GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — This time of year, usually the wedding business is booming.
“We have been in a shut down situation for six to seven weeks right now," said Byron Sackett of Homesteads Events in Gaston County.
Like everything else, the coronavirus pandemic is hurting local wedding venues as well. Sackett says they have missed out on their top three months of business.
“We don't know when we're going to come back because the event business, the entertainment business is never mentioned in any of the phases the governor has put out," Sackett said. "Not phase one, phase two nor three; so our problem is we have brides who postponed their wedding from March, and we thought maybe July, August we'd be through this.”
Sackett says they’re at a standstill and have no income right now.
“Phase one, phase two, phase three is very vague. It talks about restaurants and salons. Other industries are getting the attention and our industry is not,” said Sackett.
RELATED: Mystery solved: Environmental officials find cause of musty, earthy tap water in Union County
Now, Homesteads Events is losing business because they say brides are hesitant to book weddings in the fall, and are starting to book across the border in South Carolina.
“Most venues are losing 20 to 40 thousand dollars at this point and there's no end in sight," Sackett explained. “We're just really concerned about the future of our industry right now.”
Sackett says his main concern is receiving more clarity from the government on what they can do to bring in some revenue to businesses like his -- especially during their most vital months. You can click here to learn more about booking an event through Homestead Events.