As sunny Saturdays book up through 2022, time is of the essence for couples on the hunt for wedding venues in Vancouver.
For Vancouver couples forced to postpone their long-awaited nuptials because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the light at the end of the tunnel is near. But now, a new challenge has arisen.
After a year without weddings or corporate events, event spaces and vendors are anticipating unprecedented demand until the end of 2023. For couples in the throes of wedding planning today, time is of the essence.
How to Plan a Post-Pandemic Wedding
Planning a wedding is challenging in a normal year; when facing down three times’ the normal demand, this emotionally exhausting and expensive task has only become more difficult. From inflated prices to crowded calendars, couples need to act now to secure the wedding they’ve been waiting for.
In 2020, thousands of couples had to cancel or postpone their weddings. Similarly, thousands of couples became engaged and began planning their own nuptials.
But that’s not all: as employers begin transitioning back to the office, team building and employee-centric events are crowding the centre stage. Christmas parties, “welcome back” parties, and long-delayed conferences and trade shows are also encroaching on desirable wedding dates.
The market is already, and will continue to be, more crowded than ever for people looking to book an event space in Vancouver. Luckily, being prepared is only a perspective shift away.
Adjust Your Wedding Budget for the Times
Planning a wedding is already an extremely costly venture. The Knot reported that the average cost of a wedding in 2019 was $28,000USD. This number fell in 2020 as many weddings were cancelled and downsized, but it will grow in 2021 and probably continue to keep pace with inflation in the market.1
As such, couples should revisit their budgets. It is likely that prices will rise across the board, impacting every aspect of a wedding from hors d’oeuvres to florals to photos. This is an unavoidable trend: supply has not grown with demand.
Therefore, when booking vendors or venues, expect higher prices. Revisiting the wedding budget means couples can reallocate funds to reflect their changing priorities.
Certain aspects of any wedding are non-negotiable. If that spectacular waterfall bouquet from your favourite Vancouver florist has to be had regardless of increased cost, then reallocate funds from another line item to ensure the most important parts of your day remain intact.
When It Comes To Pandemic Wedding Planning, Flexibility Is Key
Weddings often feel very high stakes—after all, you intend to do this only once in your entire life. But planning over the next few years will require some flexibility.
This is especially true of wedding dates. “This means considering non-Saturday dates, offseasons, and alternative event times,” Jamie Chang shared with Brides. “By being flexible, you’ll have way more options to choose from and it can even save you money in the end.”2
While not a traditional day for a wedding, a Friday or Sunday can still be accessible to guests and allow you to take full advantage of the weekend. It may even mean securing a dream wedding venue in Vancouver rather than settling for a second choice.
Trust Your Instincts
Given the need to be flexible and certain price inflation, it’s very important for couples to have a shared understanding of their priorities—and to act quickly.
With potentially dozens of other couples trying to book available Vancouver wedding venues in 2022, couples need to be able to make a decision quickly and lock in their date with a deposit.
This doesn’t mean that couples should make rash decisions. By taking the time to cement their priorities for the wedding day before viewing contenders, the couple will be better able to offer a deposit upon first viewing of a wedding venue or the first meeting with a photographer.
Any delay in the booking process may cause a couple to lose out on their ideal option, which is not only disappointing but often requires them to start their search and booking process over again.
Partners in Wedding Planning
The best approach to planning a wedding in this highly competitive market is to create partnerships with relevant professionals. Find a wedding planner early, if using one, and take full advantage of their connections and relationships within the Vancouver bridal and wedding industry.
In a wedding venue, couples should look for partners to execute the logistics of the day. The wedding planner may be the vendors’ first point of contact, but the planner will also need support setting up the space, moving products, and ensuring the day’s festivities are carried out on time.
Arras offers personal event support designed to streamline wedding logistics. In the months and weeks leading up to the wedding day, having a partner in scheduling with plans for set up and tear down, site access requirements, and an on site contact point for vendors can help keep stress levels down.
Similarly, as any wedding planner will admit, on the day of a wedding, there is no substitute for having white glove service on site.
Planning a wedding during the post-pandemic boom will be challenging. By investing in the things that are most important, acting fast, and finding event partners they can trust, couples can make the most of their engagement and marriage in these remarkable moments.
Citations
1 theknot.com. “This Was the Average Cost of a Wedding in 2020.” Accessed May 28, 2021. https://www.theknot.com/content/average-wedding-cost.
2 Sinrich, Jenn. “The ‘Wedding Boom’ Is Here: What to Know About Planning Now.” Brides. Accessed May 28, 2021. https://www.brides.com/wedding-planning-during-the-wedding-boom-5185845.