Safe Weddings Charter

Government Requirements for Weddings at Boconnoc

UPDATED 20 JUNE 2021

We are excited to welcome you all to Boconnoc. We have included a number of bullet points from government guidance on how wedding needs to run, so you can all feel comfortable that we are taking the necessary precautions to keep you, your guests, your suppliers, and our staff safe. This will also give you a guide of how we have to run the house and accommodation for the two days of your wedding.

The first section is for those staying onsite and the second section is applicable to the outdoor gathering the evening before the wedding for 30 people, and the wedding ceremony, reception, and wedding breakfast on the wedding day.

We ask that you do not attend the venue if you have any symptoms of Covid.

Please scan the NHS QR code on your way into any of the spaces below to assist us with complying with the NHS Test and Trace service; we will keep your data temporarily for 21 days.

 

  • Overnight stays in guest accommodation are restricted to groups of up to six people or two households/bubbles.
  • Guests must sit in groups of six people or two households / bubbles.
  • Boconnoc House has been split into three separate properties for your accommodation: Bridal suite, first floor and second floor.
  • If you are staying on the first floor of Boconnoc House you can access your bedrooms via the front door and up the main staircase.
  • If you are staying on the second floor of the main house or the Kings Bedroom, you can access your bedroom by walking up the steps to the right of the house by the fountain and through the black door. The bridal suite is the second door on the left. To reach the second floor, walk up the turquoise staircase on your right. For breakfast, leave via the same door and enter the house through the front door.
  • Breakfast will be served on tables of six in the Smoking Room and Panelled Dining Room.
  • When walking in communal areas of the house, please wear face masks at all times. 
  • Masks can be removed when you are seated to eat and drink.
  • People should stay socially distanced from those not in their group of six people/two households or bubble.

Further guidance on staying in accommodation can be found on the government website.

Friday Night Party at Boconnoc:

  • Outdoor gathering of up to 30 people only.
  • When evening guests arrive, please walk around the left side of the house to the terrace where drinks and dinner will be served outside. If your Friday night party is in the Stable yard you can access that space via the gate between the Groom’s and Head Groom’s House. There will be tables outside. If the weather is clement there will be tables of six in the Coach House and the room next door. The large front doors of these rooms and any windows will be opened to provide good ventilation and tables will be socially distanced.
  • Food and drink is to be served to guests when they are seated at their tables indoors and outdoors by the caterer.
  • Face coverings must be worn inside at all times unless you are seated eating and drinking.
  • Please keep to a social distance of one metre outside and two metres inside.
  • Please use hand sanitiser when entering the house and Stable yard.

On Your Wedding Day

At the ceremony:

 
  • For both church and civil ceremonies, guests must wear a face covering, however the bride, groom and vicar / registrar are exempt. This is so the couple can be legally identified and their vows be heard.
  • For civil ceremonies we can seat up to 40 guests socially distanced with extra guests standing outside at the back of the room.
  • In the Dorothy Garden, up to 60 guests can be seated for the ceremony with seating socially distanced.
  • Hand sanitiser will be provided at the entrance to the Coach House for your civil ceremony.

 

Drinks reception:

  • The caterers are responsible for the service of your drinks reception, canapés, and wedding breakfast.
  • Drinks and canapés must be served on individual plates to guests when seated indoors.
  • Drinks and canapés must be served on individual plates to guests when seated outdoors. (The government are reviewing this requirement which may change by Monday 28 June)
    • Capacity for each room:
    • Panelled Dining Room capacity seated: 22 plus three staff serving wearing masks
    • Drawing Room capacity seated: 24 plus three staff serving wearing masks
    • Smoking Room capacity seated: 16 plus three serving wearing masks
    • Main Hall capacity seated: Three guests plus three staff serving wearing masks
  • We have garden furniture for our capacity of 60 guests which will be on the lawns and terrace.
  • If the weather is bad and the reception needs to be inside, guests can sit in groups of six to eight in the Drawing Room, Smoking Room and Panelled Dining Room where canapés and drinks will be served.
  • When guests are standing or walking in communal areas of Boconnoc House, a face covering must be worn.
  • Guests are not required to wear a face covering when outside but must keep a social distance of at least one metre from those outside their household bubble or group of six.
  • We encourage you to sanitise your hands.
  • Close contact with friends and family will be a personal choice, and people are encouraged to exercise caution, remembering that some people are more vulnerable than others.
  • Speeches should be undertaken outside or in well ventilated areas wherever possible. If inside, we ask you to use the Garden Room where the windows will be opened to provide ventilation.
     

Wedding Breakfast:

  • The garden room can safely seat 48 guests: eight guests on each round table and six to eight on a top trestle table at the top of the room, the other end to the terrace doors.
  • For marquee’s, if 50% of the sides are up it is classed as outdoors. This means there is no cap on numbers, provided there is space for all guests under the marquee to be one metre socially distanced if the weather was clement.
  • There is currently no specification of table numbers for outside spaces.
  • Wedding breakfast and bar service must be served at tables when guests are seated inside and outside. All food and drink to be consumed when seated. 
  • You are not allowed to walk around inside or outside with drink or food.
  • Face coverings do not have to be worn outside. 
  • Face coverings have to be worn in communal areas inside unless you are exempt. 

Post Wedding Breakfast:

  • After the wedding breakfast, tables / seating areas of six will be available in the Panelled Dining Room, Smoking Room and Drawing Room, and drinks can be served to you when seated.
  • Evening food must be served to guests when seated in the Garden Room. 
  • Teas and coffees must be served to guests when seated.  
  • Contactless card payment is required to buy your drinks and there will be table service to pay so you can remain seated.
  • Unfortunately, the dance floor has to remain closed inside and outside.
  • As a venue we require live music to be outside. Music should be lowered, and we have to refrain from playing music or broadcasts that may encourage people to shout or sing, or that makes normal conversation difficult.
  • The couple’s first dance can take place inside or outside.
  • Dancing cannot take place inside and is advised against outside.

Photos:

  • Group photos outside can be taken with no masks.
  • If photos are taken standing up inside, masks must be worn.
  • People may come and take photos by the couple when they cut the cake, provided people are wearing masks.

Further guidance on wedding ceremonies and receptions can be found on the government website.

We look forward to celebrating with you in line with the new guidance