2020 Weddings During COVID-19

2020 WEDDINGS DURING COVID-19 Argentina Brazil Canada Chile Colombia France India Italy Mexico Peru Portugal Spain United Kingdom United States Uruguay

Clockwise From Top: You Look Lovely Photography; Tayler Carlisle Photography

01/ Key Findings The Knot, WeddingWire, Bodas.net and Hitched.co.uk have been studying the impact of COVID-19 on weddings since the beginning of the pandemic. They recently conducted a study among nearly 10,000 couples across 15 countries to understand how COVID-19 is impacting couples who originally had weddings planned in the upcoming five months.

The big takeaways?

1.

Couples are becoming more likely to stick with their wedding reception date rather than postpone—especially in Western Europe and the US

2.

Couples are incorporating health and safety measures to ensure it’s a safe event for guests

3.

Cancellation rates remain low (9% global average)

About the Study The Global COVID-19 Weddings Report is based on data among 9,767 couples who originally had weddings planned between September 2020 and January 2021. The survey was fielded in September 2020 (9 - 22) to users who have provided their email address to The Knot Worldwide. The April wave of the study was conducted among 14,356 couples in the same 15 countries.

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02/ COVID-19 Impact on Wedding Receptions Couples who originally had a wedding planned for the upcoming five months plan to keep the date of their wedding receptions (41% global average) or postpone to a new date (50% global average) rather than cancel all together (9% global average). Couples are becoming more likely to stick with their dates— especially in Western Europe and the US—up 28 percentage points vs the April wave of the study.

Couples in France (74%) and Italy (61%) are most likely to be keeping their date, though more than half in the US (58%), India (58%) and Portugal (58%) are also keeping their date. Couples sticking with their date note that they will reduce the guest list so it’s a smaller event (global average: 58%).

Trends differ in the UK where restrictions have been tight and a strong majority continue to postpone (71%), similar to prior waves of the study. Couples in Latin America are also preferring to reschedule (average: 62%), though an improvement from April (85%).

British couples are most likely to be postponing their reception, while French and Indian couples are least likely

Covid-19 Impact on wedding receptions No changes currently

Postponing to new date

September

April

50%

average

79%

average

41%

74%

22%

61%

France

13%

35%

58%

Italy

33%

57%

Uruguay

35%

58%

US

31%

59%

Brazil

20%

58%

India

30%

65%

Colombia

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37%

48%

Portugal

27%

66%

23%

Chile

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71%

UK

B O D AS . N E T

44%

44%

Canada

H I TC H E D

50%

35%

Spain

21%

65%

Peru

54%

Mexico

17%

69%

Argentina

03/ Why Are Couples Postponing?

Across all countries, the top reason couples say they are postponing is because they are “concerned how long COVID-19 will last.”

The majority are postponing until 2021—few are pushing to 2022 (global average: 3%).

Couples are hoping that delaying will allow them to have the wedding they always envisioned and the majority do not plan to cut their budget (average: 80%) or hire fewer vendors (87%).

Couples are choosing to get legally married prior to their rescheduled reception

Couples are choosing to get legally married prior to their rescheduled reception, with those in the US (56%), Chile (42%) and Canada (39%) most likely to do this. In the US, many are having a small celebration or “minimony” in front of loved ones ahead of their postponed reception and the majority (83%) will hire at least one wedding professional for this event.

56%

28%

France

Italy

Argentina

US

Peru

Spain

27%

27%

10%

42%

25%

% Who will legally marry prior to postponed reception

32%

Chile

Uruguay

39% 11% Portugal

23% UK

21% Colombia

Brazil

Canada

32%

36%

Mexico

Data not available for India.

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04/ How Are Couples Adjusting?

The vast majority of couples (83% globally, 94% US) are making safety changes and taking other precautions to ensure the well-being of themselves and guests. Many are opting to provide hand sanitizer and masks, though couples are also coming up with more unique approaches such as having guests wear color-coded bracelets that indicate their comfort level interacting with others at the event.

Additional changes couples are making are adjusting seating arrangements, increasing guest communication, serving food in a different way and including other types of guest entertainment.

83% of couples are incorporating safety measures and taking other precautions

How are couples adjusting?

Global avg.

Incorporating health and safety such as providing hand sanitizer or face masks

Changing seating arrangements, such as having more spacing or moving outdoors

Increasing guest communication and providing additional FAQs

60%

47%

41%

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Highest in:

78%

US

71%

Mexico

77%

Canada

69%

Portugal

73%

France

62%

Spain

72%

Canada

59%

Mexico

67%

US

57%

Portugal

63%

Italy

45%

France

59%

US

51%

Canada

57%

Portugal

49%

Mexico

52%

France

48%

Spain

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