Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to make a decision on the number of people who can attend weddings in England on Monday.
It has been hinted that Mr Johnson, who got married to Carrie Symonds at Westminster Cathedral on May 29, will lift the 30-person limit currently in place even if the relaxing of restrictions on June 21 is delayed.
Communities secretary Robert Jenrick said he would "like to see the number of people attending weddings increase" and said the Government was giving the decision “careful thought”.
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The wedding industry has been hit hard by the Covid crisis, with huge numbers of couples being forced to postpone celebrations.
But there is much frustration too, from those working within the sector which is majority female-run.
Many wedding suppliers, who have been unable to work in the last 12 months, feel there has been a “lack of support” for the industry compared to other sectors.
Heidi Ellert-McDermott, owner of Bristol bespoke wedding speech writing service Speechy, says she is “angry, disappointed and bewildered” that industries such as hospitality and sport are being able to operate while weddings aren’t.
“People can dance together at a Zumba class but not at a wedding, daughters can hug their dads but they can't walk down the aisle, 100-odd folk can now meet in a pub or at a football match, but not at a wedding. It's truly bizarre.”
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The speech writer, who used to work for the BBC, says she appreciates the need for the Government to be cautious, but believes the current regulations are “unfair”.
Ms Ellert-McDermott would like England to move to similar regulations to Wales for weddings, which currently allows couples getting married to have up to 4,000 people if held outdoors.
“I want the Government to treat the wedding industry in the same way it has the hospitality industry – with financial aid and industry-specific initiatives set up to support us,” she told BusinessLive.
Ms Ellert-McDermott, who took on the brunt of home schooling her children during the pandemic, believes the lack of support for the sector is “another example” of women being unfairly impacted by Covid.
“The wedding industry is 80% female-run,” she explained. “Home schooling meant the opportunity to pivot and increase our business presence was simply not possible. With so many women in the industry, not offering sector-specific support really is a feminist issue.”
Kate Ashwell, founder of Ashwell & Co, a vintage lifestyle company in Bristol offering sustainable bridal and fashion alternatives, and vintage afternoon tea experiences, says she is “incredibly frustrated and angry” over the lack of sector support too.
“The government needs to apply the same measures to the wedding industry that have been applied to other parts of the events and entertainment sectors, sporting events and festivals. We are an exceptionally well organised, well planned, professional industry,” she said.
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“Give us the opportunity to put measures in place such as lateral flow testing and let's get the industry opened up.”
Ms Ashwell said she was able to adapt her business in 2020, starting up an afternoon tea delivery service using suppliers from the wedding industry as drivers, but said she had to work "so much harder for a lot less money".
"Losing the entirety of our wedding business, which includes bridal sales and afternoon tea hen parties, has been exhausting and beyond mentally draining.”
She also said uncertainty over rules for the sector was “extremely damaging.”
“As consumer confidence plummets, so do the bookings. The restrictions on numbers mean smaller budgets, less spending, deposit repayments and so on. The thought of having to re-arrange our diary and postpone bookings again makes me want to cry.
“Dealing with refunds, increasingly anxious brides, postponement after postponement, and lack of information has taken its toll far beyond any financial impact.”
'The industry feels like it's being ignored'
Wedding photographer Ruby Walker says she could lose thousands of pounds if restrictions are not eased on June 21.
“As my new couples are booking up to 2023, I'm terrified of not being able to cater to my couples who may choose to postpone their July, August and September weddings, and having to refund deposits.
“The industry currently feels like it's being ignored, an afterthought in all decisions regarding the country opening up again.”
She says she can't understand why all wedding venues are restricted to the same limited numbers.
She said: " Some larger or outdoor venues could easily safely hold larger numbers. None of it really makes sense."
Ms Walker has been self-employed for four years and received the self-employment income support scheme (SEISS) grant but said it was “barely anything” and did not cover her losses.
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“It's been hard to not feel like giving up some days. It's the love I have for my couples and their love that drives me to keep going.
“I survived, but I should have been thriving and that's been hard to cope with. I'm finally back on track but if the Government doesn't lift the restrictions in June, it will be really hard to bounce back again.”
Michèle Jetzer, venue director of new Bristol wedding space The Mount Without, says the pressure and stress has been “pretty unbearable” for suppliers in the wedding industry.
She was let go from a previous job as a wedding coordinator in February 2020 and was “banking” on her own wedding planning business “seeing her through” until The Mount Without, a converted church, opened. But she was forced to fold her own business too.
“I was left a single mother of two, unemployed, my father had just died and you just had to suck it up and keep hoping things would get better,” she said.
“The financial burden has closed so many wonderful small independent businesses in this region. That's truly sad.”
Ms Jetzer feels the Prime Minister has only “rubbed salt in the wounds” by getting married himself. “We all still have no idea what to plan for, what to say to our couples to give support. It's terrible.”
But she believes better days are ahead. “The Mount Without will be opening this year and I know I'll cry my eyes out when I start fully working again and see the first couple say I do.”
Ms Ashwell agrees. She believes the sector will recover “really quickly” once restrictions are lifted.
“Couples are desperate to get married, to celebrate with loved ones and to start the rest of their lives together,” she added.
"As soon as there is more clarity the sector will start moving and I suspect we'll be busier than ever.
“Weddings haven't disappeared, people haven't stopped wanting to get married, people will always want to get married and our industry is here to support that.”
Do you think wedding restrictions should be eased in England? Share your thoughts in the comments below