There are so many questions running through my mind this week. I feel like I’ve run a marathon. The truth is I haven’t actually moved beyond the couch-kitchen-back patio triangle in which I have fully maneuvered these past few months.
The questions span a magnitude of topics – from “when can I please go to Costco to buy cheese?” to “will I ever recover from the innumerable tiktok dances on my instagram feed?” Let’s ditch those questions though for the moment. I want to dig into what kind of hellish havoc COVID-19 will reap on destination weddings… or will it?
Will destination weddings still be a thing?
I’d bet my life on it, which is a good thing, because my life’s work is intimately entwined with the answer to this question!
I believe seasoned travelers will emerge from their homes ready to jet-set, embrace new experiences, destinations and cultures and feel more connected to them than ever.
A new wave of travelers, people who have previously been homebodies, now realize that life is unpredictable, there is no time to waste and will be inspired to explore the earth’s incredible beauty.
Think about why couples plan destination weddings. It’s usually a three-tiered response:
- in lieu of planning just a wedding, they want to plan an experience
- they hope to share their love of travel and culture
- they choose extended quality time with a select group of guests
None of that changes with COVID-19; in fact, these priorities will become even more concrete.
How will destination weddings change post-COVID-19?
Obviously, this is yet to be determined (as is the timeline for my trip to Costco to stock up on cheese), but I have some predictions.
Extraordinary Celebrations
Weddings post-COVID-19 will be extraordinary celebrations. Remember growing up, the last day of the school when the bell rang and you felt that incredible sense of freedom, the promise of all those summer days that lay ahead? That’s how I predict we will all feel, but on a much grander scale. We’ll be SO ready to celebrate freedom, health, life and, of course, LOVE.
More Meaningful Investment
Wedding investments will shift. So many people are experiencing financial challenges like never before, and this will undoubtedly affect the way couples choose to invest their funds. That champagne tower may not seem as important, but honoring parents and grandparents with a touching slideshow may. The grand fireworks display may take back seat to a lovely afternoon of manicures, mimosas and deep connection with friends.
Support Local Vendors
Social-consciousness will be more present than ever! Couples will be more intentional in their choices by hiring smaller, local vendors to support the destination’s small-business economy. Conscious couples will also opt for earth-friendly resources to support the inertia for protecting and restoring our planet!
A Little Showing Off
Finally, and perhaps most exciting, I anticipate seeing some of the most epic moves ever out on the dance floor. I mean, everyone’s perfected their grooves while quarantined, right?
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