UPDATE - 30/03/20
So, here we are in week 3 of the pandemic crisis (in Australia anyway), and things are still pretty much as clear as mud from the government. The latest "strong advice" is that gatherings of two or more should be avoided (both indoors and outdoors) which we are interpreting as meaning that weddings almost certainly can't be held as that would mean 5 people meeting in an indoor or outdoor space (couple, celebrant & two witnesses). Of course the government hasn't exactly mandated that just yet and we are left to infer it from the often verbose and hard-to-decipher press statements being made. The closing of council facilities like communal barbecues, play parks, skate parks and the like, and the threat from state governments that police will increasing enforce fines for gatherings that exceed advice (including parties at home) has now convinced us that they really don't want people getting married at the moment and that there's likely to be a fairly long wait - possibly up to 6 months - before things return to some degree of normality.
COVID-19 is clearly a very nasty and virulent virus. When we first wrote our initial post, "way back" on the12th of March there were less than 100 cases in Australia. Now, just three weeks later we have over 4000 (4093 as of 8.00am this morning) and there have been 16 deaths. But, despite these numbers, Australia has escaped very lightly so far. The UK and US are showing rates of infection and mortality that are far outstripping even those in badly effected countries such as Italy and Spain, let alone the original epicentre of Wuhan, so it is clear that the efforts here, whilst appearing draconian and restrictive, are actually helping to "flatten the curve" and keep pressure off our health system.
Sadly, this does mean that weddings are off the agenda for while and although it means we, along with so many other businesses are taking a huge financial hit, we do support the science behind the decisions and the rationale for making them. Things WILL return to normal and hopefully the new fiscal measures announced over the weekend will minimise the pain for everyone, allowing a return to "normal" service again once the threat from this virus is mitigated.
So remember to stay safe, wash your hands and STAY AT HOME as much as you can - that way this will all be over quicker and we'll all be back to celebrating weddings as quickly as we can. If anything changes significantly we'll update this post, but in the meantime, take care and we'll see you on the flip side.
UPDATE - 25/03/20
Things are moving pretty quick now with the COVID-19 pandemic and whilst the government's messaging is still rather confused and contradictory, they have made some specific statements about weddings! So, yes, you CAN still hold a wedding (we're guessing outdoors, as all indoor venues should be shut by now), but you can't have any guests, just the couple, the celebrant and your two legal witnesses! Of course the limit of five persons doesn't leave any room for a photographer or videographer - unless you make them the witnesses that is! Yes, that's right, there's nothing to stop your photographer and videographer from being witnesses to your wedding and so you could, in theory, still get married, have all the memories captured and stream it live for everyone else to see! We've actually done this before, for a wonderful couple out on Heron Island on the Barrier Reef a few years ago and you can see how fabulously that turned out here:
We'll see how things pan out over the next couple of days and keep you in touch if things change...
UPDATE - 23/03/20
So, it's a Monday morning and, as of this coming lunchtime, pretty much all indoor options for weddings are off the table as the state government moves to keep minimising the spread of the virus. Although outdoor ceremonies are, in theory, still permitted, the stricter tone of the announcements means a full lockdown isn't going to be far away and with it, all chance of hosting any form of celebration. Added to that fact is that with almost all pubs, clubs and venues closing, and cafes and restaurants having to resort to takeaway only, the options for receptions are now limited to celebrations at home or picnics in the park.
So, we're very sad to say that, for the moment, it does seem like it's time to put all the wedding planning on hold, hunker down, stay safe and get through this so that by the time the autumn season rolls around we're done with this frustrating chapter of our lives and can get back to the serious matter of planning weddings!
We do have one question for our auspicious leaders at this time though - why are all the bloody schools still open?
UPDATE - 21/03/20
Well, 2020, you sure are giving us a wild ride this year. As the COVID-19 crisis continues to wreak havoc on everyone’s plans, we felt it was time for a quick update to last week’s post about corona virus and your wedding as restrictions have become significantly tighter over the past few days.
Although the new guidance on the size of
gatherings, severe
travel restrictions and airline service reductions mean it’s going to keep getting harder to host your dream wedding, it’s not all doom and gloom just yet. Weddings ARE still happening all across the state and as long as you can restrict your numbers to less than 100 then there is, as yet, no reason to cancel your plans and there are ways you can still have guests from overseas involved.
Obviously, the new restrictions on non-citizen/resident travellers entering the country (which came into force on Friday 20th March), means some guests from overseas will be unable to attend weddings for the foreseeable futire. However, it is not quite a complete ban, and immediate family members of residents and citizens are still permitted to enter the country. Anyone arriving has to enter into a 14-day self-quarantine, however, with some airlines operating with spare capacity it may still be feasible to get some of your overseas guests here for your day.
