Life has changed so much since the COVID-19 pandemic took over the world. As I sit here reflecting on the changes in the wedding industry — the loss of business and closures of some service providers — I was honestly on the verge of a pity party. Then I started to think what the wedding industry would be like after COVID-19.

I’m writing this in a very thoughtful frame of mind and hopeful about the future of the wedding industry not just locally but on an international scale.

As a wedding planner you have to be prepared for the unforeseen, for what might happen… we thought we were, and then a pandemic happened! The entire wedding industry pretty much came to a standstill.

Prior to this, weddings had really been trending upwards, in terms of how luxurious they were and in their scale of size. There is no doubt however that the pandemic has forced couples to reconsider and reevaluate their priorities regarding the important factors in their wedding. By doing so, they’ve realised that certain aspects of the wedding day that were once non-negotiable have become unnecessary. Wedding couples are now looking to downsize their wedding dreams to become more practical and intimate.

For most, spending is limited these days. When couples take a look at what one day could actually cost, then the reality hits: that which they once viewed as a perfect day could realistically be cut to half its previous expenditure for a wedding that is less extravagant. This perspective could possibility mean a change to the new norm.

Moving forward, event planners and couples will be compelled to create weddings that address concerns, not just those that are regulated by law but also those that are prompted by worried couples and their guests.

People will still get married, vendors will still get business; I think it will be on a different scale for a little while. It’s not a bad thing because it has allowed for a lot of companies and wedding industry professionals to reevaluate their services and the way they do business, and I am pretty sure that a lot of wedding professionals will come out stronger than before.

As a wedding planner, one thing for sure that I have learned is that challenges in business will always be thrown at you and you need to learn from them; make sure you are ready for them if and when they return. Be prepared to weather business storms.

None of us can really predict what’s going to happen or how long it will take before things go back to some form of normality. All we can do is pick up the pieces and move forward. In the end it’s all about people marrying who they love, regardless of the size of the wedding.

“Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.”

— Roy T Bennett