Wedding restrictions: Standing bar/food service is not permitted. Entertainment is allowed if there isn’t a dance floor (“no mingling or congregating is allowed, and customers must remain seated at their tables,” per this document on the reopening RI site). Furthermore, entertainment must be 14 ft away from guests or 6ft if they are behind a physical, non-porous barrier and/or wearing masks. Social distancing rules must still be enforced.
Time Limitation: All food and beverage service must end by 10 p.m. Sunday – Thursday and at 10:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. (Effective November 8, 2020)
Face Coverings: Required anytime you’re near individuals that don’t live in your household
For out of town guests: If you’re coming to Rhode Island from any of the states listed here, you are required to quarantine for 14 days or show proof of a negative COVID test (taken within 72 hours of arrival). If you are traveling from outside of the United Stated, you are required to quarantine for 14 days (no test exception).

Connecticut

Indoor Events and weddings: No more than 25 people at a commercial venue and no more than 10 people at a private residence. It is important to note that this number includes staff/vendors.
Outdoor Events and weddings: No more than 50 people at a commercial venue and no more than 10 people at a private residence. It is important to note that this number includes staff/vendors.
Other Event and Wedding restrictions: No bars and no dance floors. Social distancing rules must still be enforced.
Time Limitation: As of November 6th, all events must end by 10pm.
Face Coverings: Required
For out of town guests: Any guest traveling from a state listed in green on this site, may travel to CT without restrictions. Everyone else (currently almost all states), needs to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival and fill out this form online. These same rules apply to travelers from any countries at a level 3 travel health rating or above. You can be exempt from this if you receive a negative COVID test from a test taken within 72 hours of arrival. These results must be sent directly to the Commissioner of Public Health.

New York

*As of November 27th, “there shall be no non-essential gatherings of greater than ten individuals for any reason at any location in the state, including but not limited to parties, celebrations or other social events.” The below guidelines are the last available before this executive order.

Indoor Events and weddings: As of November 13th, indoor gatherings at private homes in New York State are limited to 10 people. Indoor ceremonies, are limited to 50% of the capacity of the space, with a maximum of 50 people. In NYC specifically, “No indoor dining service, whether as part of a wedding celebration or otherwise, is permitted,” according to NYC.gov. In other parts of NY State, no more than 50% of restaurant capacity is permitted. This varies by town - be sure to check town-specific guidelines.
Outdoor Events and weddings: As of November 13th, outdoor gatherings at private homes are limited to 10 people. Outdoor ceremonies may have a maximum of 50 guests, so long as social distancing can be maintained. Outdoor dining is limited to no more than 50% of restaurant capacity.
Other Event and Wedding restrictions: Live music must be placed at least 12 feet from guests. Dance floors are not permitted.
Time Limitation: All restaurants, bars, and any other user of a state liquor license must close by 10pm.
Face Coverings: Required
For Out of Town Guests: All travelers must fill out the Traveler Health Form. Any guests traveling from contiguous states are exempt from additional travel restrictions. Everyone else, including travelers coming from CDC level 2 or 3 countries, there is a mandatory 14-day quarantine. To test out of this, guests must follow the following steps (you can read more about this here):
- Travelers must obtain a test within three days of departure, prior to arrival in New York.
- The traveler must, upon arrival in New York, quarantine for three days.
- On day 4 of their quarantine, the traveler must obtain another COVID test. If both tests comes back negative, the traveler may exit quarantine early upon receipt of the second negative diagnostic test.

New Jersey

Indoor Events and weddings: Indoor receptions and gatherings are limited to 10 people. For wedding ceremonies only, you are permitted to have up to 150 guests or 25% of the room’s capacity, whichever is lower.

Outdoor Events and weddings: Outdoor receptions and gatherings are limited to 25 people. For wedding ceremonies only, there is no limit on outdoor gatherings.
Other Event and Wedding restrictions: Social distancing must be observed and dance floors at all venues (indoor or outdoor) are closed.
Time Limitation: All restaurants, bars, and any other user of a state liquor license must close by 10pm.
Face Coverings: Required in all indoor public spaces and in outdoor public spaces if social distancing is difficult to be maintained.
For Out of Town Guests: For guests traveling from anywhere other than states in the immediate region (New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware), a 10 day quarantine is required. Guests have the option to quarantine for 7 days if they test negative for COVID.

We included information on requirements for guests coming from out of town so that you can make an informed decision about how your guests might be impacted. It’s also helpful to know the COVID restrictions for travel in New England, NY, and NJ for holiday travel!

Many of these states do also have additional event requirements, such as having hand sanitizer (with an alcohol content of greater than 60%) readily available for guests. We only pulled out the restrictions that we felt would have the greatest impact on your event and might carry the most weight in your decision making process, but please be sure to read all of the restrictions and guidelines in place.