Weddings — and funerals — move forward without restrictions in fully reopened Sask.

It’s what many couples across Saskatchewan have been waiting for as the remaining COVID-19 restrictions were lifted on Sunday. Those looking to get married can now invite as many people as their hearts desire to celebrate their special day with.

However, the waiting period may still not be over for some.

“We do have a bit of a shortage of venues in Regina and so what we’re seeing happening is weddings happening on Fridays, Sundays of long weekends, on Thursday if there’s a Friday long weekend,” said Sherri Dlouhy-Stevenson, the owner and creative director of Bella Dolce Weddings & Events.

Dlouhy-Stevenson said she’s noticed more clients are gravitating towards smaller-sized weddings, such as backyard weddings, in order to have a more intimate experience.

She says clients also tend to enjoy themselves more and feel less anxious during these scaled-back matrimonial events.

Regina wedding photographer Courtney Liske will undoubtedly be busy for the next year-and-a-half, which is a big contrast from last year.

“Obviously, we had a lot of people postpone from last year to this year, and some even earlier in the year have postponed to 2022, so we kind of have a backlog, a little bit, coming up in the next year or so to get caught up on the weddings we had booked,” Liske explained. “Then we are also booking new weddings as well.”

Even though mask-wearing is no longer required by the province, both women say they’ll still be doing so if that’s what couples want, adding they’ll be working within the comfort zone of their clients as safety remains a top priority.

Friends and families will not only be coming together in larger numbers for celebrations, people can now support each other in greater numbers in times of mourning as well.

“We are seeing families who did delay the traditional service where they may have had a much smaller event in past, but they’re coming together, so we anticipate the next few months to be a time where families have that opportunity,” said Jeff Weafer, manager of the Regina Funeral Home.

Weafer says the facility will still be taking extra precautions to help keep people’s minds at ease as they grieve the passing of loved ones.

“Just so the public knows, when they come into Regina Funeral Home, they’re going to see staff wearing masks, they’re going to see hand sanitization stations everywhere,” he said.

Weafer adds the funeral home will also be providing masks for those that’d like one, and will continue to thoroughly disinfect the facility.