Weddings plans around the region have been thrown into disarray around the Grampians after the Victorian Government announced new COVID-19 restrictions to try and stop the spread of the virus around the state.
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As part of the new restrictions weddings are not permitted unless end of life or other exceptional circumstances are present, meaning hundreds of guests and many couples have been left heartbroken.
Grampians civil celebrant Gilda McKechnie said she had no weddings booked for this week, but she knows many were planned in the region this weekend.
"This weekend, with Valentine's Day can be really busy, but I think people have been hesitant and I know there is one large wedding this weekend and they are going to be terribly affected by this," she said.
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"I was supposed to have couples sign their letter of intended marriage, but they have been cancelled and the couples will have to wait because they have to be done in person due to legal requirements.
"This has happened time and time again, I mean I had ten weddings cancelled last year and all of those weddings were supposed to happen this year, so this is going to make it really tough.
"It is so distressing for the couples and their families and all the guests and then there is the kick-on effect to accommodation, weddings, catering the effect is enormous, and over the next few days that's really heartbreaking."
Ms McKechnie said she has more wedding booked for this year compared normal and said she has found people are chasing smaller weddings and booking closer to the date to try to avoid being caught in a lockdown.
"I have two weddings in two weeks and they are up in the air at the moment and fortunately they are smaller weddings, but there are other people who are dependant on close friends and family members having to come from Melbourne or interstate which makes it even harder," she said.
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