You’ve asked and we’ve answered! Welcome to your weekly column ‘Planning Your Happily Ever After’ with wedding consultant Shikima Hinds, who will each week spotlight all the questions you’ve been asking since COVID-19 was added to the guest list!

Initiatives are currently in motion to return to a more normal way of life, with celebrations love once again coming to the fore, including destination weddings.

Elopements and small weddings are what local resorts are seeing on their current booking forecasts, as Jamaica works feverishly to regain the romance tourism market share.

Weddings during these times are smaller gatherings; however, this is not only attributed to health recommendations, but also due to financial concerns couples are faced with. And frankly, many are nervous about any sort of travel, and this has certainly impacted the overall return to normality in the wedding industry.

Despite an incredible uphill battle for persons in the hospitality and wedding industry, many remain hopeful that things will pick up, and do so very soon.

Though the pandemic has created turmoil for destination weddings in Jamaica, COVID-19 allowed many industry professionals the required time to revamp their business models and embrace how best to use technology in the business.

There is no doubt that destination weddings, their locations and services offered will be changed in some way as travel resumes.

The desire for travel romance will once again be restored, as we all adapt to the changes and protocols implemented. Health and safety for all are paramount.