Across the world, the pandemic has meant that many of those looking forward to their nuptials, have been forced to postpone or cancel. This has left us wondering; what will a post-coronavirus wedding look like?

Well, here are some predictions from the experts…

Shorter Guest Lists

Luxury wedding planner Emma Joy, said she expects many more smaller, intimate weddings in the next year.

“Smaller weddings have been getting more and more popular in recent years and the pandemic will only accelerate this trend in my view.

This is partly because of social distancing, which looks like it’ll be needed for some time to come, but also because relationships with close family and friends have never been more important. Gone will be the days of feeling obligated to invite everyone you know or work with; couples will want to relax and spend quality time with a more intimate group.

Sadly, some couples may face a change in their financial circumstances as a result of the pandemic and this may require them to re-visit their wedding budget. Reducing the number of guests will help when it comes to food and drink costs, but I don’t think other aspects like flowers or entertainment will change. In fact, I think they’ll be more important than ever. After all, postponing brides now have more time to browse Pinterest!”

Emma Joy, Luxury Wedding Planner

The Weekday Wedding

Sarah Allard, editor at wedding planning website Hitched.co.uk, told Harper’s Bazaar that she believes we’ll soon be seeing more weekday weddings.

“With a lot of 2020’s weddings postponed until 2021, weekday weddings will certainly be on the rise and a big trend for next year. A weekday wedding is a brilliant option for couples; not only can you expect to pay a lot less than you would for a weekend date but there’s more likelihood of your dream venue and supplier team being available too,” she explained.

Sarah Allard, Editor at Hitched.co.uk

The Wedding You Really Want…

Bridal dress designer Holly Winter, believes the cancellation of weddings means that couples have a greater chance of focusing on what their nuptials truly mean to them.

“Having anything to do with weddings – planning them, working with couples – in 2020 has been almost universally gutting, but lockdown has provided an opportunity for reflection.

I’ve found that, once they’re through the initial disappointment of having to postpone, lots of couples have had taken time to consider what their marriage – not just their wedding – means. Some realise it’s about the people they love and having them there to celebrate with them; others focus more on just each other and feel that as long as they can still marry and be part of each other’s family, everything else is just detail.”

Holly Winter, Bridal Dress Designer

The Divide

Holly also revealed that the pandemic appears to have sorted couples into two camps – those who want one, bigger-than-ever celebration, and those who are planning two separate ceremonies, one smaller one, and one with all their loved ones.

“The first are looking further ahead for their new dates so they can still have the big celebration they planned with everyone there. Some are even upscaling their plans. Go big or go home! The latter group are now considering a small legal ceremony either ahead of, or in lieu of a bigger celebration,” she said.

Holly Winter, Bridal Dress Designer

Postponing Far-Far Away

For many couples, rescheduling means picking a date as far as possible into the future, in order to avoid any coronavirus-related risks once again.

“The majority of my clients have postponed both their ceremony and their reception to next year or beyond. But several have decided they’ll get married as soon as possible and celebrate with their friends and family at a later date. We’ll definitely see more celebrant-led blessings over the next couple of years, if couples are already legally married.”

Emma Joy, Luxury Wedding Planner

COVID-Dresses

Holly has found that many of her brides are changing their dress plans to match two individual ceremonies.

“It feels like, for those those considering two ceremonies, they are scaling down their dress designs accordingly (not in all cases of course). Some will have two celebrations and now need a dress or dresses that will work for both.”

Holly Winter, Bridal Dress Designer

What do you think, Fairies? Do you agree with these predictions?

Digital Content Coordinator: Zoe Kanlis

Featured Image: Instagram