Elsie Adamo
THE Apple Farm has hosted many a wedding, but owner Kelsie Prowse feels her job is becoming less about helping people celebrate, and more about being the “fun police”.
Events along with many other industries are being impacted by an almost self-imposed lockdown, with many not venturing far from home due to concerns about the current wave of Covid-19 infections.
Ms Prowse was understandably blunt when discussing the impact from the current conditions on her business.
“Awful, to sum it up in one word,” Ms Prowse said.
“My job used to be about sharing joy and love, now it is all about navigating regulations.
“I do not even know if it is worth me opening, because I do not know if I am going to make enough money to pay for my staff.”
Even though there are currently only minor pandemic restrictions in South Australia, Ms Prowse said it still feels like the business is being impacted just as much.
“It has been really hard because everybody is so scared,” she said.
“No one wants to be the function that had a super-spreader party, I do not want to be the party that had the super-spreader party.”
The venue is subject to confusing protocols with the number of allowable guests changing based on if the event is sit-down or stand up, if there is food, or event type.
For example, less than 40 guests could be inside their main area for a birthday event, but a wedding could host more than 70.
Many of the couples who had made a booking business for upcoming weddings have asked for postponements, attempting to wait out the current wave.
But it is not just the risk of Covid that is the problem, restrictions on activities and limitations of numbers are also an issue.
“I have got weddings coming up in February that I am trying to navigate this new way of celebrating love, with these awful restrictions,” Ms Prowse said.
Currently quarter density for indoor seated venues and half density for outdoor seated hospitality activities is required.
Only people seated can eat food and consume beverages, there is no dancing permitted except for the wedding couple’s first dance.
Ms Prowse said the restrictions have turned her and her staff into fun police.
Instead of being able to facilitate a good time, they now need to routinely tell guests to sit down, stop dancing, and stop singing.
“Seated drinking and eating is a vibe killer,” she said.
“I had a meeting with a couple yesterday who were considering just having a ceremony and not having a reception.
“The reception is where I make my money.”
Ms Prowse said she understands why many may want to postpone.
“Why do you want to plan a party when partying at the moment is so bleak?” she said.
“It is a really trying time for the events industry, we are tired, we are beaten.
“Motivation even just to open my computer is low, I opened it up yesterday for the first time in two weeks.”
A small silver lining is couples still looking for venues where they can hold small intimate weddings, or even elope on the farm.
“I have got people contacting me from Adelaide wanting to elope,” Ms Prowse said.
“I just replied to someone that wants to have a midweek wedding for 30 people.
“I probably have to try and capture that market somehow.”
Ms Prowse is encouraging anyone with a wedding coming up to try and think a bit differently on what it may look like.
“Rather than cancelling weddings all together and waiting for the moment where we can celebrate like we used to, we need to create the new normal,” she said.
“Celebrating seated, smaller more intimate weddings maybe with a follow up five-year wedding anniversary reception where you can have that party.”
