The COVID-19 pandemic brought life as we knew it to a halt, disrupting routines, plans, and, most significantly, the world of romance. When I say this, you’ll probably immediately think of the wedding cancellations and postponements in 2020, and I don’t blame you! But… what about all the love stories that never happened?
The Pause in Dating and Meeting
The pandemic prompted a collective pause in the pursuit of romance. Social distancing measures, travel restrictions, and lockdowns decreased face-to-face interactions, making traditional dating and meeting new people challenging. The ripple effect of these restrictions was felt across the dating landscape, with singles experiencing a prolonged period of limited opportunities for connection.
The Impact on Engagements
So, has this impacted engagements? We think so.
The drop in dating activities from March 2020 to late 2021 has naturally translated into a decline in engagements and weddings that we might have seen happening this year. The excitement of meeting someone new, the nervousness of a first date, and the anticipation of building a future together were all put on hold, and we are only just catching up.
Couples who were together during the pandemic have emerged (still liking each other, no less) to economic challenges and much political noise, making them hesitant to take the next step towards an engagement.
As a result, the surge of proposals that might have been expected this engagement season has been notably muted.
Enquiries for 2024: A Slow Start
For the wedding industry, the repercussions of the slow engagement season are reflected in the enquiries for 2024.
Wedding planners, venues, and suppliers are navigating a landscape where the usual influx of enquiries has yet to regain its pre-pandemic momentum (we can’t compare the post-pandemic boom!). Couples are perhaps still cautious about planning elaborate celebrations or facing delays in their journey to engagement.
An engagement rebound?
Have faith that 2024 is another, and hopefully the last, anomaly year. While venue enquiries might have slowed, be prepared for the 2024 engagement frenzy!
It’s predicted that, based on the average dating time for UK couples being two to five years, we might see the number of engagements this year increase again. This will be couples who met after the pandemic and couples who are at the longer end of the average who might start to feel ready and confident about moving forward.
It’s also worth pointing out that the venue hunting calendar (on your portal) has seen a notable change. There’s a shift from the winter engagement season being the ‘peak’ for enquiries to the summer engagement season, seeing some of the busiest venue hunting months – July and August- topping January 2023. We know you’re heading into the start of the wedding season, so it’s worth planning your marketing activities ahead of your peak summer months to ensure you’re ready for those brand-new couples hitting the market.
Looking Ahead
As the world gradually sheds the shadow of the pandemic, we will hopefully start seeing a ‘normal’ level of engagements again. We already know that 2025 is shaping up to be a busy year.
The pandemic-induced hiatus in dating and meeting has undeniably impacted the number of engagements and weddings in 2024. However, as love stories inevitably resume, it’s up to you to be poised to bring these tales of commitment to life.