The COVID-19 pandemic has forced several couples to make difficult decisions when it comes to wedding festivities, but one local officiant is hoping to turn the provincial lockdown into a "love lock down" mini wedding day for eight couples.
Event Coordinator Doug Robbins of With This Ring has teamed up with a few others in order to host mini weddings on one day during "the month of love" at The Co. storefront art gallery in Chatham.
"There are so many couples that are just so frustrated that they can't get married. They had picked their date and they had to move it multiple times so we just want to make it easy and effective and try to satisfy as many couples as possible in one given day," said Robbins.
On February 12, registered couples can walk down the isle at The Co. and have a few loved ones watch from the sidewalk through a display window. Robbins said guests will also be able to hear the ceremony from a safe distance.
Aside from exchanging vows, couples will also be able to put a love lock on a sculpture at the gallery.
"In a lot of cities, like in the Distillery District in Toronto and a bridge in Paris, there are these love locks where couples write down their names, the date, and they lock their love lock to a structure or a garden. The keys are then thrown away or disposed of because of course the love is professed to last forever," said Robbins. "This art sculpture was made for that very reason."
Robbins said they will discard the keys and the sculpture will be displayed in the art gallery for others to see.
"The goal is to fill this love lock [sculpture] up," said Robbins. "These will be some of the first participants that can symbolize their love in the ceremony and actually attach their love lock to that."
There are limited time slots available on February 12 in order to allow enough time for sanitizing procedures to take place in between sessions. The venue will also be decorated to suit each couple's vision.
Under current lockdown restrictions, weddings are allowed to take place and include 10 people indoors and 10 people outdoors if physical distancing can be maintained. However, if a government announcement is made ahead of February 12, Robbins said there are back-up plans for couples who are interested in the concept.
Interested couples can email Robbins at dougtheofficiant@icloud.com. After reserving a time slot, couples will be responsible for obtaining a marriage licence and the rest will be taken care of.
Should the initiative be a success, Robbins said it is something they would consider doing again in the future.