Kelowna weddings back on

After telling dozens of couples their weddings were off due to a letter from the Agricultural Land Commission, Bottega Farmsays theweddings scheduled in 2016 will now be going ahead.

Located in Kelowna, Bottega Farm attracts dozens of couples each year for nuptials, but this weekend, the venue announced all 24 weddings planned for 2016 were off.

But on Tuesday the story changed.

• Natural gas facility aimed at protected farmland
• Frank Leonard, new chair of ALC, says farms must be financially viable
• Richard Bullock, fired Agricultural Land Reserve chair speaks out

"We have now been told by a representative of the ALC that we can go ahead with the weddings atBottegathat are booked for 2016,"BottegaFarms owner DaveKryskowrote in anemail.

"I know we are very relieved as well as 24 brides and a number of caterers andvendors."

On Monday,Kryskosaid he had received a cease-and-desist order ordering Bottega Farms to stop holding weddings. In fact, the ALC says it only toldthe farm not tobookfurther weddings and special events without applying for its permission.

Todd Cashin, who oversees and manages agricultural applications for the city for the City of Kelowna,says while the initial cancellationswere"obviously not a good situation," ALR rules are in place for a reason.

He says if Bottega wanted to do weddings on a regular basis, they should have made a non-farm use application with the ALC.

To hear the full interview, click the audio labelled:Here comes the bride! Cancelled Kelowna weddings back on