Watch the Bride Walk Down the Aisle or Wait to Celebrate the Big Day?

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In addition to majorly switching up everyday routines, COVID-19 has put many special events in flux. Curious to understand how engaged couples and wedding guests are approaching large celebrations, we recently surveyed 1,001 of our members aged 18+ who have been invited to or attended a wedding or bachelorette party and/or planned a wedding in the past six months. 

Of those who were invited to a wedding in recent months, four-in-ten are taking a “wait and see” approach to get a better sense of safety protocols being taken and/or the severity of COVID-19. Among the remainder, a third are accepting invites only for weddings they would truly regret missing (such as a close friend or immediate family member). Just 18% indicate they have been accepting all recent wedding invitations.

When it comes to deciding which weddings to attend, size matters. While six-in-ten overall would currently be comfortable attending a wedding with less than 25 guests (61%), a 25-49 guest wedding would only be immediately embraced by 43%. The majority do not foresee themselves attending a 50-99 or 100+ guest wedding within the next six months (54-66%). 

Of the respondents in the midst of wedding planning when COVID-19 escalated, the most common shifts were postponing their wedding ceremony and reception (32%), having some guests opt out of attending due to COVID-19 concerns (29%), delaying their honeymoon (27%) and/or opting for a small ceremony and planning a larger reception once it’s safer (25%)

So how does it feel to attend a wedding that forged ahead during COVID-19? An upcoming post will offer narratives from recent wedding guests.