South Australia on the cusp of “weddings boom” in 2021, 2022

More couples will say “I do” in SA, and nationally, over the next two years, as postponed nuptials and new engagements create a “weddings boom”.

Chad Rothe and Louise Harris at Lake Breeze Wines, Langhorne Creek, where they will marry on February 13. Picture: Morgan Sette

Love is truly in the air as South Australians get set for a “weddings boom”.

Industry data shows some 130,000 weddings are expected to take place in Australia this year, and 160,000 in 2022, up from the usual 120,000 per annum.

It follows last year’s downturn to approximately 50,000 weddings, following cancellations as a result of COVID-19.

Of more than 4000 couples surveyed by industry website Easy Weddings, 43 per cent had postponed their 2020 weddings.

“Many couples postponed more than once,” said head of content Alyssa Brown of the yet-to-be-released data.

Chad Rothe and Louise Harris at Lake Breeze Wines in Langhorne Creek, where they will marry on February 13. Picture: Morgan Sette

“Based on the current booking data we have, we project that 2021 and 2022 will see a boom in weddings.

“Of course, our projections … are subject to the activity of the virus, government restrictions, availability of the vaccine and reopening of borders.”

A number of South Australian venues and suppliers have seen the spike in demand, with some reporting an increase in midweek bookings.

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They include Langhorne Creek’s Lake Breeze, which recently underwent a $1.8m wedding venue transformation.

The indoor-outdoor setting, which holds up to 200 guests, attracted a $300,000 Regional Development Grant last year.

“We’ve got 19 weddings already locked in for 2021,” said wedding co-ordinator Ashley Hocking.

“When people couldn’t dance, that’s when couples wanted to cancel. Now you can dance, stand while you eat and drink, and dance and drink.”

Photographer Steven Duncan of Sven Studios said, “the next couple of years are going to be insane”.

“Lots of proposals happened last year,” he said.

“Between that and the number of postponements from last year, this next year is going to be very busy.”

He said couples were also coming to him with bigger budgets, and adding videography to their packages with “money that would have been for travel”.

Ella Nash and Ryan Muggleton had an outdoor wedding on January 16 at Waverley Estate. Picture: Evan Bailey Photography

However, while more weddings will take place, celebrations will be smaller.

Easy Weddings data shows the average wedding will be 88 guests, resulting in lower budgets for catering and venue hire.

“At the same time, wedding (prop) hire has become more popular than ever, which we can attribute to many couples hosting outdoor weddings and needing to hire furniture or marquees,” Ms Brown said.

SA stylist Irene Moon, of Maison de Moon in Clarendon, said brides were “hesitant to want big days because they could be left holding a suppliers in lieu”.

“I’m certainly not seeing the big shows we used to do of 200-300 people having a sit-down dinner in a tent,” she said.

Langhorne Creek bride-to-be Louise Harris, 23, and fiance Chad Rothe, 30, will say “I do” at Lake Breeze on February 13, after postponing their October 2020 wedding.

“We made the call at the end of July, because my family is in Victoria,” Miss Harris said, adding that they were always having around 110 guests.

“There is that constant fear that something can change … I don’t think I’ll believe it until I’m walking down the aisle!”

Lake Breeze’s wedding open day is February 7 – visit lakebreeze.com.au to book.