Wedding Planning in 2022 by Royal Indian Wedding Online

If you are wondering about wedding planning in 2022, we bring to you exclusive expert advice on wedding planning in 2022 by top industry experts to guide you. Read to know more.

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Since the global pandemic hit us last year, a lot has changed drastically in the field of weddings. It is quite evident that there is a sense of uncertainty that has shrouded the whole wedding scenario in Malaysia especially for the couples who have had to postpone their wedding once in 2020 or had waited for 2021 to plan their dream wedding. While the first half of this year seemed a little tricky, the top industry experts have come together to help you and guide you as you sail through these uncharted waters once again.

Right from the fad of intimate weddings to the new challenges, the experts are here to discuss the new trends, the format of weddings in 2021, digitisation and the safety measures for a competent way forward with wedding planning. Read on to know it all in details straight from the pros.

What is the consumer sentiment about wedding planning in 2022? 2021 brought with it a new wave of uncertainty and the wedding business is no exception to the effects of that wave. Couples and their families are expressing mixed emotions when it comes to planning a wedding amidst the pandemic. With the entire curfew and other restrictions back into being in many cities and states of the country, couples are going through a lot of dubious conditions. There are actually two types of responses that are majorly being noticed among the couples. Firstly, there are some couples who want to get married on the same date as planned and they do not want to cancel/postpone their wedding any further. These are the couples who are planning an intimate wedding with close family members only because many state governments have allowed intimate weddings with a certain set of regulations that are to be followed. They might want to throw a bigger reception or a party for all when things look brighter. Then there are couples who have decided to postpone the wedding to a later date, this very year. They are prioritising health over everything else and therefore are reaching out to vendors to figure out other wedding dates."

There is a shift in the demand similar to last year when it comes to weddings where weddings are now being planned mostly in the second half of the year." It is safe to say that the learnings from last year are being implemented this year as well.

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What are the challenges in planning a wedding in 2021? There is in fact a stark difference between last year and this year. Last year we were not very aware of COVID - what the virus was, how bad the infection would be and how to deal with it. But this year, it is safe to say that we have some experience in planning a wedding amidst the pandemic because of being able to plan and execute weddings last year as well. There is uncertainty, of course, because of the 2nd wave; but we have our hopes high thinking of the vaccination drive in Malaysia especially for the youth now aged between 18 to 45 years of age. This can be looked at on a positive note despite the uncertain times that lie around. I am hoping that the upcoming season is better than the last."

The bigger challenge, I think, is unable to plan things the way they used to be. There are times and situations when we might not be able to make amendments on such short notice. But on another note, this is also a test of our professional capacities and a lesson to brush up our skills when it comes to crisis management."

What is going to be the format and future of weddings in 2021? Talking about the format of the weddings in 2021 with all the different types of weddings that we saw in 2020 like intimate weddings, minimonies and so on, It's going to be the same as it was in 2020 when it comes to the format of weddings. But people tend to expect a lot from intimate weddings too. For instance, they want it to be as large and happening as the big fat Indian weddings. The nitpicking remains the same, the guest management requirement remains the same from our side. The length of the list needs to be taken care of by the couple and their families with only the most important and closest people getting to be a part of it. But the rest of it remains the same for us. In the near future, even if the upper limit of the number of guests is 20 people, the management for all intimate weddings remains the same until we beat COVID or everyone gets vaccinated!

On one hand, weddings are constantly being downsized for safety measures and on the other, personalization at weddings is increasing evidently. People are shifting their focus on smaller details and storytelling to share the love and intimacy with their own families and friend which was not very possible with a grand guest list. When it comes to the trend of personalisation, When it comes to talking about personalisation, the list is really long! Personalisation is something that remains constant - irrespective of the downsizing in weddings or not. There are a couple of things that people have taken up, for example, the venue could be more personalised - a place where they met, ancestral place, etc. A shift from destination weddings, picking grand venues and similar ideas have come into place, where couples are now picking boutique venues, restaurants and their own backyards for hosting the wedding. This is indeed a wonderful scenario because to host weddings at these boutique properties and homes is an unmatched serene feeling altogether. Even when you consider the bigger picture like sustainability, couples can now, more than ever, pick sustainable options for their wedding like upcycling wedding wear to getting into slow fashion, picking food that is packed to avoid wastage and so on.

There is another very significant aspect to consider when we talk of the future of weddings and that is the budget of the wedding planning process. Postponing a wedding or downsizing one might require you to replan the wedding budgets. Or not? When we talk about big fat Indian weddings, a big chunk of it lies in the long guest list. But there are many couples/clients who are planning small weddings with that budget too. The couples who are open to the idea of hosting a small wedding ceremony without any further delay, are allocating more budget to the premium venues, premium vendors, more personalisation and other such luxe options. They have started focusing more on quality rather than on quantity. The celebrations are still kept lavish despite the shorter list of guests."

What is the role of digitisation in wedding planning in 2021? When we talk about digitisation and online platforms, e-invites and wedding websites play a very vital role here. Speaking about the future of physical invites and the way forward for e-invites, E-invites, wedding websites, apps and so on are the need of the hour, to be honest - they saved the day. People have now opened up to accepting e-invites gradually because, with the pandemic, e-invites are no longer just optional. They have almost replaced physical invites and become a mandate. If you look at it on a more positive note, then digital spaces are a great way to include creativity, animations, photos, videos and so on. Having said that you cannot completely write off physical invites because physical invites are very significant in Indian culture. However, I think the number will be affected when it comes to physical invite because now we have accepted and acclimatised to the new modes of invitation. And when the time for physical invites returns, experts need to become more creative; now that the world has gotten used to e-invites and digitisation!" But Physical invites will never go away completely, it is here to stay - but we need to strike the balance.

What are the safety measures for the clients as well as businesses? The industry experts have come together to talk about the different aspects of planning a wedding in 2022 with an ongoing pandemic. Their talks on safety while keeping the creative essence of the industry in place is surely a ray of hope that wedding planning in 2022 looks promising. The trend of intimate weddings is going to stay for good and the inclination of millennials towards hosting a small wedding is worth mentioning especially in a country like Malaysia where weddings are celebrated like a grand fair for days. If you are planning your wedding in 2022, apart from looking out for auspicious dates in 2022 you must also hire the perfect wedding planners who can assist you and guide you into planning your dream wedding, fuss-free.