Many Manitoba families have held off having important celebrations for months, hoping the province’s COVID-19 public health restrictions would loosen.
Chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin announced Thursday that the province may allow weddings and funerals to increase to 25 from the current 10-person capacity.
“It’s just going to allow more immediate family to be at the service,” Cropo Funeral Home general manager Lee Barringer said. “Every little bit helps at this point.”
Berringer said the tight restrictions have been hard for families to deal with the past few months.
“With 10 it’s been very hard because you’re handpicking some immediate family,” he said.
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“Twenty-five frees it up a little bit, but all the feedback I’ve had from families is once it becomes 50 or 100 they’ll then be able to gather and have that ritual be more meaningful.”
Cropo Funeral Home has added livestreaming as part of its funeral packages to allow those who cannot attend in person to still mourn from afar.
However, Barringer said, it isn’t the same.
“The grieving journey is all about people coming together, sharing emotions with one another. It’s about hugging, it’s about reminiscing,” he said. “Doing that now virtual or with limited numbers is very challenging for all those grieving.”
For those in the midst of planning the start of their future life together and a wedding, the increase to 25 people doesn’t mean much immediately, as wedding planning happens months in advance.
“Everyone is still hopeful,” Shonah Rathwell from Pinnacle Event Rentals said. “As of right now we are looking for larger than 25 but what 25 means is restrictions are lifting, things are getting better and there is a light at the end of the tunnel for the 2021 season.”
Many of the couples they are working with are still planning for their dream wedding and guest numbers, but know there is always a chance those plans will need to change, she added.
“Obviously you’re planning with your couples,” she said.
“Restrictions might change. You are doing two weddings. Planning your wedding for 25 people and for 200 people and you’re kind of just rolling the dice at this point.”
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