Does anyone have a good idea of what the third stage of the Ontario reopening plan means for ceremonies and receptions? We are getting married in late August 2021. The plan isn’t specific on indoor/outdoor ceremony numbers or reception numbers.
Also apparently the liquor curfew doesn’t exist anymore. It’s regular last call hours just like a bar/restaurant! No idea about the rest of your questions tho lol
I am getting slightly annoyed by everyone copy-pasting information from Ontario's website. We can all see and read this information. There are clear bits of information that are missing (not just for weddings but for other businesses too), for example:
- With event spaces at 25% capacity in Step 2 - does this specifically allow wedding receptions in said event spaces?
- What time does the venue have to stop serving alcohol?
Congratulations everyone on your upcoming weddings. Thank you for sharing your thoughts/info. Planning has been so difficult with the ongoing changes in restrictions.
I had found a wedding petition: http://chng.it/p5h7JK56r8
The latest info for re-opening Ontario if vaccination thresholds are met and if case counts remain low then the re-opening of Ontario (pending gov’t approval) should be:
Step 1 - June 11, 2021 Step 2 – July 2, 2021 Step 3 – July 23, 2021
I feel you.. But they do need to release additional guidance for venues and other businesses (such as what time should they stop serving alcohol? last time it was 10pm in some zones), otherwise they cant operate. WE NEED MORE INFO!!
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I wish I believed it! I’ve been told by about 5 different gov agencies more details would be released and they never were and I don’t think they will.
Some idiot decided a 10 person, private backyard bbq with no one monitoring social distancing and health protocols is the same level of risk as a 10 person, outdoor dinner at licensed OUTDOOR wedding venue with tables spaces 2 M apart and professionals monitoring. I’m truly Embarrassed to live in Ontario.
The Ontario Wedding Association has been in contact with the government to clarify the restrictions (I saw this on their IG page). I am hoping something will come soon.
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So I have been doing the same thing!
I emailed my MPP twice and sent an email to Doug Ford asking for clarity around weddings. We’re supposed to get married July 4, it doesn’t look like that’s possible but now we’re looking at moving to August of this year but we can’t get any clarity on the restrictions for outdoor weddings. I keep thinking they’ll release more details around capacities but the announcement never comes. I also called the business line and they basically read the website to me and told me they don’t have access to any additional information.
My venue does not have an option for outdoor ceremony but the room we last rescheduled to has a capacity for 650 people. 550 people can go to a Leafs game but we can’t have 100 people in a room that holds 650 who would be more distanced then those at the game....makes total sense 🙄 I hoped that maybe them going to the game would make things better for us, but with the emergency powers now extended until December I’m not sure.
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There was an article out there that listed 25% which I’m assuming is how my venue determined their numbers. I can’t find it anymore though!
I really hope you are right. Just confused as to why the consolidation period notes that this order was released on May 20. https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/200263
Again, the laws have not been updated. If you read the law for Stage 2, it refers to many things that are in contradiction of the most recent reopening plan. Example - indoor dining:
8. The total number of patrons permitted to be seated indoors in the establishment must be limited to the number that can maintain a physical distance of at least two metres from every other person in the establishment, and in any event cannot exceed the lesser of,
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It’s in the event and meeting space guidance section for stage 2, that’s where people are getting the 25% from. But the law says 25 people for event meeting spaces, not 25%.
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The gathering limit does not apply to wedding venues... it’s for private gathering. Patio restrictions are what it will be aligned with. Some people may be assuming that because that’s the only info available. At some point before we actually go into Phase 1 he’ll have to clarify and I can guarantee he will be pressed to change them based on every other provinces sensible approach to outdoor weddings.
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It’s in the govt guidance but the actual regulations say “25 people”. I honestly think someone goofed up when writing the policy, hope I’m wrong.
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It’s so crazy have venues are interpreting it so differently. A girl I know said her venue won’t even open until stage 3 because they’re convinced they fall under the gathering limit. I’m relieved my venue is going by event space capacity... but I’m scared to get my hopes up and have them come back and say sorry we were wrong you can only have 25.
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Good job on the letter! Way more professional than mine but I was so fired up when I wrote it I didn’t care about my professionalism in it hahaha.
And the 25% capacity is what outdoor event spaces are allowed to have in stage 2. This is what my venue told me they are going by as well, but o know TONS of girls who’s venues are saying this isn’t allowed and that restrictions for weddings are separate from event spaces.
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Where are they finding that 25% number for outdoor reception? It’s not in any of the info that’s been released that I’ve seen. Have you send what it is for phase 1? Could you share the source? Thanks!
Our wedding is on July 18, which will likely fall in Stage 2. Our reception will be outdoors and our venue coordinator told us that her understanding is we can have 25% of their outdoor capacity for reception. She did think that the number might go up by July.
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Agreed, hopefully if enough message about this or push for a change they will fix it. It’s also extremely vague in the reopening plan I thought they would provide more details, just seems like the plan is going backwards. Not like he hasn’t changed things in the past !! So fingers crossed. I feel for all the brides such a frustrating process not knowing 😞 I will be emailing him though and may use some of your explanation; it’s worded very well!! Lol
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I know it’s ridiculous! We were supposed to get married August 1st and postponed. We even had a pretty big get together that day with family and friends. If we only knew.... it’s all so freakin unfair. So many people are suffering ... vendors, venues, couples. Douglas just does not care at all.
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This is amazing !!!! I’m sending one too ... so outrageous these restrictions; we were better off having a reception last summer without a vaccine !!!! Insanity and extremely frustrating.
This document is out of date. It is from the first Stage 3 identified in 2020, before the colour coding system. Doesn't apply to the current Stage 3. Confusing, I know.
