Of all the businesses to be affected by Covid, Weddings are up there as most dramatic. Even with a small window of opportunity last year the industry has suffered badly. Tough times for a whole £14.7bn sector.
Annabel Candler, Wedding Planner & Venue Consultant, has gone from sitting in limbo to pressing fast forward. The last year has been mainly acting as a wedding therapist and counselor with many couples now on their third or forth postponement date. The gloom was difficult to navigate through when there was no clarity given by the government.
“It did feel like weddings were deemed as ‘just a party’ so no consideration was given to the huge impact they have on not just the couple but the massive economy surrounding the event. It made me consider why I feel weddings are more than a ‘knees up’. My realisation was that weddings are a huge personal milestone, often one that you’d like to come before bringing a new life into the world. It’s also likely that it is the only time both halves of a story will be together. That meeting between two families and friends is a special, memorable time.”
Annabel Candler, Weddings by Annabel
Now that the ‘Road Map’ has been shared the juggle of dates and influx of enquiries has been huge. Many in the sector have had to handle another round of changes and cancellations.
“It’s still very difficult but I love having a light at the end of the tunnel (even if it comes with a side dish of doubt!). My role is even more important now as budgets and timelines are tested. Suppliers are dealing with double the usual number of weddings for next year so finding those vital elements is getting difficult. My recommended list has become very handy!!”
Annabel has been a sounding board, PA and friend to clients struggling with the strangest year. Even the new guidance has flaws and the industry is still struggling to survive the next few months. Moving a booking is better than losing a booking but it inevitably means a possible new booking loses a spot next year. Many are now looking at ways to navigate the roadmap, looking for solutions and ways to keep trading.
“I try to stay positive and proactive therefore when Circular1 approached me I stepped in willingly. I am now their Hospitality Consultant, investigating whether their testing methods could be used to reopen large weddings and soon. I am quickly gathering information and feedback to allow us to create a plan for a Pilot wedding in Cumbria to pitch to the Government. Exciting times!”
Annabel Candler, Weddings by Annabel & Hospitality Consultant for Circular1 Health
Circular1 Health is a revolutionary COVID-19 testing full-service company born out of the COVID-19 crisis. They deliver ultra-high integrity testing that offers the utmost certainty of accurate results, with 100% sensitivity and 99.995% specificity. It has allowed mission-critical workforces in nuclear, defence and energy sectors, to continue to operate and is the perfect solution for large gatherings to feel safe.
“I was particularly interested to hear the Prime Minister mention the continued importance of mass testing as a tool to kickstart the economy. We have been strong advocates from the beginning that mass testing has a much wider role beyond critical businesses and those in the most highly-regulated sectors.
With our ‘Test to Operate’ (T2O) model – an active combination of rapid testing and screening – we have been a leading voice in the role of mass testing to support the recovery of the leisure sector, for example, to create safe bubbles of passengers and staff to re-invigorate the Cruise sector, or re-open residential holiday and activity centres. Mass testing is a key catalyst to supporting economic restart.”
Stuart Maclennan, CEO Circular1
The next steps for Weddings by Annabel include carrying on with support for couples and venues plus more conversations regarding ‘event bubbles’ with the hope of getting back to a wedding before June.
“Anyone struggling in the industry or planning a wedding, keep talking. It will only be with compassion and kindness that we ride through this fog. Keep the lines of communication open and a thought to how the other side of that may be feeling. We got this!”.
Annabel Candler, Weddings by Annabel & Hospitality Consultant for Circular1 Health
Image credit : Annabel and the happy couple, Miss Elodie Photography, Laura Babb Photography & Red on Blonde Photography
WEDDING SECTOR KEY FACTS
Number of Weddings across the UK:
278,599 weddings occur every year in the UK
(figures from the Offices of National Statistics for England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland)
Over 260,000 weddings were postponed due to the pandemic in 2020
(based upon ONS average figures)
Businesses responding in January to a survey by the UK Weddings Taskforce reported catastrophic losses, with over three quarters of businesses have reporting revenues down by over 75%*
An estimated 278,000 recently engaged couples are also planning to marry from 2021 onwards: when added to the postponed weddings from 2020, circa 475,000 weddings are in the 2021 pipeline (25bn) and 349,000 are in the 2022 pipeline (circa £18.4bn)
Wedding Industry Worth:
§ There is an estimated £14.7bn direct spend on weddings every year:
§ £9.4bn spend on the day itself
§ £3.2bn spend on retail
§ £2.1bn travel, tourism and pre-wedding events
Wedding Industry Workers:
§ Approximately 400,000 workers are involved in weddings:
§ 250,000 people depend on work related to delivering a wedding day itself
§ 150,000 more work in support functions
§ For every couple who attends a wedding as a guest, depending upon the size of the wedding between 1 and 4 people are involved in working to deliver the day itself, earning less than £25,000 per year on average.
§ Majority female-driven, ethnically diverse and 50% small and micro businesses.
*UK Weddings Taskforce Survey of over 3000 wedding businesses Dec 24th 2020 – 12th Jan 2021
