2021 Wedding Trends Due to Covid
I am a wedding planner in Chicago and Miami and I am getting a LOT of questions about wedding planning during the Covid-19 pandemic and whether couples who are just getting engaged should plan for a 2021 wedding. Here are some frequently asked questions that we see that might help you make your decision! Some couples are opting for a small wedding in 2021 with a big party in 2022, some are just shooting for 2022.
What is everyone else doing?
We are seeing that most couples who are getting engaged in 2020 are opting for a 2022 wedding instead. Honestly, even before the pandemic we would see couples wedding planning 2 years out. But we’ve definitely seen an increase this year.
We are seeing a lot of micro weddings happening in 2020 and 2021 with plans to have the bigger shin dig in 2022.
Do Chicago venues have any availability in 2021?
In short - no. Popular Chicago and Miami venues definitely don’t have the most desired Saturday dates in September and October 2021
Most couples who originally hoped to have their wedding in 2020 have postponed their weddings to 2021. This means that most Fridays & Saturdays that would usually be open right now are booked.
There are always exceptions but venues are booking up every day that goes by
Dates have been taken by couples who were supposed to get married in 2020
Most Saturdays are booked and even many Fridays and Sundays
If you are open to a Sunday or weekday wedding than you will definitely have more luck hosting a wedding in 2021!
If you are considering a 2021 wedding we would highly recommend keeping your guest list under 50 people. If you have postponed your wedding to 2021 we recommend having a smaller guest count as a backup plan.
Will the venue/vendor I select still be in business in 2021?
This is an excellent question and concern in today’s pandemic age. We highly recommend that you ask your venue and vendors what their business plan is for the next couple of years and what their contingency plan is if they do indeed go out of business. What will they do for you their client?
We have had some vendors and venues straight out tell us that they are not taking any venue tours or contracts at this time because they are unsure of their future.
You will find that most professional wedding venues and wedding vendors in Chicago are doing just fine, we have pivoted and adapted.
What are venue and vendors policies should we have to postpone or cancel due to covid?
All vendors/venues are unanimous when it comes to our non-refundable deposit. If you put down a non-refundable deposit it will not be refunded no matter what happens. The venue could catch on fire, there could be a global pandemic, you and your partner might call off the wedding. If any of these things happen you will not get your money back no matter what.
Make sure to check each contract that you sign very carefully. See if the business has a policy should something happen to them under Act of God or Force Majeure. Make sure that they have professional contracts that have been drafted by an attorney. Never sign anything that you don’t read. Never sign a vendor/venue contract that doesn’t have a Force Majeure or Act of God clause. Many venue/vendors have a special Covid clause. Pay close attention to this clause and ask any questions you need to!
Should Covid continue to affect events and gatherings through 2021/2022, most vendors are allowing a complimentary reschedule 1 year from your original wedding date. Venues and photographers work slightly different. Since most photographers are a 1 person operation they are asking that if you need to reschedule that you consider a Friday/Sunday or weekday date if you originally have a Saturday date. They are asking that if you must choose a Saturday again that you pay an additional fee.
Venues usually take on rescheduling on a case by case basis and it all depends on their availability. Make sure you ask your venue what their policy is before signing a contract and make sure it is written clearly in your contract as well.
I can confidently say that our team postponed 16 weddings this year and we didn’t have an issues with any of them.
Should I host a micro wedding and a bigger wedding?
If you are absolutely DYING to get married to your loved and don’t want to wait a year or two years to be legally married go ahead and host a small event! This can be as simple as going to the courthouse, having an elopement with a photographer on a mountain, or planning a small wedding like one of our Little but Fierce weddings in your backyard or at a Chicago or Miami wedding venue.
Even before the pandemic many of our couples got married for legal reasons or so they could have a tiny intimate ceremony with no one else around. These couples would then have a bigger celebration with friends and family. Many of them would still have a ceremony for friends to see, however, it would be super non-traditional and out of the box. (Our favorite).
You can totally do both! Just ask yourself what budget you have for both events and how much time and energy you want to invest in them. If you need to delegate the responsibility talk to a wedding planner! We offer a complimentary consultation and can help you make these big decisions. If you would prefer to focus all of your energy and money on one event than it might be best to hold out and wait till 2022 to produce it!
If you have any other questions or concerns and want to reach out to a professional wedding planner contact us! We offer a complimentary consultation and can give you more guidance during these tricky times. We wish you the best of luck with your wedding planning!