Wedding nightmare: Couples and business owners demand guidelines from the state
Wedding nightmare: Couples and business owners demand guidelines from the state
As Western New York nears Phase Four reopening, couples and business owners have growing concerns on what that means for weddings.
IT'S NO CINDERELLASTORY FOR PEOPLELOOKING TO GETMARRIED DURING THISAGE OF COVID-19.VENUES ARESTRUGGLING TO GETGUIDANCE ON WHATTHEY CAN... ANDCANNOT DO... AND ASSEVEN EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTERNIKKI DEMENTRI TELLSUS... MANY COUPLESARE LEFT WONDERINGWHAT TO DO... WHILETHEIR WEDDINGPLANS REMAIN INLIMBO.IT'S FIVE WEEKS UNTILSYDNEY AND TONYWALK DOWN THEAISLE."THIS IS GOING TO BETHE BEST DAY OF OURLIVES AND CORONA ISNOT GOING TO STOPOUR WEDDING."THEIR WEDDING DAYWILL MARK THE ENDTO A TWO AND A HALFYEAR ENGAGEMENTAND FIVE YEARSTOGETHER.BUT THE WEEKSLEADING UP TO THEBUFFALO COUPLE'SAUGUST FIRSTWEDDING THEY SAYHAS BEEN NOTHINGSHORT OF ANIGHTMARE."T: "WHEN THINGSCHANGE ON A DAILYBASIS, IT MAKES ITREALLY HARD TO PLANTHE BIGGEST DAY OFYOUR LIFE.S: AND THEY'RE NOTCHANGING FOR THEBETTER."FROM TRAVELRESTRICTIONS TOCAPACITY ISSUES TOTHEIR FLORISTCLOSING AND RENTALTUX PLACE STILLCLOSED.THE ISSUESARE PILING UP."THAT MOMENT, ICAN'T HAVE IT TAKENAWAY FROM ME.
ICAN'T."THE COUPLE AGREESTHEY DON'TUNDERSTAND HOWPLACES LIKE BARSAND RESTAURANTSARE REOPENEDSUCCESSFULLY ATHALF CAPACITY, BUTTHEIR WEDDING CAN'TGO ON AS PLANNEDEVEN WITH TWEAKS.NOW, THEY'RETURNING TO LOCALAND STATE LEADERSFOR GUIDANCE ONWHAT THEIR WEDDINGWILL LOOK LIKE."I THINK THEFRUSTRATING PART ISWE HAVE FIVE WEEKSBUT WHO KNOWSWHAT'S GOING TOHAPPEN IN THAT FIVEWEEKS, BUT WE CAN'TWAIT UNTIL THE WEEKBEFORE TO SAY OKAYHERE'S OUR NEWPLAN.""WHAT WAS IS NOLONGER WHAT IS ANDWE'RE HOPING WECAN GET A VOICE."LAURIE CLARK OWNSAVANTI MANSION.IT'SACTUALLY WHERESYDNEY AND TONYWILL EXCHANGE THEIRVOWS.WHAT USUALLY ISCOMPLETELY BOOKEDIN THE MIDST OFWEDDING SEASONNOW SEES AN EMPTYPARKING LOT AS THESPACE REMAINSCLOSED."RIGHT NOW YOU'RERIGHT, THEGUIDELINES AREEXTREMELY LIMITEDAND EXTREMELYVAGUE.
AND HERE WEARE IN PHASE FOURAND THERE'S NO ENDIN SIGHT FOR US."ACCORDING TOREOPENINGGUIDELINES, ONCEWESTERN NEW YORKENTERS PHASE FOUREVENTS CAN GROWFROM 25 TO 50PEOPLE.KEEPINGSOCIAL DISTANCING INMIND.THAT WOULD APPLYFOR WEDDINGRECEPTIONS TOO." "TO HER IT'S UNFAIRRESTAURANTS ANDBARS CAN OPERATE AT50% CAPACITY, WHILEVENUES LIKE HERS,CANNOT.ASIDE FROMCONSTANTLYCLEANING ANDDISINFECTING, SHESAYS VENUES CANSOCIAL DISTANCE ANDCONTRACT TRACEEVEN BETTER THANTHOSEESTABLISHMENTS DUETO A GUESTLIST ANDSEATING CHART."IF WE'RE HELD TOTHE SAME STANDARDSTHAT RESTAURANTSAND BARS ARE WEWANT AN EQUALOPPORTUNITY TOOPERATE."CLARK SAYS MOREANSWERS ARENEEDED AND SHE'SADVOCATING FOR AGROUP OF VENUES INTHE AREA ANDACROSS THE STATEWHEN IT COMES TOGETTING THEM.THE OWNER WANTS ACHANCE TO CALM ANYCONCERNSLAWMAKERS MAYHAVE.AND SAYS HER HEARTGOES OUT TOCOUPLES LIKE TONYAND SYDNEY.AS THEUNCERTAINTY AROUNDWEDDINGSCONTINUES."WE DO UNDERSTANDWHAT THEY AREGOING THROUGH ANDWE FEEL FOR THEMAND WANT THEM TOKNOW WE AREADVOCATING FORTHEM AND WE AREFIGHTING FOR THEM."THE GOVERNOR'SOFFICE SAYS IT'SWORKING ON"ADDITIONALGUIDANCE" FOREVENTS LIKEWEDDINGS.ND, 7EWN.WE'VE BEEN TALKING
