Local wedding industry slowly bounces back after pandemic
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The wedding industry is gradually rebounding after facing significant losses during the pandemic.
According to local wedding vendors, the average cost of a wedding in Missouri ranges from $28,000 to $30,000. Although there is a slow resurgence in the industry, wedding officials note that there is still room for growth.
Many people fantasize about meeting their soulmate and living happily ever after from childhood.
Bride-to-be Emma Abbott expresses her lifelong dream of getting married, stating, "From a little girl, I've always dreamed about getting married. I feel like every little girl's dream is to be a bride and think about her wedding day,"
The pandemic has changed the culture of wedding planning. Carol Pope, the founder of Bride St. Louis, notes that in the past couples typically scheduled weddings anywhere from six months to two years in advance. However, she observes a trend where couples now book just three months before the wedding due to concerns about potential shutdowns and economic uncertainty.
"Well, what's happening is they're very concerned about the potential of another shutdown," Pope said. "So we're seeing a lot of procrastination. Everything's done at the last minute. So they're still doing them. But the waiting, they're watching the economy."
Wedding vendors emphasize that the pandemic not only impacted the wedding industry financially, but also disrupted the wedding planning experience.
"After COVID, things did slow down a little, and now we're just starting to slowly bring it back," said Regional Directory Manager Bryon Endy.
Furthermore, Pope emphasizes that traditional weddings no longer adhere to conventional norms. Couples are now taking financial responsibility for their weddings and opting for smaller guest lists to save money.
"Many people believe they can plan their entire wedding online. While it's true that our website attracts around 3,000 brides, I don't have 3,000 brides here!" Pope said.
Additionally, Pope mentions a common misconception that complete wedding planning can be done online, emphasizing the disparity between website visits and actual clients.
"I've seen over the 12 years that I've been doing wedding shows is that a lot of brides try to do it online. They don't even go in for appointments," Pope said. "There's a chemistry when you hire a DJ or a photographer, there's a feeling, there's a connection,"
