A Nottingham-based wedding planner has described the “anxious” and “stressful” situation that couples and the entire industry are currently facing.
Val Mattinson is the director and chief planner at Benessamy, an award-winning wedding and party planning company.
Val has a decade of experience coordinating weddings in the UK and overseas and says those in her role are “used to giving advice”.
But the Covid-19 pandemic has left even the most accomplished planners in the dark.
Weddings of up to 30 people can be held from May 17th.
The government guidelines state: “Receptions and celebrations can take place with up to 30 people. They can either take place indoors in a Covid-proof location (this does not include private houses) or outdoors (including private gardens).”
There are still plenty of engaged couples campaigning for more easing restrictions starting June 21, when the government tries to lift all restrictions on weddings.
However, with the date approaching and a new Indian variant appearing in the mix, concerns have been raised about what this means for the months ahead.
Val has said customers don’t know whether to stick with their date or make the decision to postpone it.
(Image: © Helen Warner Photography 2020 / The Brand Studio)
Val told Nottinghamshire Live: “It’s a very stressful situation where you don’t know whether to quit or go back.
“The weddings we work on tend to have a crowd that is well above the 30 limit.”
Val added that couples who were married from late June to late August had hoped the roadmap would allow their big day to move forward freely.
“But I’m worried about these changes. Are we going to see more things hold back?” She said.
“It’s very difficult for customers, but also for venues and suppliers.
“As a planner, you are used to giving advice and answering the questions, but it is difficult because we just have to wait for the instructions and even then we need time to understand what it means.
“I always try to keep a positive outlook and help as much as possible.”
Val said that there is already a “feeling” in her connections in the industry that things may not go as planned and that there may be a “ripple effect” well into fall as people become more concerned about it whether the restrictions will wear off over time or not for their date.
“The big question is when do we open again, what do we open ourselves again for – the details like dancing, singing, the numbers – does it fit with the wishes of the customers for their day?
“For those in the process of planning a wedding, it’s important that they reconsider and focus on maybe moving first or something.
“But it’s much more stressful and emotional for couples who have been in the thick of it for so long and who have planned, booked and postponed over and over again.”
Val said there had been a positive impact on the pandemic that couples decided to make their special day more intimate and reflect on “what’s really important to them”.
But she said it was hard to see more industries opening up and weddings “somehow overlooked” at each stage of the roadmap, adding that “some great talent was lost over the course of the year”.
“Everyone needs these fantastic events,” added Val.
“We’ve been talking about June 21 for a long time, but now it’s next month. And in normal times, in the wedding and events space, a month isn’t a lot of time.”
“And the devil is in the details, so there are a lot of questions to ask – can we make speeches when it’s ventilated? Can you pass a guest book? Meal service is allowed, but a cake display is a no-no.
“These are things that you can only answer if you have the information and the couple knows what they want.
“I’ve had these conversations before, but now there are so many more variables and we’ll just get the answer closer to time.”
Have you been affected by changes to your wedding plans? Are you holding out for your big day for the next few months?
If you would like to share your experience, please contact phoebe.ram@reachplc.com.