If you want to hire someone to check COVID vaccine cards and/or proof of a negative COVID test for your 2022 wedding, please know that you’re not alone. This has become the most popular question that couples ask me, a professional wedding planner.
To help, I put together a list of interview questions to ask anyone whom you might be considering assigning this role.
My personal recommendation is to hire a private security guard. I researched options specific to my area (Oregon) and was wowed by the helpful and affordable answers I got. You can see the results of that research here including a range of prices for this type of work.
As you review the below, please note that the vast majority of wedding vendors — and particularly any venue owner or wedding planner who may be on your team — are NOT going to be available to do this work for you and your partner.
This is not because I or my fellow wedding folk aren’t up to the challenge or don’t believe in what you’re doing. Indeed, we usually believe in it VERY MUCH because these measures keep us and our families safe, too.
That said, asking a wedding venue or vendor to also be responsible for checking vaccine cards or test results and/or compiling them before the wedding is a classic case of, as the kids call it, “scope creep.” This task was likely not on the original contract and is, in nearly all cases, labor the venue or vendor will not be compensated for.
Also, let’s be honest: It’s COVID. Nobody wants to deal with it more than they have to.
As such, hiring a private security firm seems like a solid solution to me. Here’s what I would ask when you interview for the job:
Would you be willing to share your vaccination status with me? In addition, please share how you and your team are thinking you’ll prioritize health and safety at the wedding. Honestly, a solid question for any vendor you hire.
Is there a minimum number of hours we need to hire you for? In my research, I came across a range of three to six hours with four being the most common.
Is there anything we need to provide you BEFORE the wedding? When I asked security firms this question, the answer was “no” since the guard is checking cards vs. checking people off of a list.
How much will this cost? This was universally an hourly rate that, in Oregon, ranged from between $25 to $35 per guard per hour with some kind of hourly minimum.
How many guards will we need? Personally, I can’t see why you’d need more than one but there’s a chance you or the security provider might want more if, say, you have a large number of guests or are expecting any kind of conflict.
What happens if someone doesn’t show their card and/or proof of a negative test? I didn’t ask this directly but one security provider I interviewed told me that they are “hands off,” which I think was code for “We aren’t going to engage in any kind of physical altercation with anybody.” I’ll add that all five of the providers I spoke to directly said that in 99 percent of cases, everything went very smoothly and even more smoothly if the couple had previously told their guests and vendors what to expect (use these free communication templates for guests and for vendors to help with that).
What information do you need from us?
Is there anything we didn’t ask that we should have?
Planning a wedding in Oregon?
Check out this list of local places you can hire to do this job.