Covid crisis could see an end to lavish weddings for good

And for ‘big’, read ‘eye-wateringly expensive’. Before the pandemic rained misery on brides and grooms across the land like coronavirus-soaked confetti, the average wedding day was said to set couples back just over £35,000.

Caught up in the Instagram dash to create the most lavish and fun social media friendly wedding, as well as the basics, there would be a stream of extras to fork out for: the photo booth, floral walls, sweet trolley and magician for the kids, burger van for evening reception snacks, DIY cocktail bar… Perhaps no wonder that in just six years, the average cost of the big day – at least according to Scottish Wedding Directory’s annual survey – had almost doubled.

From stag and hen dos in far-flung locations, an equally exotic honeymoon, to top of the range wedding gift list that leaves guests in a sweat, news of impending nuptials easily spark an emotional outpouring – not joy, but panic over the imminent damage to the bank balance.

But now, with the wedding sector reeling from the impact of the pandemic, weddings postponed, and couples left with the choice of either playing chicken with the risk of new restrictions, downsizing to a ‘micro wedding’ - or even going it alone and eloping to the hills - could it be that Covid might just push the reset button on the extremely big day?

Pauline Borris, of LBS Event Design & Wedding Planners, was behind the wedding businesses’ protest outside the Scottish Parliament building in Edinburgh, highlighting what they see as a lack of clarity in the rules.

She says covid has prompted some couples to rethink what they now want from their wedding day, and there’s every chance it’s a little less extravagant than before.

“Obviously just having 50 people at a wedding means they aren’t spending all the money that they might have done on decorations, they don’t need a backdrop, they don’t need a photo booth and so on.

“But going forward, I think the pandemic has made people wonder if they do need to spend this much money on a wedding,” she says.

“I think Covid has made people think about what is important in life.

“There are lots of people that will want a big wedding because that is what they have always dreamed of. But there are also couples now not looking to spend as much.

“They are realise this kind of pandemic could happen again, and what happens then? Should they use their savings up and spend them on a wedding and then find we go into another lockdown?

“I think quite a lot of people are looking at the money situation, and asking themselves if they should go for a big wedding, or can they cut back?

“Until we open back up completely, we really won’t be able to tell just what the impact is.”

One issue that may force a switch towards less extravagant weddings – and potentially a boom in village hall nuptials, elopements to wed in a picturesque Highland glen or a romantic forest - is the lack of places to hold their big day.

The massive backlog caused by weddings postponed due to lockdown restrictions has led to a large queue for spaces at the most popular large venues.

“There are very few dates available for a Saturday or Sunday – they’ve been taken by the couples who have had their day put on hold,” adds Pauline.

“Some couples are so fed up having their date changed five or six times, that one told me now just wants it over and done with.

“She no longer really cares, where it is. And yet it should be a day she is looking forward to. That’s really very sad.”

Couples’ hopes are pinned on a relaxation of rules in August. Meanwhile, from Monday (JUNE 28), the number of people attending a wedding will no longer include the person conducting the ceremony or people working at the wedding – giving scope to increase the number of guests very slightly.

And while there will be live entertainment, guests must remain seated.

How many are allowed depends on the level of restrictions in the area – up to 50 in level 2 and 3 areas, and up to 100 in level 1, such as Aberdeen and the Borders.

With no dancing – other than the couple’s first dance and a dance between the couple’s parents as long as they are from the same household – face masks and social distancing, weddings have been at risk of becoming a day to remember for all the wrong reasons.

That’s led to some eyeing up inventive options to make their day special without breaching regulations and ensuring good social media picture opportunities.

Denise McNaughton of Aberfeldy-based Highland Safaris says a micro wedding does not need to be a simply scaled down version of a traditional affair.

“We just head to the woods behind Dull,” she adds. “There’s a lovely pine forest, a couple of locations with nice views over the valley for photographs, and the bothy has a limit of 18 people, so it’s a very intimate, small wedding.”

The business diversified into offering bespoke micro weddings after spotting rising demand from couples seeking to take their vows in the great outdoors. It now offers a range of wedding venues within 250,000 acres of Perthshire estate, with venues only accessible by Land Rover and often requiring welly boots.

Rather than splash the cash on photo booths and floral walls, couples can capture stunning views from the bothy above Loch Rannoch and Loch Tummel, or say ‘I do’ in a romantic glade with dramatic views to Glenlyon, and Schiehallion.

And while the pandemic has had an impact on bookings, she agrees there’s every chance that couples planning a wedding will be rethinking just what they want to spend their money on – and whether the restrictions brought by Covid may be the opportunity they were looking for to trim things back.

“It’s a good excuse to keep the numbers down and not let the guest list get out of hand,” she adds.

“What’s good is that couples might now feel there’s more of a choice. Some will be looking for a natural outdoors experience with just close family, but you’ll probably always get people who will want a very traditional, big wedding.

“What’s good is that couples now have a choice.”

For some, that could mean marrying in the Garden of Historic Roses in Royal Deeside, or Brig o’Doon in Alloway, birthplace of Robert Burns Both have been included in a list of micro or elopement wedding venues drawn up by conservation charity, the National Trust for Scotland.

Far from splashing out over £35,000, couples who want to keep the costs right down can opt for the charity’s ‘Elopement Package’, with choice of locations, ceremony, flowers and picnic for a mere £999.

No longer a dash to escape angry relatives, elopements have created a wedding sector all of its own, with businesses which specialising in organising Highland elopements, and outdoor wedding photographers skilled in capturing the perfect romantic, moody shot on a windswept Munro – ideal for uploading to Instagram.

Wedding planner Sara Jane, of Scottish Weddings by Sara Jane, who specialises in helping overseas couples elope to Scotland, says they are queuing up to marry in a Highland glen or misty mountainside.

“There is huge demand,” she says. “For Americans, it’s the history link, and there’s a trend for outdoor adventure weddings which is attracting people to Scotland. They want the wonderful landscape and historic buildings.

“They don’t mind the bad weather, it helps create the moody atmosphere they want. And most don’t mind not have their families with them.

“There’s a lot of pressure on people to have a big wedding, to invite everyone when perhaps they just want 25 or 30 of their closest friends and family and don’t want to be the centre of attention.

“For some people, the changes brought by Covid have been a bit of a blessing in disguise,” she adds. “It’s changed what people think they have to do for a wedding.”