MAKING PLANS

Forward Planning

With celebrations on and off, date changes, and the disappointments of past months, wedding planners’ diaries are now filling up for 2022 and what promises to be a very good year. Jill Eckersley talked to three key players

When we spoke to highend London-based wedding planner Mark Niemierko back in 2020, about the impact the pandemic was having on the wedding industry, he predicted that 2022 was going to be a ‘boom year’ for weddings. There would be new clients, as well as those who had postponed at least some of their celebrations for a year or two. So how is Mark feeling now, as the industry moves slowly and cautiously back to something approaching ‘normality?

“Well, as I only do about five weddings a year I can’t speak for the whole industry,” Mark says, “but my events will only be happening from about April 2022 – which means a shutdown of two years. The Government washed its hands of us and produced no protocols, as it did for theatres and concert venues. In this industry it was down to individuals to do the right thing.

“My business has played its part. Weddings couldn’t take priority when people were dying, and as a business owner I felt it was on my shoulders to make sure everyone was safe. I did a small event in September, for which everyone involved had to test and be checked at the door. I would not be comfortable doing large events yet. I want a safe environment for my team – the bar staff, the florist, the waiters, the security – as well as clients and their guests.

“Having said that, I am sure weddings will be back next year as before. Planners plan ahead anyway – it’s what we do! I’m beginning to organise everything from marquees to loos. We have to be organised even when it means nagging and crosschecking everything. We have to get back into working habits.

“Our clients are being patient, so it’s down to us to ensure that in 2022 everything can go smoothly. I’m finding that caterers are short-staffed right now. Also, that when you work with an international crowd as I do, you have to be aware of any present or future travel restrictions. For example right now, Chinese and other Asian guests can come to weddings in the UK, but must spend 21 days in quarantine in a Chinese hotel on their return.”

Personally I wouldn’t feel comfortable going to a wedding right now, unless it was very small with social distancing and no dancing. Couples can still marry, of course they can, but many have chosen to save their major celebrations until next year.

Emiliana Gualtieri founded wedding planner Amoretti back in 2008. The company specialises in weddings in beautiful venues around London and also luxury destination weddings in Italy.

Although the pandemic has meant lean times for the company in comparison to the pre-2020 scene, Emiliana is now confident that the industry has turned the corner.

“We work a year in advance at least, and in the past year we haven’t done as many weddings as we had planned to,” she says. “Now, though, we are finding that the clients have much more confidence and just want to get on with their new lives.

“Last year, I think they were all hoping that Covid would just disappear. Now they know that it won’t and everyone has to adjust to what they’re calling ‘the new normal’. One hundred per cent of our clients are ready to celebrate!”

Amoretti is very much a high-end company and Emiliana has found that her clients are not expecting any corners to be cut.

IN GRAND STYLE Mark Niemierko, at the very top end of the planning market is cautiously optimistic

“Budgets are higher for everything, including band hire and decorations,” she says. “Clients are looking to create even more special memories. and that is where we come in. And it’s a lot more fun for us, absolutely.

“Destination weddings tend not to be huge anyway, not more than 100 to 150 people. Travel restrictions made things difficult, but we managed to get through it all and we’re pretty confident that will continue. You have to learn from history. Dark times like recession and austerity and war are usually followed by much better times, like the Roaring Twenties that followed the First World War.

“Yes, there have been some restrictions in Italy, with regard to things like distancing, but the weather means that outdoor celebrations are easier to organise. Some clients had to postpone their London plans but Italian weddings went ahead in the sun. I’m sure “Budgets are higher for that in 2022, people will be everything, including band even keener to hire and decorations. celebrate!” Last-minute Clients are looking to requests from her create even more special brides – some of whom had had memories, and that is to postpone their weddings more where we come in” than once – were challenging for planner Tichea Brade from Hertfordshire company Carmela Weddings. “I had to source all kinds of things from tablecloths and napkins to stationery and found that some of the companies I knew had sadly gone out of business,” she said. “Clients were pretty chilled about it all, though. I think they were just glad to know that their wedding was finally going to happen!” Tichea did co-ordinate some smaller weddings during lockdown and found that the intimacy of a simpler celebration could be really rewarding.

GREAT DESTNATIONS Emiliana Gualtieri of Amoretti sees no down-grading of big-day budgets

“In one case we arranged videoconferencing so that family members who couldn’t attend could feel part of the event and hear all the speeches,” she said. “Then we arranged a wedding in June for a couple who had originally intended to marry in Mexico. Instead, they chose Battersea Park, with colourful outdoor celebrations and the reception at the Pump House. Even though it was a small-scale celebration it was still filled with love, as a wedding should be!

“As planners, we can still support our brides and grooms, whatever the circumstances. Before Covid, I had more international clients including some in Australia where they’ve had different lockdown restrictions in different states. Now, everyone is desperate to move forward.

“Couples seem to be sticking to the same budgets as before, and venues, I find, are raring to go in 2022. I’m taking on as much as I can and trying to give the best service.

“I felt for all my couples having to postpone, and now I’m excited for them. We shall be seeing more international travel in 2022 and everyone – planners and clients alike – has to feel more confident about going forward.”