What is more fun, more emotional, or more exciting than a wedding? The bride’s mother is beside herself and has already begun to send out invitations. Mom is helping the bride choose what will be on her registry list, and, as for dad, he is happy for his daughter and dubious of the final investment total. All the planning and preparations for the big day are finally coming together, but one serious problem is like an arrow aimed straight at the bride’s heart. The bride and groom will be married during a worldwide pandemic.
Can the Wedding Go On as Planned?
The logical answer to the question of moving on with your original plans is a resounding, “no.” It won’t be possible to have the wedding you originally dreamed of before COVID-19. But there are ways, as many couples are discovering, to have that wedding cake and eat it, too.
Fine-Tuning the Number of Guests
Huge weddings with at least 100 people attending are not happening currently. Instead, social distancing, masks, and hand sanitizer availability are de rigueur. But, many newlyweds have found that when they pared down their wedding guest list and invited only their most beloved friends and family, the ceremony itself took on an intimate and a sacred feeling.
It is foolish not to listen to CDC recommendations that social gatherings must remain as small as possible. But, don’t forget you can invite any other friends via Zoom during the festivities.
Re-creating the Wedding Reception
Large, extravagant wedding parties have slowly become even more lavish and expensive over the years. In 2019, the cost of a wedding and reception in the US, on average, had grown to about $28,000. Not only the parents of the bride and groom, the marrying couple, and their families are spending plenty on the wedding, but expenses can impact guests and members of the wedding party, as well.
The Investment Changes
There’s no way to predict when the wedding industry will return to its former illustrious ceremonies, if ever. But it does seem to most that even a year from now, the coronavirus will still be among us somehow. It may not be as prevalent, but it’s still possible that wedding vendors will be using strict disease-prevention measures.
Rescheduling the big wedding couples were looking forward to will be difficult because venues and vendors have probably been reserved for the summer of 2021 already. These limitations make it likely that some wedding couples will decide on having a more straightforward, less lavish wedding celebration.
Another thought is that now that we find ourselves amid the pandemic, Americans are becoming more cautious about spending. The US Bureau of Economic Analysis reported Americans’ savings rate jumped from 8.2 percent in February to 12.7 percent in March. In April 2020, the savings rate rose to 33 percent. These stats may be predictors of better savings habits in the years to come.
Downsizing Your Wedding
Some brides are bravely reevaluating their priorities. A soon-to-be bride, Miranda Geng, was interviewed on the Today Show and had this to say
“My mindset shifted completely and I felt freer once I started looking at it as a regular party. I realized I was influenced by my friends who had these grand events and when costs started racking up, I shrugged it off as normal.”
Weddings may be different than they were a year ago, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be beautiful and meaningful.
