Measures to be Applied in Wedding Ceremonies

The Ministry of Interior sent a circular to 81 Provincial Governorships on Measures to be Applied in Wedding Ceremonies. From the moment of the new type of coronavirus epidemic with the circular, the recommendations of the Ministry of Health and the Coronavirus Scientific Committee, our President, Mr. It was reminded that in line with the instructions of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, many precautionary decisions were taken and implemented in order to manage the risk posed by the epidemic/contagion in terms of public health and public order, to ensure social isolation, to maintain distance and to keep the rate of spread under control.

As a result of the measures taken, our President, upon the initiation of a controlled normalization process in line with the positive developments in the rate of spread and transmission of the virus and the decrease in the rate of increase in cases. At the Cabinet Meeting held under the chairmanship of Erdogan on June 09, it was stated that in line with the recommendations of the Coronavirus Scientific Committee, it was decided that wedding halls could begin to serve in accordance with the rules determined as of July 1, 2020.

In this context, the legislative provisions that allow the activities of the venues to be used for wedding ceremonies and the measures taken in addition to the measures related to occupational health and safety were concealed as follows:

General Principles

1. Weddings will be held outdoors whenever possible to reduce the risk of contamination and will be kept short.
2. The distance plan regarding the general usage areas and seating arrangement will be prepared by the operators / officers of the venues where the weddings will be held. The guest capacity of the wedding venue will be determined according to the distance plan. A suitable number of guests will be accepted for this capacity and the capacity information will be hung at a visible place at the entrance of the wedding venue. Within the framework of the prepared plan, place markings will be made to help ensure the distance at the entrances of the space and at every point where the queue may occur.

3. Information posters on cleaning, mask and distance rules and other rules to be followed will be hung at the entrances of the wedding venues and in appropriate places.
<4. Temperatures will be taken at the entrance of the guests. It will be ensured that people with a temperature higher than 38 C will be directed to the nearest health institution. The temperature measuring staff/responsible will use a medical mask and face shield.

5. Hand sanitizer or disinfectant will be available at the entrances of wedding venues and common areas (main hall, building entrance, canteen / cafeteria, washbasins, etc.). In order to reduce the contact as much as possible, they will be photo-celled if possible and they will enter the guests after they clean their hands with disinfectant / hand antiseptic.

6. Each table will contain a sufficient number of colognes or antiseptics containing at least 70% alcohol.
7. Masks will be worn at the venues where the wedding will be held, and sufficient amount of masks will be kept at the entrances by the business owners. Mask will be distributed to the guests without mask. In addition, the masks will be worn during the wedding process (including bride, groom, marriage official and witnesses).
8. If possible, rooms with natural ventilation (with windows) will be preferred for areas such as the waiting rooms of the bride and groom.

9. In the event that food is served during or after the wedding, the provisions of the circular sent to the governorships on 30 May and the precautions to be taken in Restaurants, Restaurants, Cafes, Patisseries, Pastry Shops, Dessert Shops and Businesses that Provide Food and Beverage Service within the scope of COVID-19 prepared by the Ministry of Health will be followed.

10. The seating arrangement of the guests will be at least 1,5 meters between the tables and 60 cm between the chairs.

11. Distance and seating rules will not be applied to the group of guests from the nuclear family living in the same house.

12. No handshake or hug / hug will be made in welcoming, farewell and jewelry ceremonies at weddings, the distance will be maintained.

13. Jewelry ceremony, gifts, chests etc. to be kept in a suitable place of the wedding venue. It will be made in a collection box.

14. Collective photo shoots will not be made. The distance rules, except for the bride and groom, will be followed during the photo shoot and cake cutting. However, the guests will be able to take individual photos with the bride and groom provided that they use a mask and follow the distance rule.

15. In the venues where weddings will be held within the scope of this Circular, there will be no games, dances, halays or performances (other than the bride and groom) that may cause contact between the persons or be against the distance rule. Only music broadcasting (including live music) will be made for the guests to listen to.
16. Masjids in wedding venues can be opened for use in accordance with the provisions of the circular dated May 22.

17. In the canteens/cafeterias in the wedding venues, precautions regarding cleaning, mask use and distance protection will be followed, and disposable cups, plates, etc. materials will be used. During the delivery of these services, the measures to be taken in the buffet, canteen and dealers within the scope of COVID-19 published by the Ministry of Health will be followed.
18. Waste bins will be placed in general use areas, it will be stated that these bins will be used only for materials such as masks and gloves, and these wastes will not be combined with other wastes while disposing.
19. In the buses/minibuses that will carry the guests to the wedding venues, the measures to be taken regarding the personnel shuttle vehicles within the scope of COVID-19 published by the Ministry of Health will be followed.
20. If parking service is provided, the vehicle will be delivered to the guest after every point (door handle, steering, gear, etc.) in the vehicle is cleaned.
21. The use of elevators will be limited, a third of its capacity will be allowed to ride, and this number will be indicated at the entrance of the elevator. In order to maintain the distance in the elevator, the areas where people should stop will be determined by landmarks with a distance of at least 1 meter between them.
A) Wedding Places

