Weddings, Where Are We Now? Monday 22nd February 2021

Weddings, where are we now? It’s Monday 22nd February 2021 the Prime Minister (I could easily have used other words, but kept my cool) has spoken. What do we know now that will help us plan our weddings and events going forward?

Many couples have had their plans dashed over the last 12 months. Many couples have had them dashed more than once. Suppliers have been through the worst year ever in the world of weddings. It’s been a horrible time for everyone and we all want to move forward and get things back to “normal”. Given today’s announcements, how likely is that to be possible?

The positives and negatives

On the positive side, the vaccination program is rolling out ahead of schedule. This is fantastic news, and I’m delighted that I’ve received my first jab. Just as importantly the “R” rate is coming down.

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On the negative side, more variants are emerging. The “R” rate can go up again. Most importantly, many lives have been lost.

What’s New?

The easing of lockdown restrictions and new “roadmap” tells how things could go, but nothing is guaranteed. The new phases are five weeks apart to allow for monitoring and confirmation that things are moving in the right direction. When any social gatherings recommence they will be under strict guidelines – restricted numbers, rising when it’s safe to do so. It looks like 21st June is the earliest things might start to feel normal again.

Options

So, if you are planning your wedding, what’s best for you? Hopefully your vulnerable and older friends and family are, or soon will be, protected by the vaccine. So perhaps we can start to look ahead. My advice would be not to rush into anything. If you have already canceled and are looking to reschedule you may feel under pressure to rebook – but you’ve waited this far, so do you need to rush? You’ll know about your suppliers and what they can accommodate, I hope none of them are putting you under any additional pressure. Remember, they are often stressed out too. Juggling couples and dates, keeping everyone happy is a thankless task.

If you have got engaged, or started to plan during the pandemic, you are also already aware of the frustrations. Again do you need to rush? Would it be better to wait and see what happens rather than plan and have to cancel?

I’m not trying to put you off getting married. I just don’t want you to give yourself more, possibly unnecessary, stress. What alternatives are there?

Many of my couples still want the kind of wedding that we experienced before covid. You may just want to be married, possibly to start a family, and have decided to go ahead with a smaller ceremony and celebration. You are all different and will have different reasons to make your own decision. That’s fine and I can help you work out what will work for you – just get in touch.

So, where are we now?

Bottom line, you can’t really book anything until the local authority that controls the area says you can. CLICK HERE to go to the Hampshire County Council weddings information.

Weddings, where are we now? Well, that’s how I see it. If you have any questions or just want to chat through the options please get in touch.