Whenever I sit to write a blog I always try and keep it both positive and honest. Those two things in the same capacity are becoming increasingly difficult I have to admit. As we enter Lockdown 2.0 I think the one thing the entire nation is united in is the slight numbness that comes with it; it’s safe to say we all hoped we’d be a little further forward by now, the weather is often as bleak as most people’s mood and, as always, the media is full of negativity, so I think we can forgive ourselves for feeling a little less than optimistic at the moment.

All of that said, there WILL be a day when hands cracking from being over santitised, holding your breath when someone walks passed a bit too close (be honest, we all do it) and a severe lack of hugging are all a dim and distant memory. Hopefully it comes sooner rather than later, but at some point that day will be here, and in the meantime all we can do is keep on looking forward.

With that in mind, this post is focused on my current outlook for the future, especially 2021 (of course I factually know no more than the next person, so this is purely based on my hope and genuine belief that there is light at the end of the tunnel eventually).

Photo Credit: The Fashion Wedding

2021…What’s In-store?

I am getting an increasing number of messages from couples worried about their 2021 wedding; for some of you, your wedding date was always in 2021, for others, you’ve already been through the postponement ordeal once and are now worried you may be facing it all again (I fall into this second category myself). The current wedding ban isn’t helping the situation, but remember this IS temporary.

I understand the concerns, I really do. We’re in November (can you believe it?!) and so 2021 feels like it is just around the corner, I think it’s crept up on us all! Not much has changed in the past few months so it can be difficult to believe it will in the coming months. There are days when I feel that way too, BUT we must hold onto the positives…

1) We have learnt so much since all of this began. I know it doesn’t always feel like it, but we have come such a long way since this first knocked us off our feet. Not only is our wonderful NHS much better equipped – both in knowledge and the likes of PPE – but our businesses are also finding ways to work in a Covid-secure manner. When this first hit us, it came out of nowhere like a train, we weren’t ready. Whilst we still have a long way to go, we are learning how to carry on, safely, with this situation. Each day that passes is another day closer to normality.

2) Weddings took place in 2020. Despite all the carnage that’s been going on, weddings have still taken place this year. They’ve been smaller than planned in the majority of cases, and have had to be flexible, sometimes more than once. But they have happened. Not only have they happened but they’ve been just as beautiful as normal and in some aspects have even more meaningful than under normal circumstances. There is something very special about love fighting through and winning. Don’t get me wrong, it takes a lot of emotional strength to hang on with constantly changing rules and regulations, but if you can bear the ups and downs it will be SO worth it when you get there. If weddings took place in the height of all this chaos, I am confident they will be able to take place throughout 2021.

Photo Credit: The Fashion Wedding

3) Every top scientist in the world is working on testing/treatment/a vaccine. That has to mean something. Whilst none of those things will make Covid miraculously go away, they do hopefully mean a more normal way of life can resume…at least I like to think so. If we can implement regular, effective testing then that has to be a key to weddings and travel being able to take place as we are used to. All we need is that one breakthrough. If you’re getting married in 2021 then there is still hope this breakthrough could come before your wedding date, at the very least we’d like to think current measures will be more efficient.

4) The new normal isn’t a bad thing, just an adjustment in thinking. We’re used to weddings being a big celebration. In most cases they involve a large party with all of our wider family and friends. I’ve always planned elopements and small weddings (as well as larger events), even before all of this, so I’ve been lucky enough to witness a number of intimate weddings. I’ve also heard some really lovely stories relating to recent celebrations of just 15 or 30 guests. It can take a shift in perspective but there are some truly amazing plus points to having a small wedding…concentrate on what you could be gaining rather than what you feel you’re losing if you find yourself needing to reduce your guest list.

5) We’ll have a shift in priorities. As a bride-to-be myself, I can assure you that a benefit of all this is we’ll all be re-thinking our priorities. Things that seems so important before suddenly seem so irrelevant…I’ll give you an example. Previously a real issue for me was having our wedding venue in exclusive use – our guest list was a little short of the venue capacity meaning there was a chance some rooms could be sold to general public. The thought of this would send me into a right old tizz. Now I honestly couldn’t care less, yes exclusive use would be preferable but you know what, it won’t change our day if not. I just want our wedding to be able to go ahead in whichever way it can. In my opinion this way of thinking will be with us throughout 2021 (hopefully longer).