The Prime Minister has announced that the UK intends to go ahead with the plan to lift all wedding restrictions and limits on social contact on July 19.
After a four week delay due to a rise in positive COVID cases, Boris Johnson confirmed at a government press conference that the country remains on course to enter stage four of the recovery roadmap.
The government will now conduct a series of four tests before making an official announcement on July 12 as to whether July 19 will be officially confirmed as the new “Freedom Day.”
This come after the government’s plan to lift all restrictions on social distancing from 21 June was postponed. Boris Johnson previously announced the delay in lockdown easing, stating that it is “sensible to wait just a little longer”.
From June 21, weddings were able to go ahead with more than 30 people providing social distancing was observed but as restrictions lift on July 19, there will no longer be a limit on how many guests can attend weddings.
As with all social gatherings, weddings have been particularly hit by the restrictions and distancing guidelines enforced to halt the spread of coronavirus.
But with rules set to be scrapped, weddings will be able to operate without capacity limits and singing and dancing will finally be allowed.
Food and drink can be provided at the venues and places of worship but “all reasonable steps” should be taken to ensure that people remain seated and the “sharing of vessels or glasses, including where part of a religious service, should be avoided”.
It comes after the health minister Edward Argar said couples waiting to wed were “very much” in Boris Johnson’s mind.
“There will be a lot of couples who planned, hoped, to do it, put a line through it, done it again and rescheduled again,” Argar told Sky News. “Not only does that cost money, but emotionally that is incredibly difficult for couples who want to have their special day and want to get married.”
Argar added: “I know that weddings and people in that particular situation will be very much in his mind at the moment, it’s one of the things he has been looking at.”
Dubbed ‘Freedom Day’, an estimated 50,000 weddings are reported to have been planned in the month of July so wedding restrictions being lifted will be church bells to many couple’s ears.
