Weddings in the Time of Covid - Part I

Part I - What about Weddings?

I already did the “obligatory COVID post” (here) but this virus doesn’t seem to be going anywhere soon so, more than a year later, a post re-visiting the situation seems to be in order.

“Surely we weren’t going to let Covid conquer LOVE!!”

When the whole world was told told they weren’t allowed to leave their house, few industries were as badly affected as the Travel & Tourism and Hospitality & Event sectors. This led to cries of “What About Weddings?!” from many businesses connected to the the bridal industry.

Surely weddings were still allowed. Surely we weren’t going to let Covid conquer LOVE!!

image courtesy of @whataboutweddings

Of the brides who came to my atelier to create their dream dress in 2020 only two got close to becoming a Mrs. One made it down the aisle with her beau, but with no family or friends by their side. The other was forced to cancel her reception plans with just weeks to go when many guests opted not to make the trip after Britain announced a 14-day quarantine for tourists returning from France.

And there-in many of my fellow bridal industry colleagues found an extra layer of complication. We live in this gorgeous part of the world where couples choose to travel to hold their dream, destination weddings. But Big, Bad Covid was making travel near impossible. It’s difficult enough to get the future Mr & Mrs here successfully, but 100+ guests as well? A mountain too insurmountable for many!

This was why one of my lovely brides celebrated her nuptials on the idyllic Lake Como, but with no family or friends and with strangers as witnesses.

Hannah, Lake Como

This wonderful bride, and many others, overcame much more than a deadly virus to be able to walk down the aisle in 2020.

By the end of that dreadful year, we tentatively began to see the light at the end of the tunnel for the following season. Having given up on 2020, many brides (and people in the bridal industry) set their sights on 2021 as the “comeback” season. The year when surely the virus would start to ease, travel would re-open, and weddings would be back on.

To be continued…

Do you have a story about wedding in the time of Covid? Share it with me in the comments, or email me directly through my Get in Touch page.