What is the Future of Weddings post COVID-19? Are intimate wedding ceremonies the new trend? What are the safety precautions that will be taken by vendors and service partners? We answer all the raging questions!

 

COVID-19 has seen Indian wedding trends transition rapidly. It all began with a digital intervention, with guests across the world attending wedding ceremonies through Zoom calls when real couples chose to plan intimate weddings in their living room. The Big Fat Indian Wedding trend took a back seat and real couples drove their Weddings in the time of Corona from the comfort of their homes with limited family members. When the restriction is in lockdown ease, couples in India should be able to plan a wedding with 30-50 people in attendance. Many couples have opened their minds and hearts to the idea of intimate weddings but nothing is set in stone.

The Knot Worldwide family delved into deeper conversations with the trusted Wedding Experts in India and abroad to zero in on the major highlights that determine the new reality of weddings across the world. From health and safety measures, layouts, new wedding celebration formats, to rethinking the guest experience, we have tried to cover it all.

A New Reality

While the world reopens, many countries including ours are still battling the second wave of COVID19. This has led to either complete lockdown or implementing guidelines limiting large group gatherings and events in certain parts. As countries and states continually adapt local regulations in response to the potential of changing circumstances, The Knot anticipates weddings post lockdown to be celebrated in a number of different ways. One factor that will remain constant is the desire for human connection and the celebration of love with loved ones—no matter what that celebration looks like.

With the help of wedding industry experts, The Knot shares the new reality of weddings regarding health and safety measures, layouts, new event formats, and rethinking the guest experience.

Health and Safety Measures

Installation of sanitation fans similar to mist fans to make sure all the guests walking in are sanitized without manual effort. Planners or venue owners will help couples ensure that sanitation is top of mind before and during every celebration. Hyatt Place Gurgaon confirms, “Temperature reading will be mandatory at the entrances. Hygiene kits will be given to all guests.”

Format of Weddings

The influence of social distancing and limiting large group interactions will likely continue to shape weddings even after distancing restrictions are loosened or lifted. Couples will likely make changes to their wedding day formats, whether that be shifting to a weekday wedding to ensure their full vendor team is available, revisiting their guest list for a more intimate and intentional gathering, or planning multiple wedding celebrations to accommodate various guest groupings. New wedding day formats may include:

The Rise of the Minimony: Marry Now, Celebrate Later

During the lockdown, many couples have gotten creative with ways to honor their original wedding dates and have hosted their wedding ceremony from the comfort of their living rooms. 13% are partaking in mini-ceremonies, or what The Knot Worldwide has coined a “minimony.” Couples are celebrating their marriage ceremony intimately with a small group of loved ones in person. Their remaining family and friends are attending the ceremony over a zoom call. While minimonies cannot take the place of a couple’s postponed wedding celebration, the small commitment ceremonies are often a cathartic way for couples to bond in honoring their original wedding date during this unprecedented time. With the country gradually opening up from the lockdown and the number of guests allowed at a wedding celebration limited to 50, planners are now helping couples to coordinate with other wedding vendors, such as venues to accommodate smaller no. of guests, wedding photographers who can cover the most memorable wedding moments with a downsized team, etc. Couples are hiring a wedding photographer to capture this smaller minimony and then post photos on their wedding website.

Weekday Weddings

Many couples are being flexible when rescheduling their wedding date, with some couples opting to switch their wedding celebrations to a different day of the week 12%—Couples are making this decision to ensure their full vendor team is available on their new, rescheduled date. FNP Gardens have confirmed that they are suggesting couples and their families plan their wedding ceremonies during the day. This could help them to cater to every couple’s wedding dreams and make it easier for FNP to provide their venues to a larger number of clients.

Micro Weddings

Due to the unpredictable lifting of social-distancing restrictions, some couples may look to move forward with planning a micro wedding or an intimate wedding celebration with a reduced guest list. The reduction in the guest count can allow couples to focus on creating a truly one-of-a-kind macro experience, splurging on personalizations, a decadent sit-down meal at a five-star restaurant, sustainable wedding decoration for intimate weddings, or outside-the-box guest entertainment. Some couples who host micro weddings may also choose to host a larger party in the near future with the rest of their guest list.

