Berryman said he wouldn't have had a wedding cancelled for this weekend if numbers on gathering restrictions were higher.
"As a venue ... we are playing Russian roulette with a fully loaded gun. There is no hope at the moment."
The level 4 restrictions in Auckland were also causing added pressure due to regional travel not being allowed.
"When Auckland shuts, tourism and hospitality shuts in New Zealand."
In his view, it was unfair that despite losing income due to the restrictions, he was still expected to pay operational business costs.
"I have government departments ringing me up chasing me for tax, PAYE, compliance costs, building warrant of fitnesses," he said.
In his view: "The Government is telling me with one hand you can't operate, and then I have got all these other government departments saying we want your money. How does that work?"
Waverly on Wairoa, the function centre is based at Waimarino Water and Adventure Park in Tauranga. Photo / George Novak
In the neighbouring western Bay of Plenty, operators of a riverside event venue have made the "difficult decision" to close after being "hit hard" by Covid-19 restrictions.
Waimarino Group director Blair Anderson said Waverly on Wairoa had been "haemorrhaging" since the first round of Covid-19 lockdowns last year.
The function centre based at Waimarino Water and Adventure Park will close at the end of November.
"The funds are drying up. So we are having to make a hard call," he said.
The venue, which could hold about 150 people, was unable to operate at level 2.
"Our building was designed for 100-plus conference and wedding group sizes," he said. "We can't keep everything going. It is too much.
"Numbers have dwindled right down. Covid-19 has taken a toll on another business, another livelihood, as well as the mental stress that goes along with it."
Rotorua-based business The Wedding Guy offers wedding planning consulting and celebrant services.
Founder Peter Duncan said the time spent rescheduling events was taking a "huge" toll on business.
"A lot of celebrants at the moment are doing more rescheduling than actually taking a wedding."
His business activity was 30 per cent down on 2019, he said.
But Duncan was grateful to still be in business and was saddened by the closure of Waverly on Wairoa.
"While we are certainly suffering a percentage downturn - we are still in business, we are still here. Whereas a lot of the other businesses - like venues - they are really doing it tough at the moment."
He was eager to see the region shift down alert levels "as soon as possible".
Jesse Jackson runs wedding and event catering business No Biggie alongside his wife Sarah Jackson. Photo / Alexandra Weddings
Sarah Jackson runs wedding and event catering business No Biggie alongside husband Jesse Jackson.
She said some couples that lived outside of Auckland were choosing to go ahead with their weddings under level 2 - with fewer guests.
"That has an impact on our catering because we charge a per person rate," Jackson said.
The Tauranga-based company works at venues across the Bay of Plenty, including in Rotorua.
The first wedding they were preparing for was on October 2, she said.
Other couples, particularly those that lived in Australia, had pushed back their weddings by more than a year.
"We are a nimble business - my husband I and are the only full-time workers. Our casual staff aren't getting as much work. We use lots of small producers, farmers - so it all has a trickle-down effect."
Jackson said it was not the "ideal start" to the wedding season, but the pair were trying to remain positive.
"It is looking like a really busy summer, most weekends are booked which is amazing."
But changes were becoming the "new norm", with some clients prepared to reduce guest numbers and put backup plans in place.
She hoped the country would see an increase in vaccination rates to assist in the border reopening.
A spokesperson for the Covid-19 Group in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet said the Government had introduced strengthened measures at alert level 2 because the Delta variant was highly transmissible, and presented an increased risk to the wellbeing of communities.
"We need to ensure the right settings are in place, in accordance with the most up-to-date health advice, to protect everybody.
"We recognise the restrictions in place are not easy for many event businesses, but it is important that we all take extra precautions now, so that we can stop the spread of Delta."
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment was also approached for comment.
