WEDDING DREAMS ON ICE FOR FORESEEABLE FUTURE
THERE are more than a few disappointed brides and grooms this year who have been forced to postpone their weddings, and fears are increasing that even more big days will have to be postponed to next year.
According to the Government roadmap for re-opening the country, only small weddings can take place from August 10 onwards – the final phase of the five-stage re-opening plan. However, what exactly constitutes a ‘small’ wedding has yet to be ironed out.
Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan was asked for further clarity on this but said it was too early to give such clarity, meaning that many brides and grooms are likely to postpone outright until 2021.
Hotels across Kerry are busy rescheduling a huge number of postponements as the impact of COVID-19 on nuptials is felt.
The Ballygarry House Hotel in Tralee has had up to 40 wedding cancellations to date, which would equate to around some 10,000 attendees, but are still hopeful that they may see some wedding bashes later this year, depending on guidelines about the size of weddings.
“We have had weddings postponed to September, some to next year or later this year as it is hoped they can increase to bigger numbers,” Ballygarry House Hotel proprietor Padraig McGillicuddy said.
These postponements nonetheless represent a light at the end of the tunnel in many ways he said – not only for couples, but for hoteliers too.
“We could get a bumper yet this year after September if we do have weddings, or we will have a superb season next year which will make up the 2020 losses.
“It will be a challenge, but we could reap the rewards next year.”
Mr McGillicuddy, who is also PRO for the Kerry branch of the Irish Hotels Federation, said that guidance is needed on what the future holds for weddings.
For more rural hotels like the Sneem Hotel and The Royal Hotel in Valentia, weddings will also be a lifeline for the future, though it is somewhat of a nightmare in the current climate for the bride and groom as they are forced to push their dates to later in the year in a bid to cater for their desired number of guests. This, too, is a logistical nightmare for hotels as they try to accommodate new dates and has been made even more difficult following the publication of the Government roadmap.
Proprietor of the Sneem Hotel, Louis Moriarty, said that it is a big job to change a wedding date given that it can mean moving hundreds of guests. Many of their planned wedding dates have moved to the end of the year and even to later next year.
Vincent Kidd of The Royal Hotel in Valentia said the lack of detail on the numbers allowed later this year is making it difficult for the hotel sector and, more importantly, the brides and grooms.
“How do you cut a guest list? What is the number allowed with social distancing?” he asked.
The Listowel Arms Hotel is a popular wedding venue in North Kerry and while, like all hotels, they have had a host of postponed weddings, they are hopeful that many of them will take place later this year or next year.
“Brides and grooms are postponing until they know more in future. There are considerations around people coming from abroad and around numbers. What is a small wedding? That is different to many people,” owner Kevin O’Callaghan said.
“April and May weddings have moved to later this year. We had weekends to give them... From October onwards we might have a fighting chance to hold them, but everyone is in a bit of limbo at the moment.”
Mr O’Callaghan said that there is a whole industry around weddings that must be remembered including hairdressers, flower shops, and boutiques – all of which will be hugely hit. Popular wedding band Heart and Soul are hopeful that the current wedding losses can be recouped and are dealing daily with couples looking to change dates to later in the year and into next year. The band’s last wedding was on March 14, and they have had up to 30 weddings postponed to date.
“April, May, June and July have been wiped off the books,” said Maurice Costello. However he said that many are going ahead later this year or next year and that every date is being considered in 2021 as brides and grooms scramble for dates.
He said many are in panic mode about dates later this summer and this year, with worries about people travelling from abroad as well as getting all the different aspects of the weddings together. CR Videos Cahersiveen, which offers video and photography services for weddings, said this year is a wipe-out and that it is proving difficult to get all the factors together to re-arrange weddings.
“It is hard to get dates – you book the wedding dates but then you can’t get flowers. Every date will have to be considered,” said Christy Riordan.