2022 Wedding boom and inflation as pandemic restrictions loosen
With most COVID-19 restrictions lifted in Ontario, wedding venues and event planners are preparing for a jam packed season.
“Forget about plan B, plan A is back in action,” says wedding planner Lisa Best.
“This year, there’s a shortage. Decorators, photographers, everyone is overbooking and looking for extra help.”
While there are still available dates at Water’s Edge Event Centre, spots are filling up fast with many couples rescheduling postponed weddings.
“We were getting phone calls and sighs of relief,” says venue owner, Dana Horwitz.
With inflation rising at record levels, industry experts say wedding costs have increased significantly throughout the pandemic.
“From liquor prices to linen cleaning some of these prices we’ve passed on to couples, I have no choice,” says Horwitz.
Best explains, “for example, a bride’s bouquet in the past have been roughly $175-200. Now you’re probably looking at $250.”
Experts says couples can save money by holding their wedding on an “off day” and exploring floral alternatives.
When Gavin Kirk proposed to Maeghan Gaier in early 2021, the couple knew they would have to wait out COVID if they wanted to have their dream wedding.
“We were optimistic that 2022 was going to be a better year. We just wanted all our friends and family to be able to attend, we didn’t want to have to cut numbers,” says Gaier.
With the pandemic improving, the couple are optimistic they won’t have to reduce their 160-person guest list for their wedding planned for September 2022.
Gavin Kirk proposed and Maeghan Gaier. (Courtesy Maeghan Gaier)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
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.
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.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
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.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said 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.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
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.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'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.