Weddings, funerals postponed amid COVID-19 pandemic

Weddings being postponed due to COVID-19 Some couples aren’t able to have their dream wedding because of COVID-19. CTV’s Stephanie Tsicos has more.

WINNIPEG — The COVID-19 pandemic is having an impact on the wedding and funeral industries,

Spring and summer tend to be the busiest times of the year for wedding planners, but amid COVID-19 concerns, many weddings are being postponed until people can safely gather again.

With health officials urging people to practice social distancing having a wedding right now may seem like a difficult task.

Hotels often play host to events like weddings, but some hotels are considering closing altogether until things start to calm down.

For those trying to plan a wedding, planner Amanda Douglas said to be flexible

"Know that your friends and family will understand if you have to postpone. and that is a loving act -- you postponing, because you care about them and because you want them to be safe," said Amanda Douglas, owner of Amanda Douglas Events.

the RBC Convention Centre is also feeling the pinch.

It is experiencing an unprecedented number of postponements and cancellations.

THE IMPACT ON FUNERALS

Funeral homes across Manitoba are preparing for the possibility of a rise in deaths, while working within social distancing guidelines for memorial services.

Winnipeg’s Wojciks Funeral Chapel and Crematorium said its increased sanitization and is limiting the number of visitors.

It's asking that only next of kin come in to make arrangements, or that it be done over the phone.

It's also seeing a lot of funeral services postponed at this time.

“This kind of makes that process a lot of more difficult for our families because we all grieve in different ways and everybody's circumstance is different, so we're trying to be as accommodating as we possibly can for families," said Corrine Lamarre, funeral director and embalmer at Wojcik’s Funeral Chapel.

The funeral home is exploring live streaming options for services, and for families who do choose to move forward with holding a memorial, they're required to limit attendance to match provincial guidelines.

- With files from CTV’s Stephanie Tsicos.