1. Weddings in Closed Areas;

At least 1 hour will be left between the two weddings for a healthy ventilation of the place in weddings. During this period, natural air circulation will be provided by opening the door / window according to the conditions or with central systems.
Children playgrounds in indoor areas where weddings will be held will not be used.
2. Outdoor / Rural / Garden etc. Weddings in Places;
Cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched surfaces in children's playgrounds in open spaces will be ensured. Hand sanitizer will be available in accessible areas. Activities that require close contact of 19 meter will not be performed, as this will increase the risk of coronavirus (COVID-1) transmission.
3. Village / Street Weddings;
The provisions of this Circular will be notified when notifying the wedding owners that the wedding will be held. At the same time, a letter of undertaking will be received from the wedding owners that the provisions of the Circular will be followed.
In case of a meal, disposable materials (forks, spoons, plates, etc.) will be preferred.

B) Cocktail etc. During or After Wedding. Having an Event

1. Cocktail etc. will be arranged to be at least 1,5 meters between the tables.

2. Each table will contain a sufficient number of colognes or antiseptics containing at least 70% alcohol.
3. In the case of “Open Buffet”, a glass visor shall be kept to prevent the food in the buffet from being taken by the guests and making contact with the guests. The requested food will be provided to the guests by an officer within the scope of the measures.
4. The use of tea / coffee machine, dispenser, beverage machine and similar devices in common use will be permitted by the personnel.

C) Ambient Cleaning, Disinfection and Ventilation

1. Wedding venues will be cleaned daily and these venues will be regularly ventilated.

2. Maximum attention will be paid to the cleaning of wedding venues, especially the surfaces that are frequently touched.
3. Cleaning staff will wear medical masks and gloves.
4. If possible, the entrance door of the public toilets will be arranged as an automatic door system. In addition, toilets will be provided with continuous liquid soap, toilet paper, paper towels and trash, and taps and liquid soap units will be provided with photocells if possible to reduce contact. The use of hand dryers will not be allowed.
5. Ventilation of areas with central ventilation systems will be arranged in a way to ensure natural air circulation, natural ventilation will be provided by leaving doors and windows open, and the rules specified in the Air Conditioning Guidelines of the Ministry of Health regarding the use of ventilation systems will be followed.

D) Precautions Regarding Staff Working in Wedding Venues

1. The staff will be informed about COVID-19's transmission routes and preventive measures.
2. Personnel entrance will have hand disinfection or antiseptic.
3. Body temperature measurements at the entrance / exit of the personnel will be done with thermal sensors or contactless fever meters, and these data will be recorded daily and stored for a minimum of 14 days. In addition, information will be obtained from the staff in this context so that the people with whom the staff live together can be monitored in terms of coronavirus (COVID-19).
4. Employees who have / develop symptoms of fever, cough, runny nose, and respiratory distress will be referred to the healthcare facility to be evaluated for COVID-19 by wearing a medical mask.
5. Adequate protective equipment will be available for staff working in wedding venues. All personnel must wear medical / cloth masks, face protective transparent visors, etc. required during the work. will use personal protective equipment (The mask will be changed as it becomes moist or dirty, and hand cleaning will be taken care of while wearing the new mask.).
6. Daily cleaning and hygiene of personnel clothes will be provided.
7. Staff will be constantly warned about paying attention to hand hygiene. (In order to ensure hand hygiene, it will be considered that the hands will be washed with water and soap for at least 20 seconds, and alcohol-based hand antiseptics will be used in the absence of water and soap.)
8. The toilet, rest, common dining and social areas of the staff working in the wedding venues will be arranged according to the distance conditions (place markings, lanes, barriers etc. arrangements will be made if necessary), and the capacity of these areas will be determined and allowed to be used by the staff in accordance with the determined capacity. Cleaning and disinfection of these areas will be provided regularly. In addition, alcohol-based hand sanitizer / disinfectant will be available here.
9. If the staff sees the symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) in themselves or in the people they live with, they will report this immediately to the business manager.
10. By the management of the wedding venue, the staff will be able to
If there is a suspicious situation (high fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of smell, weakness, etc.), the Coronavirus (COVID-19) test will be performed. The results will be recorded and maintained, the test result is positive, or the result of the test result is in contact with a positive person, the test result is positive and improved, but after the last negative test result, the 14-day follow-up period has not passed and the person living with him / herself is in doubt. The staff will not be allowed to work until the test result is obtained.

E) Other Issues

Engagement, bridal reception, henna, circumcision wedding, etc. In the events, it will be ensured that the rules and principles stated above will be acted upon. All arrangements made by the Ministry of Health Coronavirus Scientific Board, relevant Ministries and authorized public institutions and organizations will be followed in order for the places to be held by the governorships and district governorships to continue their activities according to the rules stated above. Necessary decisions will be taken by reviewing the application and updating it when necessary, and in accordance with Articles 27 and 72 of the General Sanitary Law. Administrative fines will be imposed pursuant to Article 282 of the General Sanitary Law on those who do not comply with the measures. Necessary judicial proceedings will be initiated within the scope of article 195 of the Turkish Criminal Code regarding the conduct of the crime in accordance with the relevant articles of the Law according to the condition of the contradiction.