We have drafted a letter to the NSW government on behalf of Businesses and Couples in the Wedding and Private Event Industry to have our voices heard.

Your weddings have been significantly impacted by COVID government restrictions and the future is unclear in terms of mingling, dancing, sqm rule and capacity.

Read the letter below and find out how you can help make an impact.

The Letter

Addressed to NSW State Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Health and Medical Research Minister Brad Hazzard as at 3rd November 2020 on behalf of Wedding Couples and Businesses.

We thank you for your time and commitment to managing COVID safe practices in NSW and addressing issues specific to the Wedding and Private Event Market. 

As it stands the restrictions in NSW are at 150 people in attendance, with (up to) 20 people on the dancefloor from the Bridal Party, 4sqm rule, and minimal mingling.

An announcement was made on October 19th easing restrictions for Weddings with a 300 capacity subject to a 4sqm rule (indoors) and 2sqm rule (outdoors) from December 1st 2020.

Wedded Wonderland* ran a poll with 1,016 Couples providing feedback on whether the most recent announcement assists them in their wedding planning. 70.6% have advised these recent announcements DO NOT assist with proceeding with Wedding celebrations.

1. The average capacity of a Wedding venue in NSW is 230. Based on the 4sqm rule this is on average 60-65 guests. The increase in capacity does not assist many venues, vendors and couples. We are requesting a 2sqm rule be applied to Weddings and Private Events to enable Weddings to proceed (particularly for smaller venues to accommodate numbers). This was part of the original roadmap and plan for Weddings in NSW.
2. Where guest numbers can increase, no additional celebratory requirements have been considered in this announcement meaning up to 300 seated guests- far more difficult to manage than 150. We are requesting the number of guests on the dancefloor reflect the total number in attendance. 
3. Mingling, a form of communication and interaction that is taking place in every scenario and capacity, but NOT Weddings. We are requesting mingling to be enabled at Weddings.

Wedded Wonderland* conducted a survey to determine the impact of Wedding Restrictions on Couples and Businesses. Here are our findings:

The impact on Couples;

1. The average couple in NSW has lost $11,672 to date in having to either cancel or postpone their Wedding
2. The average spend per Wedding in NSW for these Couples is $80,847
3. The number of guests on average for these Couples is 258 

The impact on Businesses;

1. The number of Weddings booked for 2020 on average in NSW is 136 per business
2. Average value per client is $8,259
3. Number of Weddings or Wedding related events cancelled on average per business is 23
4. Total monies lost to date due to COVID cancellations or renegotiated quotes/invoices on average per business $179,178
5. Number of Weddings or Wedding related events postponed on average is 72 per business
6. Should postponed Weddings or Wedding related events not take place, the average loss of income per business is $1,366,607
7. The average number of staff lost due to COVID and Current Government Restrictions – 4.5 

Further, the #saveourweddings petition stands at 7,165 entrants with many questioning the confusing and vague rulings around Weddings.

See here – https://www.change.org/saveourweddings 

In light of the above findings, we request Wedding restrictions to be considered alongside similar industries hospitality, beauty, retail and fitness- majority managed by Small Business Owners. The difference is Weddings are a right of passage, an entity for many Couples and their families.

The following positive practices can be adhered to at Weddings- which in fact cannot take place in any other gathering capacity.

– The guests are known to the hosts
– Requests made before attendance for unwell guests to not attend
– Venues clean entire spaces between functions from napery, linen, cutlery, crockery, flooring, bathrooms and otherwise
– The menu and food service have been altered to comply with COVID safe practices
– Sanitisation stations, temperature checklists and submitting guest details have already been implemented at many Wedding venues.

The economics of our industry remains heavily restricted, we understand the incredibly challenging decision making required in a pandemic, however, request Wedding restrictions align with other industries’ ensuring the viability of this market long-shelf-life industry for 2021, to enable Couples and Businesses to recoup, recover, and proceed with Wedding celebrations. 

*Wedded Wonderland is Australia’s most revered and trusted Wedding Company, and drivers of the #saveourweddings campaign Australia wide.
www.weddedwonderland.com 
@weddedwonderland 

How You Can Help

If you want to make an impact and have your voice heard, email or post the letter to:

A. NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian: [email protected]
B. NSW Health, Bradley Hazzard: [email protected]
C. How to Contact Your Local MP:

1. If you’re located in NSW, click here.
2. Enter your postcode in the ‘Postcode’ box and click ‘Search’.
3. Select your street name from the ‘Street’ box and click ‘Select’.
4. Confirm that the ‘District’ presented is your own, and click ‘View District Profile’. This will redirect you to a new page.
5. Scroll down to the ‘Parliamentary Representation’ section. Your MP is the first one on that timeline. Confirm this by checking that their ‘Date’ states ‘Present’.
6. Save your MPs name, and search it on Google along with the word ‘Contact’ (e.g. ‘John Smith Contact’).
7. Click on the first result.
8. Scroll down until you come across an email address – this should end in ‘@parliament.nsw.gov.au’.
9. Send your email to the above-mentioned email address.

Feel free to provide personal information where relevant in relation to specific losses of income and funds + the emotional/mental/financial toll these restrictions continue to have on Weddings.

Use the #saveourweddings across all communications.