By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
With many couples choosing to cancel or postpone their nuptials in 2020 because of COVID-19, those in the events industry are hoping for a wedding boom in 2021-22.
Area businesses will come together for the Save the Date Wedding Expo from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at The Strand Event Center. Tickets are $5. You can pre-register or buy tickets at the door.
The expo will feature 23 booths, plus goodie bags and giveaways for ticket holders. See a list of vendors below.
More weddings expected in 2021, 2022
Tara Grubb, wedding coordinator with COMPLETE Weddings + Events Kansas, provides services across the state of Kansas including in the Hays area.
Last year was slow for the industry from March through summer. However, weddings started to pick back up in the fall, Grubb said.
This year, spring bookings have still been a bit slow, but summer and fall bookings are almost back up to pre-COVID numbers, Grubb said. The company is also seeing an increase in brides wanting wedding coordinators.
One distinction among couples right now is that they are not waiting to sign with a coordinator and book their venues.
"We find that a lot of people are booking the same day we give them pricing," Grubb said. "There is more urgency."
Kayci Schumacher, owner of Wedding Connections of Hays, said she she is still seeing some hesitancy for brides to book weddings this spring, but less so for the fall and 2022.
Hays is known for its large weddings—400 to 600 guests, Schumacher said. She said she has seen couples pairing down their guest lists.
"I would definitely say people are playing it safe," she said.
Wedding Connections rents linens and other wedding accessories. Schumacher also operates Chestnut Street Floral.
Her company offered onsite wedding coordination, but she decided to drop that service in 2020 after 12 years in light of the pandemic.
"With the limited amount of employees that I have that is just an extra added exposure to the number of guests a wedding has that I was not willing to take myself or to my staff," Schumacher said.
She replaced the service with contact-free coordination, which she offers at a lower price point.
Leland Olive, owner of Couture for Men in Hays, also said his men's formal business was down during the spring in summer, but began to rebound in the fall.
Even this month, Oliver has provided clothing for more weddings than last January and said he expects the trend to continue well into 2021.
"I think it is going to be a huge year for weddings," he said.
Amelia Teter, The Strand's event coordinator, said dates in 2021 and into 2022 are already starting to fill for the venue.
"I think people are looking to schedule their wedding that they may have put off in 2020 just with the bookings we've had," Teter said.
Still keep COVID in mind
Couples are still needing to plan their weddings with COVID in mind, Grubb said. Restrictions vary depending on what part of the state in which the wedding will be conducted. Some venues have occupancy restrictions, and wedding parties will need to abide by mask regulations where they are mandated.
Couples have addressed these challenges in a variety of ways. Some are ordering custom masks and handing out hand sanitizer as favors.
Teter said couples who have rented The Strand have used the balcony for people who feel less comfort with floor seating among the crowd.
Micro-weddings find popularity
Others have chosen to significantly cut their gust lists to allow for social distancing, Grubb said.
"We have also found that people have started to enjoy the look and the feel of what we are calling a micro-weddings or smaller wedding that are a little bit more intimate.
"They can spend their budget on things that they couldn't before because their guest list is smaller. They can put a little more detail into things because that guest list is smaller."
Some couples have chosen to move those smaller weddings to private residences, which are less restricted than public venues.
However, many Kansas brides remain hesitant to book outdoor weddings because of the state's unpredictable weather, Grubb said.
Couples have also realized not all of their friends and family members are going to be able to travel to their weddings right now, so video and streaming services are popular, Grubb said.
Some remnants of COVID will likely stay as communities and the industry moves forward, including alternatives such as served buffets and prepackaged snacks, she said.
"I hope hand sanitizer as a centerpiece goes away," Grubbs said, giggling.
Men find fashion alternatives
There will be a fashion show at 1:30 p.m. at the Wedding Expo on Saturday.
Olive of Couture for Men said grays and navies with brown shoes are trending this year. However, he said some grooms are opting to buy suits for themselves and their groomsmen as an alternative to rented formal wear.
"We have two wedding scheduled this year that we already have the suits in," he said. "They are buying suits instead of renting — not just using the money and having nothing to show for it."
Olive urged couples to book early. He suggested making appointments for fittings at least two months prior to the wedding date.
The Hilton Garden Inn will also host a Bridal Expo from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 20. See their Facebook page for more details.