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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTXL) — The California Department of Public Health has released new guidelines for the private event industry, easing up on COVID-19 restrictions as more people get vaccinated.

The new guidelines allow events to once again offer buffet and bar services, and limited restrictions on dancing.

The state’s guidelines are much more lenient than they were during the pandemic.

“This is a huge milestone for the events industry,” said Amy Ulkutekin, president of the California Association for Private Events.

New guidelines from the the state have wedding venues across the state breathing a huge sigh of relief.

“All of these brides and grooms and couples who haven’t had any certainty, and haven’t known how they’re going to be able to move forward, we have that now,” Ulkutekin said. “We have the guidelines, we have the capacities and we know now through June 15, quite frankly, most of these weddings will fall under these capacities.”

Ulkutekin says the new guidelines are much more lenient, especially if guests can prove they have been vaccinated or have a negative COVID-19 test result.

“As long as everyone is vaccinated or tested they are actually not requiring social distancing. they’re allowing bar service, they’re allowing dancing. so these things that have been on the table and things we’ve been waiting for to be able to do are all allowed now,” Ulkutekin said.

The guidelines are still based on the state’s color tier system but more guests are being allowed.

For example, in the red tier outdoor attendance was limited to a maximum of 50 people but with proof of a negative test or full vaccination then a venue can have a maximum of 200 people.

And it’s not just weddings.

“Quinceaneras, sweet 16s, graduation parties, baby showers. That can all come back today,” Ulkutekin said.

Ulkutekin says these new guidelines could help put millions back to work.

“A lot of the private events industry has been extremely hard hit this past year. Our industry has 93,000 small businesses with over 3 million employees throughout the state of California. You think about everyone, it’s venues, planners, DJs, photographers, florists, bakers, the list goes on,” Ulkutekin said.

These guidelines could once again be changed to allow even more people and activities on June 15th which is the date the state is scheduled to completely reopen for business.