Coronavirus Australia: Victorian weddings and funerals hit by lockdown changes

Tough new lockdown restrictions will have a massive impact across Victoria and it’s bad news for anyone who was planning a wedding.

Premier Dan Andrews has announced tough new restrictions across Victoria, including a nightly curfew, and the new rules will mean an end to any weddings.

“Funerals are unchanged,” the Premier said at a press conference on Sunday.

This means that 10 people — as well as funeral staff — are allowed to attend a funeral and wake, as per previous restrictions.

“(As) for weddings, (they) will not be occurring in Melbourne,” he said.

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Dan Andrews was upset by having to ruin wedding and funeral plans, but said it was necessary. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Daniel Pockett

Mr Andrews was upset at having to make this decision, but was firm in his choice.

“Those matters need to wait,” he said.

“There are so many different things that have to wait because they pose an unreasonable risk.”

Previously, five people — the couple, two witnesses and the celebrant — were allowed to attend a wedding under Melbourne’s stage three restrictions.

However, Mr Andrews added that if “there is a compassionate reason”, authorities might be open to granting an exemption.

“Someone may not have a very long to live, for instance,” he said, as one reason why a wedding might be urgent.

“We will be as generous as we can be.”

In America, some people are having weddings over Zoom conferences. This chapel is now offering the world's first virtual Elvis-themed vow renewal and commitment ceremonies. Picture: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Mr Andrews warned not to use this compassion as an excuse to try to get other exemptions.

“I know people will say, well, surely, all of these different activities (should be allowed) and give lots of examples, they are all low risk,” he warned.

“But let’s always remember about cumulative impacts.

“We can’t have a situation where everybody wants to keep going, no impact on me, no change to the things I am doing, because what that means is you have got risk everywhere and you don’t really have a set of rules.

“But we will try and be as fair as we possibly can.”

Originally published as Coronavirus Australia: Victorian weddings and funerals hit by lockdown changes