It's been a rollercoaster of emotions for brides and grooms planning their big day after new official advice on the Government's COVID-19 website threatened to derail upcoming nuptials.
The advice banning people from removing face masks for photographs has since been revised, but couples and wedding vendors still had a stressful morning trying to adapt to the new rules.
Your wedding day is a day that's months in the making, but imagine that magic day without even being able to see the face of the person you are committing yourself to for the rest of your life.
"We thought it was ludicrous but also very stressful," bride-to-be Tia Brown says.
Advice on the government COVID-19 website stated from February 4 masks must be worn at all gatherings and you cannot take your face mask off for photographs.
"The fact that we have to supposedly wear masks when I'm marrying the person that I sleep next to every single night and wearing masks to hug your family and friends that you catch up with every single weekend.," Brown says.
So her something blue might have been a mandated mask.
That's when tens of thousands of people signed a petition calling for the government to reconsider the mask rule, saying these new rules as of January 27 will cripple the weddings and events industry.
Photographer Eva Bradley says the summer period is when photographers and wedding vendors make 80 percent of their annual income.
"These are peoples' livelihoods at stake because the reality is there's not many brides that are going to go ahead with their weddings, exchange their vows and kiss the groom wearing a mask, that's the reality of it," Bradley says.
Organising weddings in the last two years has been at the mercy of COVID restrictions.
"Brides have scheduled, rescheduled and rescheduled to comply with govt regulations," Bradley says.
"People not being able to be there, weddings postponed because of sickness, travel and all these couples were looking forward to this fantastic summer," celebrant Felicity Murray said.
The new advice caused confusion because just three days ago the mask rules didn't apply for most weddings.
"These changes also won’t apply to non-public facing workplaces, swimming pools, and gatherings where you have the exclusive use of a premises," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.
But just as quickly as the new rule was implemented it was gone.
The mask rule for gatherings still applies except where you have the exclusive use of the venue, including weddings.
"The amount of distress it's caused people to have a rule brought in and kicked out straight away, it makes no sense… Its left us all gobsmacked," Bradley says.
"The added unnecessary stress has been very frustrating for a lot of us," bride-to-be Brown said.
So here's to the happy couples and wedding albums full of smiling faces.
