Weddings chaos as Leo limits event numbers

A WEDDING planner has said couples getting married in the near future are facing ‘unprecedented’ circumstances, as many scramble to postpone or downsize their big day – with some having to uninvite their guests.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced that the Government is recommending that all indoor events with more than 100 people be called off until March 29 amid the virus outbreak.

The news is set to cause heartbreak for couples due to get married before this date. Wedding planner Sharon McMeel, of sharonmcmeel.ie, told the Irish Daily Mail that this situation is ‘not clear cut’ when it comes to refunds.

She said couples’ insurance payouts would depend on their individual contracts and policies.

‘A lot of suppliers are working with couples to see if they could postpone the date and move it to six months out and nine months out, which is still a challenge for people. It’s very hard to get all of your suppliers again for a particular date.’

Popular YouTube vlogger and author Melanie Murphy is due to get married this month.

On Twitter, after news of the recommendation broke, she said she may have to downscale her wedding.

‘Looks like we’ll have to uninvite people from our wedding this month,’ she wrote.

‘Feeling like we should postpone but we’ll lose so much money/the planning has been intense for months.’

She continued: ‘In no universe did I ever see this coming.’

A mother of the bride told Red FM’s The Neil Prendeville Show that her daughter was due to get married on Monday.

However, as 180 guests were set to attend, the Vienna Woods hotel called her straight after the Taoiseach’s announcement to tell her the guest list would have to be reduced to 99 people.

‘They decided that wasn’t an option because, Neil, who do you take off the list?’

The very upset couple are now trying to find another date for their big day. ‘It was like a death in the family yesterday, we cried all day,’ the mother added.

‘Looks like we’ll have to uninvite people’