Something Old, Something New

Amanda Griffiths looks at the latest guidelines around wedding celebrations and how couples can still find a way to plan their big day

- Amanda Griffiths

It’s safe to say that 2020 has been a strange year – especially for the wedding industry and couples planning their special days. In the space of three months we went from holding celebrations that were as intimate or as grand as you wanted, to a complete ban on weddings. At the start of the summer, we were finally told that small wedding ceremonies could take place, but with no reception. The latest government advice, from August 15, is that weddings and receptions with up to 30 people (including the couple, guests, officiants and photographer) can take place. Both ceremonies and receptions must take place in Covid-secure environments.

As these rules change and are updated to the ‘new normal’, what does the future of weddings look like? It is estimated that around 73,600 weddings and civil partnerships were postponed during the first three months of lockdown – with couples either choosing to postpone until later this year or even into 2021.

For couples still planning a 2020 wedding, they need to think about what they want from the day. The notion ‘it’s your wedding, do it your way’ has been made more difficult, but the premise still stands. Marriage is a celebration of love and commitment – a more intimate celebration could allow for a more relaxed or informal day.