You may now bump elbows. Newlyweds Doug and Dimity during their COVID wedding ceremony. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
Through restrictions and lockdowns, more than 2,000 Canberrans still managed to tie the knot with 1,155 marriages being registered in the ACT this year.
This compares to 1,463 in 2019.
ACT Marriage Celebrant Roger Buckley officiated more than 40 weddings in 2020 when he normally does between 25 and 30 a year.
“Regardless of wedding size, couples are after a memorable wedding experience not only for themselves but for their guests as well – an experience that is fun, engaging and with high energy,” Roger said.
“Couples are also wanting a bespoke wedding, one that tells their love story and is unique to them.
“While some couples have put off their dream wedding for a year because they are wanting hundreds of guests, others have come to the realisation that they can still have the perfect occasion surrounded by immediate family and close friends.”
When Doug Boyd married Dimity Douglas back in April during the height of restrictions, the newlyweds asked guests to park their cars up and down the street to ensure the event remained socially distanced.
“When our initial plans fell through, we said ‘does it really matter?’ Just get on with it and have fun and do the best you can. That’s what this situation with COVID-19 is turning into,” said Dimitry, who was driven down the aisle.
The I Do Drive-Thru, also launched in Canberra back in April, where two Canberra marriage celebrants looking to bring people together for life would drive the couple and their witnesses to picturesque locations around the city.
Roger, who has been a celebrant for six years, says he predicts a move towards smaller and more bespoke weddings like these in the future.
“While some couples have put off their dream wedding for a year because they are wanting hundreds of guests, others have come to the realisation that they can still have the perfect occasion surrounded by immediate family and close friends,” he said.
“My most memorable wedding in 2020 had a 1920s theme and was held just outside of Braidwood.
“The bride had been collecting furniture and antiques from that era for years and without any help from an event organiser, the couple set up two truckloads of props for their wedding.
“The wedding was amazing!”
If you’re planning your wedding in 2021, make sure you are aware of COVID-19 restrictions at covid19.act.gov.au.
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