Unconventional Wedding Trends Emerge Amidst Salem's New Normal

Love continues to blossom, and weddings are kicking off!

Photo by Daniel Frese, Pexels

(SALEM, Ore.) - The Salem wedding industry has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown restrictions that are still lingering.

Across the Pacific Northwest, as much as 71% of weddings that were set to take place during 2020 were either postponed well into 2021 or completely canceled.

Now, after a year of great uncertainty, wedding planners, venue owners, and other vendors continue to adapt and adjust their service offerings to help them keep their doors open.

Although 2021, like 2020, may not exactly pan out the way anyone hoped it would, there is no reason why love can’t continue to blossom and weddings can’t proceed, albeit in a somewhat altered state.

Traditions are evolving

Just as wedding ceremonies have undergone a great transformation in recent times, so too have some of the oldest wedding traditions. One such tradition involves the bride taking her spouse’s surname.

While up to 70% of heterosexual brides still partake in this tradition, it is no longer strictly enforced, but rather a matter of personal choice, just like every other aspect of a couple’s wedding.

There are also a number of other wedding traditions that may dwindle in prevalence considerably or even cease to exist altogether. This includes the mailing of printed or hand-written wedding invitations, having large wedding parties, and tossing of rice at the couple after the ceremony has been concluded.

Over the past year, electronic wedding invites, small or non-existent wedding parties, and the throwing of lavender sprigs or rose petals have become very popular.

Micro-weddings are here to stay

Although micro-weddings are not a new concept, they have certainly skyrocketed in popularity in recent times. Even celebrities such as Toni Garrn and Alex Pettyfer, and Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost have bought into the trend during the course of 2020.

Perhaps the greatest appeal of a micro-wedding lies in the fact that it offers a couple a happy medium between a large, conventional wedding and an elopement. Even now that up to 200 people are allowed at an outdoor wedding ceremony at a faith institution in Salem¹, weddings with anywhere between five and 50 guests have become the norm.

Although micro-weddings may require smaller budgets that, in turn, impact the wedding industry, any form of income is undoubtedly preferred over no income at all.

DIY-everything helps decrease the financial burden

Another hot wedding trend this year that also happens to have a considerable impact on wedding planners and wedding vendors is the rise of the DIY wedding.

With couples eager to save money, DIY invitations, wedding cakes, flowers and décor are rapidly increasing in popularity. By eliminating a wedding planner and various vendors, a considerable amount of money can be saved, which can then be put towards other things, including a down-payment on a house, a vehicle purchase, or a planned vacation.

Although Covid-19 has put a damper on weddings as we know them, not all hope has been lost. Love continues to blossom in Salem, and many exciting new wedding trends have taken the world by storm.

¹per Marion County, Oregon: Indoor Capacity: Maximum 25% occupancy or 150 people total, whichever is smaller. Outdoor Capacity: 200 people maximum. Other Oregon counties may differ. For more info, go to: Coronavirus Oregon-by County

Source: Salem-News.com Special Features Dept.