Coronavirus: Growing number of UK weddings being cancelled and postponed

Wedding venues say “enquiries have stopped” because of the coronavirus – as the multibillion pound industry sees a growing number of ceremonies cancelled and postponed.

Thousands of couples across the UK are monitoring whether the outbreak will affect their day – with many already having to scrap plans and change dates.

It comes after the Church of England said weddings should be limited to no more than five people – the legal minimum.

Amber Clatworthy and her fiance were due to get married in Devon next Saturday.

“One of my best friends was flying to Australia to be a bridesmaid so that was cancelled first… basically it’s just horrendous,” she told Sky News. “We will get married, but it’s not going to be the same.”

Their venue has allowed them to postpone for free, but it comes as little comfort after more than a year preparing for the big day.

Her husband-to-be, Greg Webb, had to contact suppliers and nearly 200 guests to let them know.

“I think of myself as being quite in control most of the time. It’s surprising how emotional I got to explain it… and to hear them on the phone back to us,” he said.

The couple have now had to store all their wedding items, from candle holders to chair saches, in their shed.

In 2016 there were nearly 250,000 marriages in England and Wales, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Last Thursday, the Church of England said only the priest, couple and two witnesses should be in attendance at weddings.

The UK wedding industry is worth around £10bn a year, according to wedding website Hitched.

Bickleigh Castle Wedding Venue in Devon is fully booked for weddings through May to September, but it has already had to cancel one wedding and an event.

Owner Sarah Hay says they are doing all they can to keep weddings on track, but admitted it was worrying.

She said: “Our housekeeper every other day is cleaning all the rooms all the time – sanitising the door handles, the loos, everything – to make sure it’s spotless. It’s already spotless, but we’re going over and over.”

“We haven’t got any more enquiries coming in at the moment – hopefully April, May things will start to get better,” she added.

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Florists are also being hit.

Nicky’s Flower Studio in Taunton has seen orders cancelled.

Owner Nicky Mark Heal says he’ll likely close the shop next week and just take orders from home.

“Brides obviously spend years planning their weddings they are uncertain what’s going to happen. Some are postponing till next year, others say they don’t know what’s going to happen,” he said.

In Holland, growers are destroying millions of flowers every day as demand falls and transporting them becomes ever more difficult.

(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus: Growing number of UK weddings being cancelled and postponed