Multi Weddings

Guests can utilize the events they had already planned for their wedding weekend ( wedding ceremony, Haldi & Mehendi, and reception) to host multiple celebrations, inviting different groupings of their guests to each event. This concept, similar to a shifted wedding, allows couples with a guest list on the larger side to celebrate with each and every one of their guests throughout multiple separate festivities. Unlike the shift wedding, multi weddings happen over a span of an entire weekend instead of just one day, allowing for lengthier events.

Sequel Weddings

The Knot, initially coined the term “sequel wedding” in 2019 when referring to couples who had multiple ceremonies for cultural, religious, or other reasons. In the time of COVID-19, sequel weddings are taking on a new meaning for couples who still want to celebrate with all those nearest and dearest to them safely. A sequel wedding is a larger-scale second celebration (i.e. a wedding that’s been postponed), following an event that is more intimate in nature like a minimony or micro wedding. Having a minimony allows couples to solidify their union or to honor their first proposed date while throwing a sequel wedding allows them to bring their wedding vision to life and celebrate with all their guests.

Shift Weddings

The concept of a shifted wedding may also appeal to couples who want to maintain a full guest list, allowing them to celebrate with all their loved ones in a similar way to what they initially planned, but in shifts. With shift weddings, couples are able to host their wedding day festivities at their original venue and with their full team of wedding vendors in shifts of people, allowing them to adhere to social-distancing guidelines and event capacity restrictions. Venues will be properly clean and sanitized between groups arriving on site. This concept may help couples create a fulfilling celebration after a long period of self-isolating, without having to make the difficult decision to cut their guest list.

Rethinking the Guest Experience

Guest Communication Enhanced by Digitization

To help guests feel safe and in the know, couples will likely shift their methods for communicating with guests in advance-before wedding celebrations, inclusive of incorporating more details on paper stationery, like health and safety information and an increased reliance on technology like wedding websites and virtual gifting methods.

Wedding websites are the best way for couples to remain in constant contact with guests on updates related to their upcoming wedding. A list of frequently asked questions is a great place to start, with details on any new accommodations like hotel blocks or day-of transportation and any new health and safety precautions that will be incorporated into wedding festivities.

Guest Experience Enhanced With Alternative Entertainment

Couples may include hyper-personalized alternative entertainment for their guests to enjoy at a safe distance. Dance floors can be replaced with entertainment ideas that will keep your guests seated. These experiences can include live musical performances or family performances with limited performers on the stage. Music vendors may also lean into technology, like the silent disco concept, so guests can be more spread out and celebrate at a safe distance.

Live streaming for Faraway Family

The rise of wedding streaming for loved ones tuning in from afar will also likely increase in the next year due to guests who may be uncomfortable traveling or being in large crowds immediately following the pandemic. In addition, guests will likely take a digital-first approach when it comes to gifting for weddings and wedding-related events like showers and bachelor(ette) parties. Sawhney, from FB celebrations shares, “As with other aspects, entertainment will also be re-imagined, to accommodate the social distancing and health requisites of the new normal. We foresee the following ideas being introduced:

• Instead of dancing, consider planning more entertainment that will keep your guests seated.
• Family performances to be the focal point, making the celebration more intimate
• Entertainment can be morphed into a virtual experience thereby having customized content without striking off another guest from the list
• More engaging activities to keep everyone involved

He further adds, “The digital disruption has ensured that we can be a part of any event virtually. We predict ceremonies that will be relayed online live via digital platforms for those who are not able to be present. Artist’s performances can be digitized. Personalized virtual screens and smaller per-event functions can be held virtually to add to the experience. Guests can engage in interactive activities and games that bond. A digital world ensures that everyone can enjoy together, even though they may be miles apart!”

No matter what the current COVID-19 struck scenario looks like, better days are on their way! #Loveisnotcancelled and couples are finding the sweetest possible ways to let their wedding dreams come true.

 

Post by : Wedding Wire