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Jun 2021

Last Updated: 14/06/2021

Business

Ripon beautician praying for PM to save weddings

by Tim Flanagan

| 14 Jun, 2021

Dozens of brides-to-be in the Harrogate district are anxiously waiting to hear if tonight's government announcement jeopardises their wedding plans. A Ripon beautician queries why the 30-person wedding cap should remain when thousands of people are attending sports events.

Hairdressers and brides-to-be in the Harrogate district will have their fingers tightly crossed this evening.

Social distancing restrictions were due to end on June 21 but now it seems the 30-person cap on wedding guests could be extended for another four weeks, throwing numerous wedding plans in jeopardy.

Some people have already put back their weddings as many as four times because of the coronavirus crisis.

Now they are relying on Prime Minister Boris Johnson, not to ruin their big days yet again.

Deborah Chalmers, of Love Hair & Beauty in Ripon, told the Stray Ferret:

"Three quarters of the bookings I have are for weddings with more than 100 guests.

"With the government's roadmap to June 21 and the anticipated lifting of covid social distancing requirements, people were counting on finally getting married.

"They thought they were safe to book a post-June 21 date and everything that goes with it.

"Now there is another big question mark and we are all hoping and praying that a way can be found to allow weddings with more than 30 attendees to go ahead."

Later this year, Ms Chalmers celebrates her 10th anniversary of being in business in Ripon.

Over the decade she has prepared hundreds of brides and their bridesmaids for weddings.

She said:

"You can be in a restaurant with 100 people that you don't know, or at a sporting event with thousands, so surely the Prime Minister can come up with something.

"I fully understand that there is a need to keep everybody safe, but perhaps we would be OK if there was covid testing available for all attending a wedding and those, like myself, providing services on the day.

"It will be desperate if weddings for some are put off for the fifth time, or if the limit on attendance remains at 30 and they have to un-invite family members and friends if they decide to go ahead with their ceremony."

For Ms Chalmers and other businesses in the wedding sector, it has been a tough 16 months.

She has managed to keep ticking over by providing hair and beauty treatments for smaller weddings.

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Fortunately, customers forced to postpone have stayed loyal when rearranging for different dates.

She said:

"For some, the wedding has been a long time coming, but we stay optimistic in the knowledge that the brides will eventually, have their big day."

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Ripon beautician praying for PM to save weddings

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