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'Everything has gone up' | Wedding costs on the rise as country slowly reopens during pandemic

“We ended up paying for it all. You know it's either kind of a use-or-lose moment,” Kenji Christopher says.

WASHINGTON — Mask mandates, gathering limits and social distancing guidelines are all being lifted. It’s the beginning of the end of the life we’ve known for the last year. Which is a huge sigh of relief for people who have been in the lurch planning their weddings.

Now, couples are looking forward to having their big days that were put on hold because of the pandemic. But as wedding season gets underway, there have been some changes to the wedding industry.

The Christophers are one couple who are experiencing those changes first-hand. Their entire relationship has been anything but ordinary.

“On our third date, I told her I was going to marry her, and she was crazy enough to actually still stay with me, so yeah, it worked out,” Kenji said.

Kenji and Whitney got engaged in 2019, they planned a big wedding for August of 2020.

“Everyone was saying, 'Oh, you're so lucky, you know, you just so happen to push your wedding from May to August, of course, COVID will be over by August so you'll get to still have your wedding in August of 2020,'” Whitney said.

August came and the region was still relatively locked down. Like many things, their wedding was moved to Zoom. Just four people were in physical attendance.

“It was the most beautiful day ever and it was nothing we planned. We didn't have all the people there in person and it ended up being the most beautiful wedding,” Whitney said.

Though they’re already legally married, the two are still planning a big shindig.

“We ended up paying for it all. You know it's either kind of a use-or-lose moment,” Kenji said.

“Everything has gone up, prices for everything, even to retain certain vendors we've had to pay more money,” Whitney added.

Jamesa Alexander said couples planning weddings have a lot to consider because of so many delayed ceremonies.

“Any couple that is planning for 2022, just keep that in mind. Consider that it's still a pandemic environment, that you are still competing with couples who may even decide to postpone from 2021 to 2022,” Alexander said.

Floral arrangements typically line the churches and reception tables, but they may be more expensive now.

“There's actually been a floral shortage and there is an increase in the cost of florals for that reason. As far as the demand, a lot of little crops were thrown away, they weren't purchased, they weren't utilized and farmers didn't really have a need to plant as much because there were no events taking place that we actually needed these florals,” Alexander added.

The pandemic has brought on a new way of life, hand sanitizer has become a popular wedding favor.

“Sanitation stations and sanitizers, masks, and just glamming them up a little bit, we're dressing up those type of tables which seems so crazy, but people are even doing hand sanitizers as favors, getting them personalized with their names and wedding date. [The] same thing with masks,” Alexander said.

Alexander isn’t worried about the wedding industry fading away, couples still want to celebrate in person with their family and friends. 

And for couples like the Christophers, “You know, If it's something you want, just do it,” Kenji said.

Alexander also said couples are still planning micro weddings. She said they were already a thing, but she thinks as couples have a new outlook on what’s important, they’re keeping their big days more intimate.

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