Listen: 2 in 3 couples fear COVID-19 will mean they can’t have the wedding they planned

New research conducted during the height of the lockdown has revealed that more than three quarters (76%) of engaged couples have rescheduled their weddings as a result of lockdown.

The government is now allowing weddings to take place; however, guests are limited to only thirty people and social distancing measures must be upheld. Many couples are concerned about what a post-lockdown wedding might entail.

The biggest fear, according to 66% of couples surveyed by WeddingDates in May 2020, is that venue or distancing restrictions will mean they can’t have the wedding they planned. 28% are worried that their desired venue will go out of business or bankrupt before their wedding and almost half (48%) think people are unlikely to attend group functions due to health concerns.

Many compromises must be made when planning a post-lockdown wedding. Two out of three couples (62%) have had to reduce their original guest list, 38% will have hand sanitiser as a place setting or wedding favour and 15% will have social distancing reminders as part of the décor. Weddings can take an enormous amount of preparation.

Aston spoke to Ciara Crossan, founder and CEO of Wedding Dates to discuss more about the hopes and dreams of engaged couples whose plans have been affected by the pandemic, and providing some valuable guidance and insight into what post-lockdown ceremonies might entail.

Photo by Evelina Friman on Unsplash