News

OWA President Joseph Esser says wedding vendors are 'working in the dark': Struggling businesses say state must provide clarity on when COVID rules will be lifted.

https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2021/10/03/struggling-businesses-wonder-what-metrics-will-loosen-restrictions-ige-extends-covid-rules/

One of Governor Ige and Dr. Char's moving goalposts to loosen restrictions is having  the COVID triage tents come down. Guess what - it's happening next week! 

https://www.khon2.com/coronavirus/covid-triage-tents-to-come-down-federal-funded-nurses-leave-next-week/

Governor Ige extended his emergency proclamation for another 60 days, restricting social gatherings to 10 indoors, 25 outdoors. NOTE: There is a section about Professional Events (Exhibit F, section C) that professional weddings CAN fall under, if the City and County of Honolulu would allow it . Currently, professional weddings are still grouped together with social gatherings. 

https://governor.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2109152-ATG_Emergency-Proclamation-Related-to-the-States-COVID-19-Delta-Response-distribution-signed.pdf

Ige: No changes to mask mandate, Safe Travels program in latest COVID emergency proclamation, extends emergency proclamation for 2 months.

https://www.khon2.com/coronavirus/gov-david-ige-to-announce-latest-covid-emergency-proclamation/

Mahalo to the Chamber of Commerce and the Small Business Advisory Council, for allowing  us to sit down with Governor Ige. We fully support safety protocols at all professionally managed weddings.

https://www.khon2.com/coronavirus/no-changes-for-hawaii-weddings-after-industry-leaders-met-with-gov-david-ige/

Thank you Jack from Seeking Films, for this amazing recap video of our rally. Thank you everyone for coming and supporting the urgent need to reopen professional weddings!

https://vimeo.com/613260760/51aee0245c

Wedding industry workers rally at State Capitol to bring weddings back amid mandates. 

https://www.khon2.com/local-news/wedding-industry-workers-rally-at-state-capitol-to-bring-weddings-back-amid-mandates/

Under gathering rules, weddings are treated the same as BBQs. Planners say they shouldn't be. 

https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2021/09/24/under-gathering-rules-weddings-are-treated-same-backyard-bbqs-planners-say-they-shouldnt-be/

Watch 'This is Now': Oahu's wedding industry rallies for looser COVID restrictions. ++Our segment is at around 5:20.

https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2021/09/23/watch-this-is-now-oahus-wedding-industry-rallies-looser-covid-restrictions/

Written and published by our own Treasurer, Tessa Gomes of Fred + Kate Events, an op-ed for Civil Beat.

"I remember when Gov. David Ige first announced the statewide shutdown order. It was “two weeks to flatten the curve.”

Ok, we got this. We can do this. I had weddings during that time so yes, it was hectic, and yes, my clients were panicked. But it was just for two weeks.

Fast forward a long and trying year and a half. Hawaii’s economy has struggled — barely survived — but we were slowly moving in the right direction. Covid-19 cases were low, and business across many sectors were doing well — restaurants, tourism, weddings and events...."

>>Read the entire article here