Alternatively, you could consider live-streaming your wedding. We have the facility to live-stream your ceremony and/or your reception and have offered this add-on option to all our couples for the next few months. Although there is a cost involved, it’s likely small change compared to the potential cost of postponing or cancelling your big day. If you’d like to know more about live-streaming your day please check out our
website.
Clearly, as restrictions get tighter (and evidence from overseas suggest they will), it is going to be increasing difficult to host wedding celebrations. However, as long as the Government stops short of an actual lockdown, there will still be options for those of you who want to go ahead with your ceremony. Brisbane Registry remains open and there is nothing yet to suggest that restrictions will be as severe in open spaces. That means you could still enjoy a wonderful outdoor ceremony in one of the state’s stunning parks or beaches as the autumn weather becomes ever more comfortable. You’ll even be able to practice safe social-distancing!
So, don’t despair – there are still plenty of options available for continuing with the planning for your special day and think about this – you’ll have some great stories to tell your grandkids in the future about how you didn’t let the corona virus interrupt your wedding plans.
Stay safe, wash your hands, practice safe social distancing and we’ll keep updating this page with any changes that could affect future your wedding plans.
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12/03/20
This morning we've been pondering the potential for pandemic pandemonium.
First it was toilet paper and tissues, then it was pasta and rice - surely, we thought, it won't be weddings that are soon in short supply.
But sadly, now it’s official, and the world is, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), in a state of full-fledged pandemic thanks to the pesky little virus SARS-CoV-2 that is presently doing the rounds causing the disease known as COVID-19.
Bad Corona
Of course, here in Australia, with only around 100 confirmed cases in total, we’re hardly facing a full-blown zombie apocalypse just yet. However, with infections rising rapidly around the world it seems likely our numbers will increase exponentially over the next few weeks and months and that the Government may be forced to take actions similar to those that have been taken overseas to reduce the potential spread of disease.
With the Autumn wedding season in full swing, we’re sure lots of couples are experiencing concerns about the potential of impact from the virus on their forthcoming nuptials and we wanted to take a few moments to get away from the drama of the news reports and offer a few simple thoughts on how to make the best decisions about your big day.
Good Corona
Is the coronavirus a threat to my wedding plans?
The short, and somewhat obvious, answer to this question has to be yes, it is! How much of threat will depend on the wedding you are planning, with the when, where and who’s attending all coming into play. If all your family and friends are local and you’re getting married here in Queensland, using local suppliers, then the chances are you’re probably not going to see much impact on your plans at all. That being said though, if your date falls in the next 6 months then there is the potential for some effect on your plans as the virus reaches its maximum infection rates. Using overseas vendors will become an increasing concern as more countries suffer significant infection rates and if you, or anyone involved in your wedding planning is needing to travel, then there will be an increased risk as the result of Government-mandated restrictions as countries attempt to mitigate the spread of disease. Travel dislocation could be increased by potential airline failures resulting from low passenger numbers. In any case, with a pandemic declared, you should look very closely at any travel insurance you have as indications are that it may be invalidated by the WHO decision.
Mitigating the effect of the coronavirus on your Wedding
The most important thing to do continue to monitor official Government advice and to liaise with your wedding suppliers as often as possible. Like all vendors, we are monitoring the situation closely and are prepared to act fluidly if things change. We have seen the Italian Government take the drastic step of banning all public gatherings, including weddings and funerals, and, whilst this is unlikely to happen in Australia, the potential does exist. The document below gives an indication of the likely action by Government is response to increasing infection rates:
https://www.health.gov.au/news/australian-health-protection-principal-committee-ahppc-coronavirus-covid-19-statement-on-8-march-2020
The most important advice we can offer is to stay informed and, if required, take action to avoid additional costs where you can. We have already contacted our couples who are getting married in the next couple of months to ensure their wedding plans have minimal disruption or additional costs, and to offer the opportunity to transfer their date without penalty if the need arises.
Where can we get more advice about the coronavirus?
We are using the official Government website to help us make our decisions about our response to the virus and these websites have all the up-to-date information you will need too:
https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert
https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/australian-health-sector-emergency-response-plan-for-novel-coronavirus-covid-19
Although we want to avoid alarm, things are moving very quickly with this virus and in the time it has taken for me to write this short article the ABC has reported that the USA has banned all flights from Europe (except the UK) for 30 days effective immediately and that Tom Hanks and his wife are in the Gold Coast hospital after testing positive. It would therefore seem sensible for you to take all precautions to protect the significant investment (both emotional and financial) you have made for your special day, but at the same time remembering that life is short and should be enjoyed to maximum - you never know - tomorrow could be the real zombie apocalypse - but in the meantime, wash your hands for 20secs and avoid selfies with Forest Gump...
Stay safe :-)
