Ready, Set, Book: The 2021 Wedding Venue Race
As we take the first breath of 2021 after crawling over 2020’s finish line, many couples are gearing up for yet another race. Couples all around the world planned and prepped for their special day only to be catapulted into COVID postponement purgatory. And while some couples are just floating in limbo, other couples have already booked their 2021 wedding venue before the last New Years’ confetti flake hit the floor.
With an entire year of weddings being postponed to 2021, the competition for dates, venues, and vendors practically doubled and put prospective couples in a precarious position.
“Now more than ever, flexibility is critical. Even if you’re planning an intimate celebration of less than 50 people, you may very well confront a shortage of available Saturdays in 2021. In many wedding markets, Saturday venue availability can be hard to come by in normal circumstances.” How to Start Planning a 2021 Wedding during the COVID-19 Pandemic, Rebecca Rose, RebeccaRoseEvents
So how flexible are you? Are we talking toe touches or a full yoga plow?
If you’re glancing at your toes, you probably don’t want to change venues - and that’s okay!
You will be pleasantly surprised how empathetic and hospitable wedding venue owners are during these unprecedented times. For instance, Glencliff Manor in Virginia graciously hosted 40 COVID-friendly weddings back in May during the pandemic…for free.
If the specific date you desire at your preferred venue is booked, the owner will surely help you ease into a date that works for you.
Now let’s talk full plow. One of the strong and persistently shared trends in the wedding community is the flip from a weekend wedding to a weekday wedding. Before you rush and click out of this page, hear me out! Esther Lee, a blogger at theknot.com explained why couples should consider a weekday wedding, saying they “should be open to other days of the week—specifically, Mondays. Since it immediately follows a weekend, guests from out of town are able to travel in and get settled before the wedding ceremony.”
She went on to explain that with all the postponements and rescheduling, couples that pick weekdays over weekends find more options as well as lower prices.
The extra savings from flipping weekend to weekday might surprise you. Treat yourself to something special. Upgrade your coach airfare to first class for your honeymoon or treat your wedding party to a spa day.
Another trend produced by the pandemic, is the transition from large to smaller wedding ceremonies called micro-weddings. These smaller and more intimate ceremonies typically host up to 50 guests.
Believe it or not, but the wedding industry was predicting this trend prior to COVID which opens up more venue possibilities such as wedding chapels/venues such as our venue - Blissful Nuptials.
And with state regulations restricting large gatherings due to COVID, this would be a perfect excuse to reduce your guest list and not invite that ‘Uncle Larry’ or ‘Aunt Velma’ - you know we all have one.
Thinking you might get some “uninvited-family” backlash? Not to worry, cause many of these venues offer live streaming services for all out-of-town family and friends. So that “Uncle Larry” or “Aunt Velma” can have one too many - virtually!
These venues tend to be more affordable and typically offer full service which can include photographer / videographer, bouquet / boutonniere, and officiant. This would be a great option for couples stressing over trying to navigate through the planning process - again.
We didn’t go into 2021 thinking it was going to be all rainbows and chiffon, however the forecast has clouds parting, the sun shining, and the chiffon flowing. So whether you stretch to your toes or fold into a plow, you don’t have to throw in the towel in the 2021 wedding venue race just yet!
