Mooroopna marriage celebrant Jennifer Broadbent has had 15 weddings postponed this year, forcing her to run funeral services to keep afloat.
“Postponements are a massive inconvenience,” she said.
“I’m leading about two funeral services a week in the Goulburn Valley now to keep my income flowing and I haven't had a wedding for eight weeks.
“I’m finding I’m a funeral celebrant first and a wedding celebrant second now.”
Ms Broadbent said not only did couples have to postpone a special event, they then had to deal with uncertainty around when to postpone to.
“They’re also competing with people who were getting married in 2020 as well as 2021, and competing for celebrants, photographers and venues too,” she said.
Shepparton marriage celebrant Katrina Kim-Worley said due to the rolling restriction changes, she was offering couples ‘double weddings’, involving a small initial wedding to accommodate restrictions and a renewal of vows with loved ones a year later.
“It’s like playing Chinese Checkers at the moment with wedding dates. It’s a completely different world to celebrating weddings,” Ms Kim-Worley said.
“Some couples have been incredibly distressed with planning for 12-months. I really feel for them.”
Ms Kim-Worley said she had recently married a couple after the fourth try.
“The stress of COVID-19 had been playing on them and it was really difficult. I feel like it lightened their load and him and his wife felt relieved,” she said.
Usually, Ms Kim-Worley averages 45 to 50 weddings a year, but so far, she has only had nine "little elopements" at a much reduced price.
Under stage three restrictions in regional Victoria, weddings can include five people - the couple, two witnesses and the celebrant - while the limit will be for 10 people at funerals, not including those conducting the service.
