It seems like everyone is getting married now because they finally can! Here’s what the post-COVID Wedding Boom is, why you need to be aware of it, and how to properly navigate it.
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Picture this: a smiling bride waves at her grandmother through a nursing home window. She wanted her to be the first person to see her wedding dress. They place their hands against the glass while the granddaughter promises to Facetime during the ceremony.
During the uncertain days of quarantine, our cataclysmic news feeds were briefly interrupted by heartwarming videos, not unlike the image I just described. These recorded moments of human connection offered a reprieve from an unrelenting pandemic.
Suffice it to say that couples all got very creative during the shutdown about including their loved ones in their weddings. And now that we are all back together, there’s a greater sense of urgency for being able to celebrate the big day traditionally. However, because of all the weddings canceled, postponed, or announced during the pandemic, there has been a “Wedding Boom” that has substantially affected the wedding market. Here’s what to be mindful of during your planning process to ensure the wedding of your dreams is shared with the people you love most.
What is a “Wedding Boom”? The post-COVID Wedding Boom is defined as “a surge of couples looking to plan 2021, 2022, and 2023 weddings. As a result, experts say the demand for venues, vendors, and goods such as flowers and attire has never been higher.” In other words, waves of people are simultaneously contending for similar wedding dates and vendors, which can complicate planning as options quickly become limited. Never fear though, wedding planner Alexis Eliopoulos O’Mara, member of the Boston Wedding Group and owner of Unique Weddings by Alexis, shares some of her knowledge on how to best adapt to this unprecedented phenomenon.
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1. Solidify your dates.
Alexis cannot stress this enough. One of the trends that she has seen in the last two years is couples planning further ahead of time than they ever had before. Rather than booking six months to a year ahead of the wedding date, more couples than ever are reserving vendors such as venues and makeup artists even two years out. With so many people getting married, this is one of the most infallible tactics to secure specific vendors in high demand.
2. Get a wedding planner first.
This is a shared belief of many of the Boston Wedding Group members. The wedding to-do list can feel unsurmountable, so having an experienced planner guide you and your partner can
minimize stress. Not only will they be able to help secure vendors, but they can also suggest other excellent alternatives if your first choice is booked. After all, crisis planning is best managed by a seasoned professional who has likely seen it all before.
3. Know your info.
Did you spend the last two years scrolling on TikTok watching wedding videos? Well, you’re already ahead of the game. Knowledge of different wedding aesthetics like boho, rustic, or modern will make theme discussion with your partner easier. Moreover, if you’re concerned about being derivative, Alexis believes that “Weddings of similar themes are not going to look like each other at all. They’re going to be wildly different” due to a couple’s individual tastes.
4. Be a little flexible.
No one likes to hear this, but weddings are all about compromise. It is a day to celebrate your partner and yourself, but as Alexis says, “It helps to open up your horizons a little bit and be flexible. We want your wedding to be perfect but planning it is less stressful if you’re aware something can go wrong and that we can fix it.” Certainly, the couples that got married during COVID can attest to the virtues of adaptability — that it’s more about the shared joy rather than the little details.
5. Enjoy having everyone together again.
One of the most insightful reminders Alexis offers is for couples to enjoy themselves. It may sound obvious, yet it’s a healthy exercise in mindfulness. When the planning stress gets to be too much, remind yourself of what matters: your partner and loved ones all in one space again. Not so recently, some couples had to adjust their visions of the perfect day due to unforeseen circumstances; however, they were still able to find little connective moments of joy. And why is that? Well, as Alexis says, “It’s nice to get back together. You can’t replace that.”
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