THERE is good news today for couples planning to tie the knot, as Covid-19 restrictions are relaxed to allow outdoor weddings to take place.
Up to 10 people will be allowed to attend marriage ceremonies outside, under the announcement by Stormont to ease lockdown.
The move will give couples and others working in the wedding industry the chance to forge ahead with plans, albeit on a a smaller scale.
During the past 12 weeks, many couples have had no option but to postpone their nuptials because of coronavirus, often to next year.
Just last week, the second couple to marry at Belfast City Hall during lockdown took their vows with just six people present.
Michael McCaw (36), from Holywood in Co Down, married Argentinian-born Lucrecia Landeta Garcia, also 36, on the steps of the east wing of City Hall.
Mr McCaw, a magazine editor, had proposed to his girlfriend, who works as a banker, last Christmas Eve.
They had planned to have around 130 guests at their big day, with many due to fly in from across the world.
Instead, the six included Mr McCaw’s best man Norman Ross and Ms Landeta Garcia’s bridesmaid Ruth McNaughton, as well as their photographer and the registrar.
“We’re at the age where we have a lot of friends getting married, many of them have pushed their dates to later in the year or next year, but with the uncertainty we just wanted to crack on,” said Mr McCaw.
Yesterday, in part two of the celebrations, the couple had a blessing on what should have been their original wedding day, with guests joining them virtually via Zoom.
The reopening of outdoor sports facilities, as well as outdoor retailers such as car showrooms and agricultural machinery, are also allowed from Monday.
Meanwhile, dental surgeries are permitted to open for face-to-face urgent dental care in the first part of a three-stage reopening process.
The easements are more conservative than those in the Republic, where from today a wider variety of retail shops can open.
The Executive is set to meet later today to discuss its response to the coronavirus pandemic.
