2020 was shaping up to be a weddingful year like no other. From DJing destination weddings around the world, to a personal record number of local weddings to DJ in Toronto, I was excited to bring my skills to the various multicultural and international weddings I was contracted to perform.
Then coronavirus hit the wedding industry. It blindsided couples getting married, and all the wedding vendors who got set for the upcoming wedding season.
March 2020 is when the havoc started unfolding in North America. The news was changing by the hour and it put everyone on edge as uncertainty grew and the number of cases increased exponentially.
Kourosh and Lola’s wedding was set for March 14th, 2020. I knew Kourosh and Lola’s wedding may have been the last wedding to DJ in 2020. I made sure it got my best wedding DJing performance!
I met Kourosh and Lola back early in 2019 during our initial in-person wedding consultation. They described their dream wedding and what they were looking for in terms of entertainment. They held nothing back in making their dream wedding come true. From hiring a live wedding violinist during the cocktail hour, to a live drummer during the party, they mixed the best of both live and digital sounds to create an exceptional party for their guests.
Although not all of the 220 invited guests could attend (coronavirus travel ban, the elderly), those who attended came to party! Any tension at the start of the reception was quickly absolved with MC Sean‘s calming rhetoric and explosive hosting performance.
The couple’s reception entrance was breathtaking! MC Sean‘s electric introduction welcomed them into the hall. They entered in a cloud of dry ice as the guest’s energetic cheer gave them a warm and welcoming vibe into the night.
Wedding first dance
Kourosh and Lola went straight to their first dance with the song Perfect by Ed Sheeran.
The couple’s first dance started with wedding sparklers and a live violinist playing on top of the track. Guests were dazzled, many in happy tears, as the couple’s fairy-tale moment was actualized.
Lola & Kourosh’s wedding photos
Photos by Bozhyk Photography
COVID-19 and weddings
The COVID-19 pandemic is putting a dent in the plans of committed couples and marriage businesses of all kinds. The wedding industry is taking a huge loss because most couples aren’t able to get married as planned. Rescheduling or cancelling a wedding due to the coronavirus raises a world of questions. What are the odds that your Toronto wedding DJ or vendor will all be available on the same new date and time? Will I lose my deposits? Will the prices increase? Unfortunately, standard wedding insurance doesn’t cover anxiety over a spreading virus that has come with restrictions on travel and large gatherings in spots around the world.
Over 85% of wedding DJ services I booked for 2020 from April to August have already been postponed to 2021 or cancelled altogether. Some clients have not picked a future wedding date until COVID-19 subsides.
Tips for upcoming weddings
Although many experts think COVID-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, may subside by summer 2021, either by a vaccine, treatment, or physical distancing measures, there are a few steps you can take to minimize having your upcoming wedding interrupted by the novel coronavirus.
Professional wedding planners who have longstanding relationships with Toronto wedding vendors have found themselves negotiating new minimum guest counts to help save their clients money as friends and family decline.
Make sure your Toronto wedding DJ, photographer or other vendors give the option to change the date without any fees or loss of deposit. Most Toronto wedding DJs, photographers and venues are not providing refunds, only future credits — in the same way airlines are offering credits to passengers holding unused tickets.
Check if your wedding venue has a screening policy. By 2021 testing should be ramped up, so venues can check guests as they enter the reception for symptoms. This may ensure all guests will be cleared of any sickness and give peace-of-mind for everyone attending.
Coronavirus worldwide stat tracker
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