Will We be Celebrating Smaller Weddings For Years to Come?
When the Coronavirus pandemic hit, somewhere between 450,000 and 1 million weddings were cancelled or rescheduled. According to this article on The Wedding Report, in 2020, the number of weddings that took place in the United States plummeted by almost 50% compared to the previous year and those that went ahead were much smaller weddings than originally planned. Let’s check out a few astonishing facts:
- 21% of planned 2020 weddings were rescheduled to later in 2020
- 41.5% of weddings originally booked for 2020 were move to 2021
- 7% of engaged couples cancelled their 2020 wedding altogether
- 46% of couples cut their wedding budget by 31%
- 58% of couples reduced the guestlist for the wedding by 41%
Expect a Surge of Smaller Weddings in 2021
If the predictions are correct, we can expect to see a 33% surge in the number of weddings in 2021. In addition to new weddings, some of those cancelled or rescheduled last year are now going ahead. If you are planning to get married this year it is wise to book your venue slot now. Dates are filling up fast for most vendors!
However, while the number of wedding ceremonies taking place in 2021 is rising, these will look a lot different from the weddings of previous years. Smaller Weddings are the order of the day thanks to COVID-19.
Why Are Weddings Smaller?
There are a number of different reasons why guest lists are getting shorter, some of which include the following:
- Government Restrictions – In many cases the couple simply have no choice but to cut the guest list because of government regulations. Some states have put a cap on the number of people who can safely gather.
- Travel Restrictions – As the pandemic remains a concern, especially with the new strains emerging, there are still travel restrictions in place across the country. This can make it difficult for out of state guests to travel to weddings. It can also put the brakes on planned destination weddings in some cases.
- Social Distancing – Similar to the restrictions on numbers, the current advice on social distancing also means that venues are having to drastically reduce their event capacity numbers.
- Change in Budget – Many people have been hit hard financially by the pandemic. Whether they have lost their job entirely or been furloughed on a lower rate, some couples are having to rethink how much they can realistically afford to spend on a wedding. The easiest way to cut costs is to downsize the celebration.
- Health Reasons – For many couples, the ongoing threat of friends or family contracting Coronavirus is the main reason they want to reduce the number of guests in attendance. It just isn’t safe to have vulnerable people like grandparents, or even parents, mixing with large crowds.