Buffalo, NY (WBEN) - In what seems like a slow march back toward normalcy, many engaged couples are beginning to breathe a little easier as restrictions on gatherings and events are being adjusted and lifted.
The general manager of a pair of local wedding venues says the lifting of curfews for catered events like weddings will help his businesses and couples trying to decide to go through with their nuptials or put them off.
Come May 31st, all curfews will be lifted for catered events, bars and restaurants. "It's definitely a step in the right direction," says Bill Casale, general manager of Pearl Street Grill and Bar and Riverworks. "Obviously, the curfew getting lifted means we don't have to kick people out at a certain hour. Hopefully we can get rid of testing requirements for a certain amount of guests, and then we'll certainly be on the right path."
Casale says since weddings are booked years in advance, the upcoming weddings he's seeing are ones that have re-booked several times. "They're still tentative and on hold pending restrictions," says Casale. "Couples make those decisions six to weeks out to get invitations out, but we're getting an uptick in future wedding bookings, so there's optimism there." Casale says the tentative ones through June depend on whether there are restrictions still in place. "If they can have a near normal wedding, they'll go through, otherwise, unfortunately, they'll be pushed back into fall or 2022," explains Casale.
Casale says the big issue is having to tell guests they can't do certain things during weddings, and some more changes have to be made. "They want people at weddings to be able to congregate," notes Casale. "The testing requirements are pretty stringent, so we have to get past that, but also, you need to mingle and dance and even go hang out at the bar. Right now, you have to be seated while having a drink. That's unconventional for a wedding."
Casale says one thing that will help with a recovery is not requiring a food purchase with a drink order. "That was the biggest restriction we were hoping to have lifted, especially at Riverworks. Now, people can grab a drink and go outside. We had to shut down our beer garden last year and dining areas because people had to order food and we simply could not service all 11 acres," says Casale.
