Can we all agree: 2020 has been a rough year! I have had so many couples either cancel, or postpone this year, it’s been unreal. And those that went through with their weddings had to scale back, or change so much, it was merely a shell of what was once their dreams. And here’s the craziest news... it’s only going to get worse next year!
Now, before you head to your local Costco and stock up on food for a year, and prepare for the zombie apocalypse, hear me out. It’s only going to get worse for some, perhaps not you.
Tell me something good
If you’re like most couples currently, you’ve had to change up your plans. You had your venue booked, guest list done, dress and suit ordered, food ready and then BAM! COVID-19 hit!!
You were left scrambling, trying to figure out if you should postpone to later in 2020, move the date to 2021, or scale back to just you guys and a couple of guest. It has been frustrating, to say the least. Both for you, your guests, your families, and your vendors.
But wait, there’s a silver lining! I know it’s hard to hear there’s a positive, when you’ve been through so much this year... but there really is. You have a head-start on other couples! You can take advantage before others realize what’s happened. And it will greatly benefit you when it comes to planning your wedding for either 2021 or 2022, if you act now!
But first, a little wedding industry history
I want to tell you what’s happened over the last couple of years, and give you some insight as to what’s been happening in the wedding industry. You see, not everything has been sunshine, rainbows, and roses over here either. We have to travel back to 2018....
One thing you must understand, in the wedding industry there’s this thing called “Engagement Season”. It’s the most wonderful time of the year (you’ll be singing that Christmas song for the rest of the day). This “season” is when the bulk of couples get engaged. It happens between Thanksgiving and New Years Eve. And here’s the amazing part, 80% of those couples will get married the following year. Crazy, right?
So, back during Engagement Season 2018, all these couples took this BIG step in their relationship. And what was supposed to happen? 80% of them were supposed to get married in 2019. But it didn’t!! Instead, many opted to get married in 2020, because they wanted to have a very unique, and cool, year for their wedding date. Many wedding vendors, in 2019, saw a slight dip in their bookings because of this. In fact, it was estimated that 2020 was going to be the biggest year for weddings since 2000 - another unique year (side note: my wife and I were married that year)!
Then, during 2019, Engagement Season hit again. And what do you think happened? 80% of those couples started planning their wedding for 2020. And the wedding vendors began to salivate at the prospects of having a huge, banner year.
As we gleefully booked our calendars full for 2020, we had no idea what was going to happen....
Hindsight really is 2020
Two years worth of couples began to plan their weddings, and vendors began to prepare for their biggest year yet. It was a simpler time back then. People were happy, they hugged, shook hands, coughed and sneezed without a worry... but March 2020 had other plans!
As the pandemic hit, everyone was left scrambling. Daily the restrictions and regulations changed. What do we do? Do we stay the course, or change our plans? No one seemed to have a definitive answer. And, as I’m sure most of you realized, weddings were not going to be the same. Most pushed off, and were forced to wait another year. And it sucks! It’s been hard on you, it’s been hard on your families, and, believe it or not, it’s been hard on your wedding vendors as well.
We have struggled with you. Many great vendors I know, have had a tough year - emotionally, and financially. Some that I know personally, have had to close up shop, and that’s devastating to hear. But we have 2021 to look forward to, and I can’t wait!
And now, good news! Drumroll please....
You’ve kept with me this long, and now here’s your reward: your advantage!!
Remember how I stated there’s a thing called “Engagement Season” that’s happens every year? Remember how I told you 80% of those couples will get married the following year?
Well, at this point, you have an advantage over all of those couples before Engagement Season hits this year! You see, those couples haven’t gotten engaged yet, they haven’t started planning their 2021 weddings yet, and therefore, you have a head-start.
You’ve already ordered your clothes, you’ve already lined up a venue, and you’ve already booked phenomenal wedding vendors. And if you haven’t, you can before they’re all snatched up!
2021 is now primed to be the craziest year in the wedding industry. We have not one year’s worth of couples, not two year’s, but three year’s worth of couples! (2018, 2019, & 2020 couples). All these couples will be looking at the same venues, photographers, caterers, etc. They’re all going to be clamoring for the same dates, times, etc. But you can get things locked down early, and before everything is booked! Isn’t that exciting?
Just to put things in to perspective: I’m a wedding officiant. Most couples don’t start looking to hire me until about 6 months before their wedding date. Occasionally, I’ll hear from a bride who’s very organized, and they’ll book me out a year in advance.
In a normal year, at the end of September, I would have roughly 5 or 6 weddings booked for the following year. As of right now (end of September), I have nearly 40 weddings already booked for 2021. Couples have signed the contract, and paid the deposit. Many of them postponed until next year due to the pandemic, but quite a few locked me in early because they knew what was going to happen next year.
So, you now have some wedding industry insider information. You now understand about Engagement Season, you now know how many couples will be planning for their 2021 weddings, and you know what to do: get planning!
If you haven’t booked all your wedding vendors yet, book them. Get them locked in before Engagement Season 2020 hits. Don’t wait until the last minute to call a baker, or a videographer, or an officiant 😉. You have an advantage, use it!
Good luck to all of you and congratulations!!!