Wedding
Wedding Pros Pivot to Engage Brides
By Lora Sommer
In March, when Gov. Brian Kemp issued an executive order declaring a public health state of emergency and banning gatherings of more than 10 people, brides and grooms across the metro area had to hit pause on their plans. To date, nearly 20,000 weddings in Georgia, scheduled to take place March through June of this year, have been postponed, according to data compiled by The Wedding Report Inc. “Our last simcha before the shutdown was Saturday, March 14. It was a scramble to make it happen,” said event planner Amy Ackerman of JDV Occasions. The event venue had closed abruptly due to COVID-19, so she rerouted a full team of vendors to an alternate location.
Guests canceled last minute, hand sanitizer stations had to be worked into décor plans and a fire marshal had to approve use of an outdoor area to keep guests adequately spaced. Ackerman even created an almost identical menu to the original one planned with a different catering team less than 24 hours before the celebration started. They still did a hora with guests circling the dance floor, she explained, but they clapped their hands instead of holding each other’s. Still, the event unfolded beautifully, Ackerman said. Then came Monday, when the shelter-in-place orders took effect. Ackerman’s phone began ringing off the hook. “We started getting calls from couples who had spring and early summer dates who needed to postpone,” she said. “The challenge was in
finding dates that had their venue available as well as their vendor team. For most weddings, we’re bringing in 10 to 12 vendors. Think of all the florists, photographers, DJs, caterers and decorators!” Most of these vendors are small businesses, and this hit in a major way, Ackerman explained. “These businesses lose revenue by not being able to take an additional client on a future date. But they want to be there for their couples! They’re bending over backwards to make it work.” At the same time, engagements are on the rise. Quarantining couples are making it official in large numbers, according to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal about the rise in online engagement ring sales. Newly engaged brides are eager to visit
Images provided by Bridal Extravaganza of Atlanta, Photos by Bre Sessions Photography and Made You Look Photography & Film // Impression Bridal, a sponsor of the Bridal Extravaganza of Atlanta Online, displays multiple wedding gowns.
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venues, try on dresses and taste party foods, but the coronavirus presents a huge roadblock to those experiences. Shelly Danz, founder and Chief Party Officer of Atlanta Party Connection, produces the Atlanta Bar & Bat Mitzvah Expo and the biannual Bridal Extravaganza of Atlanta, a bridal show known for creative vendor displays and a distinct VIP bride experience that includes early entry, a take-home planning guide, a VIP lounge and bride and groom gifts. The BEA traditionally attracts more than 1,000 guests per show. They come to see their favorite bridal magazine images come to life and select their vendor team at a venue decorated from floor to ceiling. Brides-tobe frequently attend with their partners, parents, or bridal par-
A model on the runway of the Bridal Extravaganza of Atlanta fashion show last year.
