Stacey Crampton had been filled with anxiety at the thought of getting married without the people closest to her being able to attend.
But the Queensland Government's decision to lift border restrictions with the ACT means Stacey's aunt Michelle can now watch her niece get married at Old Parliament House in Canberra.
"She pretty much became a mother figure to me when my mum passed away, so not having her here would have been worse than not having a wedding altogether," Stacey said.
"I can see her helping me get dressed and everything, so it make it a lot easier, knowing that it's so close and I don't have to stress about my guest list anymore."
Thankfully, Stacey said, she will now be able to have have her mother's two sisters and her Queensland cousins at the wedding in November.
However, her partner's UK-based sister and nieces will still be unable to attend.
"To be able to have more family come now, we feel pretty lucky," she said.
"It makes me less anxious especially knowing my Aunty Michelle is going to be here."
'Start thinking about a holiday'
Queensland announced on Friday it would reopen its border to Canberrans, who will be able to fly into the Sunshine State from next Friday.
"This is great news for the ACT and is recognition for the fact that they have been sometime without any cases," Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles said.
"We've been saying for some time now that for Queenslanders, Queensland is good to go, well now for Canberrans, Queensland is good to come.
"Now is the time we would urge them [Canberrans] to start thinking about coming up to Queensland for a holiday."
The move comes after South Australia announced it too would allow ACT residents to fly into the state, provided they had not been in New South Wales for the 14 days prior.
The announcements mean only Western Australia and Tasmania will be off-limits to the ACT.
Family reunions and 'compassionate travel'
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the new travel bubble with Queensland was timely for Canberrans ahead of the school holidays.
"I think it's most significant benefit in the short-term is going to be for family reunion and compassionate travel, as well as those who might be looking for a break over the ACT school holidays," he said.
Mr Barr also said it would directly benefit local tourism operators because Queenslanders would not be allowed to travel to New South Wales once they arrived in the ACT.
He said, now that more states were opening up to Canberrans, he had his sights set on a deal with Tasmania.
"My next focus is on Tasmania and I continue to work closely with the Tasmanian Premier and Tasmanian Government on putting in place a similar arrangement between Canberra and Hobart," he said.
Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein on Friday said travellers from the ACT and possibly NSW may be able to enter the state, if approved by the State Controller, earlier than December 1 — the previous date the Tasmanian Government had been sticking to.
"We are not declaring that we will open early [but] I think there is a good chance we would be able to open towards the end of the month [of October]," he said.
"Obviously the circumstances of each of those jurisdictions will be what will inform our decision, as well as our health preparedness, our aged care preparedness as well.
"The national aspiration is for the country to be open by Christmas, we will share that aspiration, but again, we won't put Tasmanians at risk."
