'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
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.