Prospective couples who had planned to wed in the next two months have expressed mixed feelings after the Judicial Service Commission banned all court weddings over COVID-19 fears.
Chief Justice Luke Malaba announced that were meant to be solemnised at the courts have been cancelled and affected parties should approach the court in two months for rebooking depending on the situation.
This follows a declaration by President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Monday banning gatherings of more than 50 people.
CITE interviewed some prospective couples who were scheduled to get married in the month of April.
Lamuel Damunesa, who was set to tie the knot at the Civil Court in Bulawayo said the declaration, although necessary, is a major setback as they are now forced to reschedule their plans.
“It is a major setback especially taking into consideration all the efforts you would have made to mobilise resources. As we all know the economic situation is not very conducive and such delays make the costs escalate,” he said.
“You would also realise that some of the guests who would have been invited are working people who operate on specific schedules so having to cancel at the last minute complicates the situation.”
Another groom-to-be, Butholezwe Ndlovu said he and his partner had already obtained a licence and their marriage was going ahead but the challenge they faced was to cut down on the number of guests.
“The scaling down of guests is an emotional nightmare. The fact that we had already included a great number of family members makes it difficult to sit down and start sifting through them to choose who gets struck off the list. We can only hope that they take it in good faith that this was beyond our control.”
March and April are popular wedding months in Zimbabwe because of the Easter and Independence Day holidays.
