Wedding venues call on government to lift cap on guests as funerals go unlimited
They want covid-tests for guests so big weddings can return safely on 17th May as well
Businesses and wedding venues across Staffordshire and Cheshire are urging the government to consider using COVID-19 tests to get bigger numbers back at peoples big days.
On Monday the government announced it'll scrap the 30 person cap on mourners on 17th May, in a change to the planned roadmap.
That's as long as the number of people at services can safely fit inside the venue socially distanced.
But the planned 30 guest limit on weddings will remain.
Beverley Wedgewood is the Director at Alcumlow Wedding Barn in Astbury Cheshire, which has a maximum venue capacity of more than 170.
She said: "For the wedding industry, it would make a big difference if we could actually move forward and have an unlimited amount of people on 17th May but that's not until the 21st of June."
When asked if there was one question to ask the government on the matter, Beverly said it would be if they would agree to COVID tests 24-hours prior to the wedding, so they - and the industry could return to a sense of normal again.
"The emphasis would then be back on to the wedding guests aswell - rather than just the venue" she said.
"If we could do a COVID test prior it would safeguard not only the people in the venue, but also our staff. And I think it'd be a very sensible thing to do for the next foreseeable future until things start to reduce drastically and everybody's fully vaccinated.
"If we could go down this route, it would mean that guests and the people in the wedding wouldn't have to wear a mask. And when you spending such a lot on photographs, that would be such a big keepsake for people during COVID to just be mask free.
Beverly said the repeated delays and uncertainty has put repeated pressures on couples planning what should be their most special day - and the announcement that unlimited amounts of people are able to attend funerals has caused more frustration. Couples are now just craving a normal day.
"Lots of decided to just get married and have the ceremony and postpone the reception to a much later date so that they can actually have the wedding that they dreamed of, but it means that they're having to split the wedding day in half. The knock on effect means that their lives are put on hold.
Beverly added that the COVID tests for all the guests would bring big weddings back safely and sooner - but also bounce the industry back.
"If they said from the 17th of May, it would also mean that the wedding venue and other suppliers could come in, because at the moment for just 30 people it's obviously not worth them spending the expense to have evening entertainment and everything else that you'd normally accommodate on a wedding.
The campaign group What About Weddings, which was formed by businesses in the sector, has described the changes as "discrimination".
It says it has always campaigned for capacity to be based on venue size and social distancing, as it will be for funerals from 17th May.
It's also angry weddings haven't been included in the Events Research Programme, which saw full crowds at a sports fixture, outdoor gig and club night this weekend in efforts to find out how events can safely return after 21st June.
A government spokesperson said:
“We are working with the wedding sector to facilitate a return to as near as normal as quickly as possible and understand the need for certainty to plan for the summer season.
“We continue to keep guidance and restrictions under review. As set out in the roadmap, the Government will increase limits for weddings and wedding receptions to 30 people at Step 3."