Wedding boom hits Hamilton after two years of pandemic restrictions

The much-awaited wedding day will soon be here for Christina Xamin and Simon Madadi.

The couple got engaged in December 2020, but knew they'd have to take time to plan their wedding, especially during the pandemic.

We both went into it knowing things might be more difficult with COVID," Xamin, 29, told The Spectator, adding they consider themselves lucky they haven't had to reschedule their wedding so far.

The couple has found a beautiful outdoor spot at the David Springer Estate in Burlington, and they are ready to tie the knot this summer in the presence of 120 guests.

Xamin and Madadi are among the many couples to get married this year.

Canada's largest jewelry retailer, Peoples Jewellers, had earlier predicted the largest wedding boom" in 2022. Estimations are coming true.

Wedding bookings in Hamilton soared after the provincial pandemic restrictions dropped last month, Hamilton-based wedding co-ordinator, Tim Simmons told The Spectator.

Simmons, a former clergyman and owner of a Heritage Weddings - a chapel and wedding co-ordinating agency, called the growing demand just the tip of the iceberg," adding there will be more bookings to come as many continue to see how the sixth wave goes."

The bookings climbed significantly in March and April, he said. Of at least 100 weddings booked to date, Simmons said 75 per cent of couples have been waiting to get married since before the pandemic started.

Simmons said while at least one wedding is booked with them every week this season, the busiest time will be the fall, with multiple weddings each week.

People want to get them done this year. Most bookings are for this year," he said.

Hamilton bride Tasha Bassindale, who is scheduled to get married in July at Dundurn Castle, said they have rescheduled their wedding three times in the last two-and-a-half years due to the pandemic restrictions.

The stress and fatigue of rescheduling finally took over. Bassindale and her fiance have settled on a date, and are simply excited for the wedding to be over."

But the problem these days isn't just getting a booking - it's cost. The price of food and services have soared, with inflation up 7.6 per cent.

Bassindale noted her caterer wasn't able to stick with the original quote given two years ago. She was losing money because prices went up, and I can't guarantee if all my guests are going to come because of the pandemic," the bride-to-be said.

She and her fiance settled on a potluck instead of catering, inviting their 100 guests to bring a dish to the wedding.

LIUNA Station, a banquet hall on James Street North, said demand for event bookings is high, and agreed inflation has become a major issue.

Vico Rosatone, general manager at LIUNA, said they're having difficulty determining the cost of events as prices continue to rise.

Simmons said a combination of rising prices and uncertainty about the pandemic is continuing to fuel the trend of smaller weddings.

Shortening the guest list is an easy way to squeeze in a wedding in 2022, while keeping it within the budget.

Weddings, in general, are smaller than they would've been prior to COVID," said Simmons. Nowadays, a modest wedding means having at least 100 guests, instead of the traditional 300 guests, while small weddings range between 30 and 70 guests.

The new trend also means changes in venues.

Backyards, historical sites, and private restaurants became a few of the favourite destinations for weddings in the last two years, Simmons said.

Ritika Dubey is a reporter at The Spectator. rdubey@thespec.com