Wedding season may technically be upon us, but a new LendingTree survey of more than 900 engaged Americans found most couples are facing tough decisions in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, with nearly two-thirds postponing their weddings and many losing money in the process. Social distancing guidelines dictate that people stay six feet apart and avoid mass gatherings in large groups of people, making a wedding all but impossible to pull off. As a result, 63% of engaged Americans have decided to postpone their weddings due to the outbreak. Eight percent of couples have decided to go for a courthouse wedding or elopement instead, while 22% are forging ahead with their current wedding plans. Timing is an important factor when analyzing which couples decided to postpone and which didn’t. Of those who postponed their wedding, most (58%) said the original date was set for before June 1, while 15% had initially planned to wed in June. Meanwhile, nearly half (48%) of couples who opted to stick with their plans aren’t getting married until March 2021 and beyond. 66% of couples postponed to comply with social distancing guidelines Weddings are intimate celebrations complete with eating, drinking and dancing. But in an era of social distancing, you can’t truly do any of these things in large groups. It makes sense that most engaged couples have decided to move their weddings — not just for the sake of a good party, but for the health and safety of their loved ones. Two-thirds of couples decided to postpone to comply with social distancing guidelines, and 59% want to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. Engaged Americans are also keeping their guests in mind: 46% decided to postpone because their friends and family can’t travel to take part in their big day. The CDC has recommended against all nonessential travel for people at high risk of severe illness due to COVID-19, which means that grandparents and other senior family members would have to miss the wedding if it weren’t postponed. When faced with the decision to postpone, some couples faced backlash During the wedding planning process, couples are bound to hear some negative feedback from overconfident family members. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, that backlash is palpable. Four in 10 couples have received backlash from friends and family, whether they decided to postpone or not: 14% got “a lot” of criticism, while 26% heard “some” complaints. Those who chose to postpone their wedding plans got more complaints than those who didn’t, with nearly half (47%) saying they faced backlash, compared with 23% of those who kept their original plans. Key findings: •63% of engaged Americans have postponed their wedding because of the coronavirus outbreak. Just 22% said they’re moving forward with their original plans, while 8% are opting for a courthouse marriage or elopement instead. •40% of those who postponed their wedding have set a new date. Most (64%) opted to push it to at least September. •56% of those who changed their wedding plans lost money by doing so. On average, respondents who lost money said they’re out $3,320.50 due to nonrefundable deposits, payments and fees. •4 in 10 engaged couples have received backlash from friends and family, whether they decided to postpone or not. Those who opted to push back the date heard more complaints than those who stuck with their plans. •Couples who postponed were able to keep most of their original vendors. Of the vendors they held onto, 66% were able to keep their photographer, 59% were able to keep their cake bakers, and 56% and 51% were able to keep their ceremony and reception venues, respectively. •Travel restrictions put honeymoon plans on pause: One in four have canceled or postponed their honeymoon, and 42% lost money by doing so. •Engaged Americans most wanted to keep their venues (41%) when selecting a new wedding date, followed by their photographer (15%) and wedding planner (13%). •Two-thirds cited social distancing guidelines when asked about their decision to change wedding plans, and 59% wanted to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus. For 46%, the fact that friends and family could no longer travel also contributed to their decision. •53% of people who decided not to postpone believe the threat of coronavirus outbreak will be calmed, if not over, by the time the wedding’s held. In addition, 24% said their wedding date holds special significance. •One in four have canceled or postponed their honeymoon, and 42% lost money by doing so. SOURCE: LendingTree, 11115 Rushmore Drive, Charlotte, NC 28277
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