As the world struggles out of the grips of the coronavirus pandemic, trillions of dollars were lost from world economies in the mess of the recession accompanying it. Millions of people lost their jobs in an effort of businessmen to keep their businesses afloat. The movement of persons outside their homes was restricted in many states. People were advised not to go out unless it’s for groceries and work.
Even though the restrictions helped in slightly slowing down the spread of coronavirus, a portion still didn’t believe hard enough in the legitimacy of the virus. As a consequence, different industries had to make huge adjustments to their business structures.
One of the heaviest hit industries was the wedding services industry. For context, the wedding services industry is worth $51 billion. The industry employs almost 900 thousand people, both full and part-time. Entire families rely on the wedding industry. Florists, caterers, wedding planners and coordinators, photographers, and videographers are a few of the professions severely affected by the pandemic. In 2018, the average cost of weddings reached an all-time high of $34 thousand for a single celebration.
Because of the pandemic, thousands of wedding ceremonies were canceled. Several restrictions were applied to huge gatherings of people. In Los Angeles, only members of the same household of the bride and groom were allowed to attend the wedding. What’s even more agitating is that different counties had a different set of rules than local governments.
The entire ordeal was confusing for wedding planners and wedding participants alike. The entire industry was put to a standstill, with the entire future uncertain. It was then proven that the wedding services industry was not pandemic proof at all.
As the world eases up on lockdowns and restrictions due to the vaccination rollout, millions of couples are hopeful that, post-pandemic, they can get married similar to the weddings pre-pandemic. What is the outlook of experts regarding the future of the wedding services industry? How will the wedding services industry move on from the biggest industry crashes of the new century?
New Innovations for the Digital Age
Using the digital advancements of the new century is key to rising beyond the wedding services industry crash of 2020. Thanks to the innovations brought about by multimedia companies, live streaming became the focal point of most weddings where only a certain number of persons were allowed.
This new revolution has shifted the focus of weddings. Certain industries were forced to retire from the game temporarily, but a few more sprouted up. The need for dresses to be made or for guests to be served by expensive caterers lessened. Digital weddings with virtual attendees became the social trend of choice for those who had to alter their wedding plans. Not only is it safe, but you also get to celebrate your day with the people who truly matter.
The pandemic forced everyone to have a long-distance relationship with everyone else. It feels good that despite that, we are still finding ways to connect even on our most special day. As long as the wedding is intimate and sincere, there is no reason to postpone the wedding for a future time.
Focus on the Marriage, not the Celebration
The wedding services industry can build on the fact that the focus is now on the marriage itself and not the celebration. Due to the extreme downsizing most couples are doing with their marriage celebrations, investing in another related business route may be ideal for those in the wedding services industry. Getting involved in the most basic things a marriage need is the wisest thing to do.
The only things that matter in the wedding celebrants’ lives are their couple’s rings, vows, and wedding celebrations. Everything else is just noise for the to-be-weds.
Eventual Return of Large-scale Celebrations
While there is no assurance that the wedding services industry will return to normal, the outlook is that the trend of celebrating large-scale weddings will eventually return. The hope for the wedding services industry is that eventually, as the population gets inoculated, more and more couples will be willing to hold their dream wedding on a larger scale.
To hold optimism might be difficult right now, especially if your business has many mouths to feed. However, the hope is not unfounded. Similar to other industries affected by the pandemic, the pattern of recovery is the expectation than the exception. Everyone loves going to weddings and celebrating them. Let us hope that the age group will find the appeal and hold weddings similar to the pre-pandemic ones.
There is no telling where the wedding services industry will go from here. The hope is still there, even when the entire industry scrapes for ways to get by. By focusing on what truly is important in a marriage, we can only hope that the industry is headed in the right direction.
Meta title: The Effects of the Pandemic on the Wedding Service Industry
meta desc: The pandemic gutted the wedding services industry to its core. As we continue to survive in the pandemic, what does the “new normal” hold for this sector?
