'Demand is incredibly high': Wedding vendor prepares for influx of events as province reopens
Following a number of wedding postponements due to the pandemic, a wedding professional is predicting a busier-than-usual season over the next three years.
Alberta is inching closer to the announcement of Stage 3 and once couples get the green light, they will be able to go from hosting an intimate affair capped at 20 to a larger unrestricted gathering of friends and family.
However, a wedding planner from St. Albert told CTV News Edmonton her business is in a unique position. Sandra Bettina Wedding and Events is going from 12 to 18 months of pre-planning to 4 weeks for some clients.
“Our timelines have really shifted, the demand is incredibly high,” Sandra Cassios, the owner and lead planner, said.
“Original 2021 couples are competing with 2022 couples and then they shifted over,” she noted, adding, “Essentially, we have two or three wedding seasons all happening in one.”
Because of the high demand, Cassios explained weekday weddings are growing in popularity because it’s easier to secure services and dates.
“Most wedding vendors have more availability Monday to Thursday,” she said.
'BE FLEXIBLE'
Cassios predicts 2022 is going to be much busier then 2021, in particular for those clients who don’t want to deal with the “unknown.”
“Will people even want to come to weddings?” Cassios asked. There’s still going to be some hesitancy, she expects.
As the province starts to reopen, her best piece of advice it to “still be flexible.”
“Be prepared for a smaller wedding. Small doesn’t have to mean 20… But, would I be planning a 200-person wedding in July? I wouldn’t.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.