How Wedding Planning Changed During Covid-19

All aspects of human life underwent significant changes once Covid became a reality, and people accepted that it would be around for much longer than anticipated. Social gatherings such as birthdays and marriages suddenly became potential super-spreaders that could cause a Covid outbreak.

One of the industries hardest hit by Covid was event planning, especially weddings. A Covid wedding looks vastly different from the pre-pandemic event. Here is how things have changed.

Proving Covid status

At pre-pandemic weddings, guests would arrive, enter the venue, and enjoy the festivities. Now, they typically need to prove that they do not have Covid. 

While some couples do not insist on negative Covid test results for wedding guests, the venues that host the occasion might. Event organizers and venue owners follow strict Covid protocols aligned with local public health regulations to protect their staff and guests.

Companies like Event Scan, Color, Covid Clinic, and Drip Hydration offer Miami wedding COVID testing to help ensure that the bride and groom share their special day without worrying about a Covid outbreak. Some of these private medical services offer at-home Covid testing or group testing at a venue of the client’s choosing. With discounted testing rates for groups, everyone can save some money while getting a reliable test result.

Downsizing

Weddings that have gone ahead required a considerable shortening of the guest list to accommodate indoor gathering regulations. Many couples went from having hundreds of guests to paring the numbers down to 50-70. Some were relieved by the financial savings they were making by making their wedding smaller. For others, it was heartbreaking to cut loved ones off the list. Guests who did not make the cut might have felt offended but understood the bride and groom had no choice.

Wedding coordinators indicate that the downsizing trend might extend well beyond the end of Covid. Many couples have learned the value of a small, intimate gathering, allowing them to save money for something like a house or vacation instead of spending it on a single day of their lives.

The new normal

Covid has changed how most things are done, and weddings are no exception. When faced with the prospect of postponing their wedding or adapting to current conditions, few couples opted for the former. Instead, they decided to embrace the status quo and go ahead, even though their weddings would differ from what they planned. 

Many couples and wedding planners have taken Covid in their stride by incorporating it into their big day. For instance, couples have had masks made to mark the occasion for their guests, doubling up as wedding souvenirs. They have found it easier to embrace the new normal instead of fighting it and insisting on having the wedding they envisioned pre-pandemic.

Another way that the pandemic has changed weddings is how people can attend the event. Technology now allows guests to attend a wedding virtually, and many couples are offering live-streams for their guests. While virtual attendance cannot replace being there in person, it is better than missing out altogether.

Costs

Engaged couples have found that the prices of services, vendors, and venues have increased, limiting how much they can afford. Some are facing budget constraints as one or both have lost jobs or had their hours cut due to Covid. It has given them a chance to put the wedding into perspective as only a single day of an entire lifetime.

Several wedding vendor businesses, such as venues, went bankrupt during Covid, and some couples lost their deposits, leaving them to start saving from scratch. Again, they decided to cut their expenses and go ahead with their wedding, but on a smaller scale.

Catering

As it stands, the days of long buffet lines with everyone helping themselves are over, and it is uncertain when they will return. Catering for weddings has seen a significant change, with guests now served sealed plates and beverages to encourage them to remain seated and not mingle too closely with others. 

Food preparation and management protocols have also changed, with caterers taking many precautions to avoid Covid contamination and spread. It is more clinical now than before, which can put a dampener on the social, festive aspects of a wedding. However, put in perspective against the specter of not having a wedding, people are prepared to make adjustments to the food table as long as their guests are still well fed.