One in six couples set to delay their wedding day due to Coronavirus

With weddings around the world under threat, a recent survey has found how engaged couples are responding to the Coronavirus pandemic

Image: Jeremy Wong via Unsplash

As the public is encouraged to adopt social distancing measures with many self-isolating, hen and stag experts Chillisauce have undertaken a poll to determine how the spread of Coronavirus has impacted couples' wedding plans. 

Speaking to 1,500 couples who are set to marry in 2020, a majority 59% said they had altered their plans, with 16% of all respondents planning to delay their big day for up to a year.

In contrast, 43% of couples said they would still get married except they would wed infront of a much smaller crowd, with many considering a remote wedding ceremony where family and friends could watch online via a live stream. The remaining 41% said they would wait to see how the news develops before changing their plans. 

Couples were also asked how they expected wedding suppliers to respond to the global crisis; 91% expected them to reschedule bookings with their couples at a later date, while 53% said they felt a full refund was due if a couple had no choice but to cancel their wedding altogether. 

Honeymoons have also been a recent topic of conversation as couples postpone their holidays. When questioned whether the spread of COVID-19 had affected their honeymoon plans, 39% of couples said they had cancelled or delayed due to travel restrictions and a further 28% said they were thinking of changing their honeymoon destination. 

Commenting on the findings from the poll, James Baddiley of Chillisauce said: “We are living in unknown times; many of us have never been through anything like this and it’s hard for anyone in any industry to predict how things will play out. Although I’m sure there will be many brides and grooms out there who will be absolutely heartbroken over the idea of postponing their big day, it’s important to remember that the safety of everyone you know and love is more important right now.

“It's horrific to hear of people in so many industries losing their jobs and I hope we can all work together to prevent this from happening further.”

Are you delaying or cancelling your wedding plans as a result of Coronavirus? We want to hear from you; email sarah.harris@archant.co.uk.