The COVID-19 pandemic cut Quebec wedding numbers by half in 2020
Plagued by Covid-19-induced uncertainty, Kiersten Mcauliffe and Andrew Boersen postponed their October 2020 wedding to April 2021.
However, when it became abundantly clear that the COVID-19 pandemic would be around for a while, the Melbourne couple decided to move their wedding date again, to April 2022.
“I have a close friend whose wedding was also canceled this summer, so at least I have someone I can relate to. But with many people losing their jobs, being worried about their financial situations, facing physical and mental health issues, or even losing their loved ones, I feel bad for being upset about postponing my wedding”, said the bride-to-be.
However, the couple is certainly not alone during these uncertain times. According to a report published by the Institut de la Statistique du Québec, an estimated 11,300 marriages occurred in Quebec in 2020, demonstrating an unprecedented decrease of 49 per cent from 2019.
The decline in the number of marriages between 2019 and 2020 varied depending on different factors. Marriages officiated by a designated person were down 69 per cent and those performed by a minister of religion were down 56 per cent, but those officiated by a notary only decreased by 14 per cent in 2020. Those done by a registrar dropped by 39 per cent.
The report also pointed out that the place of birth had a significant impact on a couples’ decision to tie the knot during the pandemic. Weddings for couples made up of two spouses born in Canada decreased by 60 per cent in comparison to couples in which both spouses were born abroad (down 25 per cent). Those in which one of the spouses was born abroad decreased by 32 per cent last year.
The decline in marriages began in March 2020 and was particularly significant during the summer, when the majority of weddings in Quebec occur. In the months of May, June, and July in 2020, the number of weddings decreased by 70 per cent in comparison to the average for the years 2015 to 2019. This was due to the implementation of stricter health measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the province.
Although the gap compared to previous years began to narrow in
August of 2020, findings show that the number of marriages in early 2021 remains below average.
While some couples were forced to change their wedding plans due to the pandemic, others decided to go ahead with their celebration.
Morgane Schoolcraft and Phil Holliday were determined to keep their wedding date of July10, 2021, but ran into many roadblocks leading up to their special day. According to the young married couple from Ayer’s Cliff, one of the most difficult challenges was reducing their guest list due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“Our original guest list, which we made in October of 2020, had 100 guests. In March, we decided to send out 50 invitations in hopes that by July, the regulations would allow for a bigger wedding”, said Schoolcraft.
However, the spike of COVID-19 infections in May 2021 turned their plans upside down, requiring them to reduce their guest list to just under 20 people as the pandemic continued to worsen in Quebec.
Nevertheless, the couple said that they wouldn’t have changed a thing about their intimate wedding, and they plan to celebrate their first wedding anniversary with all of their friends and family