People planning to get married are shrinking their guest lists and budgets in response to COVID-19

By Allison Sadlier // SWNS

48% of people planning a wedding would rather shrink their guest list and have it now than wait for their perfect day, while 38% prefer to wait the pandemic out in order to have their full guest list attend their big day and 14% are not sure yet.

Still many are eagerly awaiting their wedding day especially given current events. 70% now feel even more excited about their wedding and the happiness it will bring.

The survey of 2,000 Americans who were planning to wed in the next 12 months prior to COVID-19 revealed a staggering 93% are having to reconsider some aspects of their wedding.

Nearly half (47%) are reconsidering their reception venue due to the pandemic, while 45% are thinking about slashing the number of guests on the invite list.

Two in five (40%) are contemplating changes to minimize the possible health risks for their guests. One in five (22%) are considering holding a virtual wedding.

Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of custom menswear brand Indochino, the research reveals that many couples are optimistic that they’ll walk down the aisle soon. Of those postponing, two thirds (67%) anticipate pushing their wedding back six months or less.

Just 4% are concerned it will be pushed back by a year or more, although there is uncertainty for one in ten (10%), who have no idea how long their wedding will be pushed back yet.

Desi Kirby and Janell Hickman from Brooklyn, NY, had been planning their wedding in New Mexico in October 2020. In June, their venue cancelled their wedding due to the pandemic. They quickly decided to pivot and have a smaller, local ceremony at Brooklyn Grange in September. Desi, who will be saying his vows in a three-piece custom Indochino suit, said:

“I wasn’t excited about the change of plans, but I was a little relieved. The smaller wedding has fewer moving pieces. The pandemic gave me more perspective on what’s important and it made me think more about who we want at the wedding. I like that it will be more intimate, and I feel better having 30 of our closest family and friends surround us with love.”

Budgets are also in flux as couples decide which aspects of their wedding deserve more cash than others.

Two in five (41%) want to cut costs on their venue and plan to spend less on transportation (38%), an indication that many couples will now wed closer to home.

48% confirmed they are looking to spend less by reducing their guest list and 45% estimate they’ll be spending less on alcohol—another surefire sign numbers are being altered.

The survey was more evenly split on changes to aspects less affected by external factors related to the pandemic like the wedding dress, groom’s attire, rings and photography.

Drew Green, Indochino CEO said,

“Brides and grooms everywhere are having to reimagine their dream wedding, whether that’s a new venue, a smaller guest list or a revised date. And while no one could have imagined that a pandemic would disrupt their big day, our research shows that couples are more excited than ever to get married, a sign that true love conquers all.”

Prior to the pandemic, 2,000 men married within the past five years were surveyed to examine how men felt about their big day.

Many grooms have strong feelings since nearly seven in ten (68%) imagine their wedding day growing up.

Surprisingly all grooms’ most memorable moments of the big event happened early. A third revealed the best part was their “first look” with their future spouse while three in ten (29%) loved saying their vows.

28% listed getting ready as one of their favorite parts.

Even though three in four grooms wanted to look their best ever to walk down the aisle, 38% confessed their partner’s shoes cost more than their entire suit did. 36% percent admitted the cake was more expensive than their suit.

Even though it’s one of the most important outfits they’ll ever wear, nearly seven in ten (68%) grooms wished they had spent more time picking their suit.

Choosing a suit turned out to be an emotional experience for one in five grooms. It wasn’t all fun and games since one in ten found it stressful (15%) or complicated (11%).

Still the suit played a major role for grooms on their big day. Seven in ten (69%) revealed getting married didn’t feel “real” until they put on their wedding outfit.

The most common emotions among grooms when they suited up were confident (35%) and relaxed (19%). Sadly, some were left fidgeting seeing as 15% felt uncomfortable and one in ten were hot or sweaty.

Green added: “While there are a lot of things beyond our control right now, there are still many aspects of the wedding day that will remain unchanged. The dress code is one of those and, for grooms, choosing your outfit is an easy and fun way to get involved and evoke your personal style.

“Make sure your suit fits well — we recommend planning at least two months in advance and exploring all of the colors, patterns and fabrics available to ensure your outfit is a wedding day highlight.”

FAVORITE WEDDING ASPECTS