What does the vaccine mean for my wedding next year?
2020 has been a difficult year for Brides and Grooms, with plans being put on hold and rescheduling already rescheduled weddings. But as the emotional roller-coaster of 2020 comes to a close, things are looking very optimistic for 2021!
With the horizon looking bright, 2021 is going to be a year full of excitement and weddings going ahead as planned (which we are VERY excited about!) With a new vaccine being rolled out over the coming months, many are feeling much more positive about their 2021 plans! So, what does that vaccine mean for weddings next year?
What have the government said about 2021 weddings?
Boris Johnson has handed out plenty of bad news this year for the wedding industry and couples hoping to get married. However, in a recent question, Boris gave us all the news we’ve been waiting for. Recently, when asked when the wedding industry is expected to re-open properly and big weddings will be able to recommence, the prime minister said it could be as soon as Easter. Which is fantastic news for all Brides & Grooms hoping to have their big day take place next year!
However, it's important to remember that the likelihood of this is highly dependent on how things go in the following few months as the new vaccine is rolled out.
He sounded pretty confident when saying that if you’re planning a summer wedding, you should be full of confidence and optimism (and we could not be happier!)
When will we know?
We would all love to know what date we can tick everything off, forget any worries and be sure that Weddings are going to be going ahead as normal, however, as has been the pattern this year, there isn’t a set date for that and we should continue to expect some uncertainty. Over the following few months keep an eye on the news and on our blog to find out new updates, changes and likelihoods. We hope that by the end of February there should be a clearer picture of what is likely to be given the go-ahead for Weddings in 2021. We would still advise finding out if there are any fees for postponement due to Covid if you’re booking any new supplier. Although we hope you won’t need to postpone your wedding next year, it’s always good to find out these details in case you or anyone else needs to postpone for any reason.
Should I plan my wedding as if it’s going ahead?
Absolutely. There is every chance that it is – with good news on the horizon and promising vaccine it means cases will go down and the number of wedding guests will go up. We know it’s difficult to get excited when things are so uncertain, but 2021 is a new year that is full of possibilities and the prospect of many happy Bride and Grooms celebrating with all their love ones. If you’ve postponed your wedding and are yet to set a new date, we would recommend getting a date in the diary with your venue and suppliers to avoid disappointment over unavailable dates. We know how busy the industry is going to be when it fully reopens and will all the excitement surrounding 2021 weddings we recommend getting in there quickly - you can bet many other couples will have the same idea!
Destination weddings and vaccines
If you’re planning to get married abroad in 2021 then you’re probably keen to know how the vaccine will affect weddings taking place abroad. With hopes that things will begin returning to normal around Easter in the UK, travel abroad is likely to be on the card at some point during 2021.
Despite it looking very optimistic, there will be a lot of variables when it comes to destination weddings next year. The influencing factor will be the restrictions that are in place in the county you are travelling to. We do not know yet how accessible the vaccine will be to under the 50s’ who are neither vulnerable nor key workers, and there is a likelihood that visitors may need to have the vaccine to enter another country.
We also have the added hurdle of Brexit, which makes it that extra bit difficult to predict where and when we will be allowed to commence weddings abroad.
There is a lot of positivity surrounding both the wedding and travel industry and we’re optimistic that at some stage during 2021 weddings aboard will get the full go-ahead. For now, we would recommend keeping a close eye on the updates as and when they are released. Keep your venue and suppliers updated on your plans and regularly check in with them to avoid any confusion further down the line.
Vulnerable Guests
Weddings are a time when families, big and small, come together - and this usually includes many elderly or vulnerable loved ones.
The great news is that these will be the first to receive the vaccine, so when the industry does open up and weddings do commence you won’t be left worrying about them and they will have been vaccinated already.
Although we don’t know how long it will take for the whole of this category to become vaccinated, we do know it will likely be before spring which is when the wedding industry is hoping to start returning to a new normal.
With all of that information, we’re sure that the vaccine is positive for the wedding industry. It will open doors again and allow larger groups to gather in the same area without the worry and risk of infecting loved ones.
If you have a 2021 wedding planned, get ready for the go-ahead because we’re optimistic it will be in the next 6 months and when it does, we’ll be here to answer any questions you may have or be the helping hands you may need.
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