A lot of things have been cancelled in the last few years – but love certainly isn’t one of them! One hundred Kiwi brides reveal how they’re working around Covid and what’s changed for their big days, according to a recent survey by New Zealand bridal designer Hera Couture.
There’s postponing, there’s pivoting – but there’s no way that New Zealand brides are compromising with their weddings! Here we present the biggest trends in Covid-era wedding planning, with the good news that 96% of Kiwis are still actively planning their weddings, with 28% planning a second, bigger celebration once we’re out of the pandemic woods.
One in three weddings have been postponed
One in three brides in New Zealand have had to change their wedding plans due to the pandemic and of those, 62% have pushed their ceremonies out by up to 12 months – with 30% having to defer their nuptials for more than one year.
Forty-two percent of brides have changed the type of wedding they were planning, with 80% reducing the number of guests by up to half, and 32% of brides are now planning an outdoor event instead of indoors.
Health and Safety measures commonplace
Brides are also now planning to have health and safety measures in place with 59% providing hand sanitisers to guests, and 65% will require venue staff and suppliers such as photographers to wear masks. Twenty percent will offer masks to guests and 27% have changed how food will be served.
Second celebration and streaming on the up
But, there is some good news! Of couples who have married during the pandemic, 28% of brides say they will plan a second celebration when restrictions ease, holding a ‘minimony’ followed by a larger gathering at a later date and streaming is on the up with 21% of brides to be planning on live streaming their big day.
Two dresses for their wedding day ensemble
Perhaps in the spirit of ‘go big or go home’ following restrictions, there’s been a sharp increase in the idea of the ‘second dress’ with 35% of brides planning a second outfit for their wedding reception. Brides are increasingly wanting to show their own style and have design input so they can express themselves and their individuality, with 90% saying that gowns that reflect their personal style is the most important attribute of their look.
Wedding budgets are holding up
Despite Covid, or perhaps because of it, brides are still planning on spending significant amount of money on their wedding day.
Sixty-eight percent haven’t altered their wedding budgets, with the majority of brides (64%) planning to spend between $2500 and $5000 on their wedding gowns. Total wedding budgets are still rising with 32% of brides planning on spending more than $40,000 and 15% more than $50,000, with 45% planning to spend between $20,000 and $40,000.
2022 will be the year of love
And in good news for the wedding industry, 65% of brides are planning their wedding and 28% will host a second celebration or ‘anniversary reception’ in 2022. Let love reign!