Something old, something new

The ‘new normal’ doesn’t mean you can’t still plan your dream wedding

- Amanda Griffiths and Lauren Allen

It’s safe to say that 2020 has been a strange year – especially for the wedding industry and couples planning their special day.

In the space of three months, we went from holding celebrations that were as intimate or as grand as we wanted, to a complete ban on weddings. Three months later, we were told small wedding ceremonies could take place – but with no reception – and now, we have the go-ahead for wedding receptions for up to 30 guests.

With all the changes, we keep talking about the ‘new normal’ and what the future of weddings might look like. It is estimated that around 73,600 weddings and civil partnerships were postponed during the first three months of lockdown, with couples either choosing to postpone their date until later this year or many simply postponing until 2021.

For couples still planning a 2020 wedding, think about what you want from your day. Now more than ever before, the phrase ‘it’s your wedding, do it your way’ is truer than ever. Marriage is a celebration of love and commitment to each other – a more intimate celebration could allow you to have a more relaxed or informal day, and concentrate on the relationships around you.

If you want a bigger celebration but don’t want to postpone to 2021 (which is booking up fast), think about ways you can include all your guests safely. Maybe live stream the ceremony so guests who can’t be there physically can still watch you say your vows, or have a wedding hashtag and encourage your guests to use this when posting pictures on social media so people at home can watch as the day unfolds.