Social events give people something to look forward to, those moments in life that bring friends and family together, those moments worth celebrating. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we socialize, celebrate and capture that excitement. Keep in mind that the main aim of an invitation is to communicate to your guests the information they need to know related to your event. With the coronavirus, there are more precautions and pre-event notices the guests will need to know. So, no matter if you’re throwing a birthday party, a wedding or a baby shower – we’ve got 5 top COVID invitation tips & COVID party invitation wording examples to help you safely navigate event planning during a pandemic.
1. Show You’re Taking Safety Precautions
When throwing a COVID safe event, it’s important to put your guest’s minds at ease. There’s only so much information you can include on an invite but reassuring your guests that your event was planned with COVID-19 best safety practices is vital.
“We’re adhering to guidelines to make sure this event is safe for everyone.”
“For your safety and the safety of our guests, we are proceeding with the following precautions & safety measures.”
This is a good opportunity to include vaccine requirements, proof of COVID negative tests or face mask requirements in your invitations.
Pro Tip: If you have a website for your event, you can add more specific details there and include any additional notes as part of the enclosure. Explain important aspects such as vaccine requirements, how you’re making social distancing possible, providing hand sanitizer or how you’re managing food and beverages in a safe manner.
2. Be Mindful When It Comes to the RSVP
Everyone understands that party planning has gotten more complicated, making it completely fair to give tighter deadlines for RSVPs. That being said, it’s also important to give your guests the opportunity to respond quickly and last minute if needed. Providing them with your phone number or email address will ease their mind in case they need to get a hold of you prior to the event. Not everyone will be comfortable attending gatherings, especially people high at risk from the virus. Be sure to keep in mind that your guest numbers might be lower than normally estimated.
“In light of the current coronavirus outbreak, at this time, we are going to move forward with our [event] and look forward to seeing you and celebrating with you. If you feel uncomfortable attending for any reason, we completely understand—please keep us updated on your decision. We will let you know if anything changes for any reason.”
“We understand that the future is unpredictable! Please take your time making a decision to join us at our [event]. Keep us updated if there’s anything we can do to be more accommodating.”
3. Embrace Technology
Just because the size of the event is limited or your guests can’t attend in person, doesn’t mean you can’t adapt your event to be inclusive of those that would love to be there but can’t for various reasons. It’s really the time to embrace technology in new and exciting ways, like live streaming your event. Make sure to include any login details on the invite so people can have instant access.
“Due to COVID-19, we would like to adhere to appropriate social distancing rules. If you are joining us in person, please keep a health distance from others. If you’re joining us online, we thank you for being understanding and considerate during this difficult times & we hope to see you in person, soon!”
“We decided to take advantage of technology and stream our [event] online for all to safely join from the comfort of their homes! We can’t wait to ‘virtually’ see you!”
4. Add a Personal Touch
You can show compassion and understanding by including a personalized letter to individuals who are at risk, who you would still like to invite or would normally be invited if it were safe to do so. This goes for plus ones that might need to be cut too. Some things are just out of your control, and people should be understanding if you need to limit your guest list. A personal acknowledgement can be a nice touch to show people you are thinking about them and if the circumstances were different, you’d love for them to attend.
5. Provide Advice For Guests
This is new territory for everyone, so it’s important to outline what your guests need to do in order to make sure the event is safe. You’ll need to advise if your guests need to bring their own face masks or if they’ll be provided. Offering hand sanitizer bottles and sanitizing packets when guests arrive is a good way to keep everyone accountable for their own health. It also might be a helpful reminder to encourage your guests to stay at home if they’re showing symptoms on or around the day of the event.
“We’re delighted to celebrate our special day with you. In light of COVID-19, [venue name] will be taking necessary precautions to ensure a safe and joyous celebration. You are encouraged to bring your face mask for the safety of yourself and others. Please make sure to keep a 6 feet distance from other guests as much as you can. If you feel unwell or are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, please stay home. We will be live-streaming the [event] from our website for you to enjoy.”
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Be Cautious & Be Conscious
Planning an event with coronavirus in the mix might add a layer of stress but there are plenty of things you can do to make sure your event is safe and COVID conscious. Once you have that covered, you can focus on what’s most important, having a good time! Your COVID invitation is the first step in making everyone feel safe. Stay flexible, respectful and keep up to date with the guidelines.
If you need to cancel or postpone your event, we’ve provided some tips and guidance in our article about how to cancel or postpone your wedding. We’re sure you’ll find some valuable cancellation and postponement advice for events beyond just a wedding ceremony. With a little bit of extra care and consideration, your social event can still be an amazing time to celebrate with friends and family, in the safest way possible!
Share in the comments any advice, tips & suggestions for COVID party invitation wording examples.
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in November 2020 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
With a background in psychology and sociology, love of football, literature, travel and music, Aonghus had always tried to be trendy, but then the trends changed.
How much information regarding safety protocols should I include and is it OK to add it to my invitation?
Hi Neci! Great questions. We believe providing all the safety protocols that would make you and your guests feel comfortable at your celebration. Whether that’s sanitization protocols or face mask requirements, it’s appreciated to include those details in your invites!