2020 has been a challenging year for everyone, and wedding planning couples have faced a particularly tough time. Confetti and The National Wedding Show came together to conduct the largest survey of wedding planning couples in the UK to explore the impact the pandemic has had.
4,494 brides and grooms told us what this year has been like for them. Key findings included…
98% of 2020 Couples Had to Reschedule Their Weddings
Out of almost 4,500 couples surveyed, 44% of them had been planning on getting married in 2020. Nearly all of them have had to cancel their wedding and reschedule for another date.
Read more: I cancelled my wedding due to coronavirus and this is what I learned
Rescheduling Weddings Has Had an Impact on Mental Health
Understandably, the lack of clear guidelines and an absence of a roadmap for weddings has caused many couples to suffer from mental health issues. 97% of brides and grooms who have had to change their wedding plans in 2020 say the have experienced anxiety as a result of this.
87% of those who still have a date booked and haven’t yet had to reschedule say they too have experienced anxiety due to the uncertainty surrounding weddings during the pandemic.
Read more: How to keep calm in the run up to your wedding
“Planning a wedding in normal circumstances can be stressful, but this year couples have experienced a whole new level of pressure. It’s no wonder almost every wedding planning couple surveyed has reported feeling anxious this year. It’s extremely tough to plan a wedding and have no idea who will be able to attend or if it will even happen – a clear roadmap for the wedding industry is needed to help both couples and suppliers,” says Zoe Burke, editor of Confetti.co.uk.
Read more: How it feels to have no idea if your wedding will go ahead
2021 Will Be the Year of the Weekday Wedding
Nearly 40% of couples (39.3%) have rescheduled their wedding for a weekday in 2021 – this is in part due to weekdays being more affordable, and partly due to weekends booking up rapidly as everyone rushes to reschedule their celebrations.
29% of couples who are yet to pick a new date say they would have a weekday wedding in 2021 if no weekends are available at their chosen venue.
Second Celebrations Are Set to be a New Trend
We’ve heard all about the micro wedding in 2020, but 2021 will see a new wedding trend emerge – the ‘second celebration’. As government guidelines continue to ban and restrict wedding receptions, couples are going ahead where they can but with smaller numbers and no parties.
44% of wedding planning couples say they are planning to have an additional, bigger celebration later on where they can invite those they had to uninvite from their downsized wedding. A further 44% said they aren’t sure yet, but they haven’t ruled it out.
These second celebrations are set to be as impactful as a full wedding – almost 50% of those planning a second celebration say they will hire professional wedding suppliers to give their party a proper wedding feel – including 10.5% of brides saying they’ll be buying a new wedding dress!
“It’s positive to see that whilst times are challenging right now, couples are looking to the future with hope,” adds Cassandra Denman, Event Director of The National Wedding Show. “The fact that 44% are planning their second celebrations and so many of those plan to utilise industry professionals to create a wedding feel is a really good sign.”
Opinion is Split on Live Streaming Your Wedding
You’d be forgiven for thinking everyone is streaming their weddings in 2020 – but it’s actually a divisive one. 50% of couples were in favour of it, whilst the other half said they would not consider broadcasting their nuptials to those unable to attend due to limited guest numbers.
Wedding Favours Get Practical in 2020
Wedding favours have had a serious revamp this year – gone are the chocolate wedding favours or cheap little favours for guests, and in their place are practical wedding favours such as hand sanitiser and personalised face masks. 56% of wedding planning couples stated they would be providing pandemic essentials – sanitiser and face masks – to their guests.
Wedding Budgets Aren’t Decreasing
Despite it being a turbulent year for many, 75% of couples said their wedding budget would not be decreasing for their wedding – whether it was a rescheduled one, or one planned for the future.
Travel is Still on the Cards
Despite the pandemic resulting in lockdowns around the world and restrictions on travel, many couples are still dreaming of getting away. 71% of those surveyed who were planning to get married abroad have not changed their plans.
In addition to this, 73% of couples are still actively planning to go on honeymoon, with 54% of these planning to spend the same or more on their holiday of a lifetime.
If you need advice and guidance on how to cancel or postpone your wedding, make sure you read our guide. There’s plenty of support and advice in our Coronavirus and weddings section on Confetti.
