Planning A Wedding in 2022? What New Jersey Couples Need To Know!

Dec 14

Planning a wedding isn’t exactly simple in the best of circumstances, and the past two years have shown that it can become even more complicated in the face of world events. If you’re counting on getting married next year here in New Jersey, you’re probably wondering how your planning and celebration will be affected by the forthcoming 2022 wedding boom. Read on for our perspective on the past year as wedding industry professionals, and what New Jersey couples can expect in 2022.

2021: A Wedding Industry Recap

2021 has been an incredibly busy year for wedding professionals! They’ve been juggling one year of booked weddings on top of one year of postponed celebrations—so, basically two whole years of weddings wrapped into one. In fact, it’s been the busiest year that many wedding professionals have ever had to endure. Many are tired and overwhelmed, having sacrificed a year of personal and family time to make sure their couples were taken care of and their businesses survived. Right now (and always!), showing grace to these hardworking humans will go a long way. They’re doing their best to protect their mental and physical health so that they can be 100% present for your wedding day!

As for couples, 2021 made them realize who their VIPs really are when having to cut down their guest lists. They’ve also discovered which parts of their day are really the most important to them when deciding how to allocate their budgets. In all, 2021 has caused everyone to realize what’s really important in their lives, and where they see themselves in the future.

Emerald green and gold wedding in New Jersey — Credit: Fox Hare Photography

2022 Wedding Boom: What to Expect and How to Prepare

Higher Costs

Couples, be forewarned: if they haven’t already, wedding professionals will be increasing their rates in 2022. The cost of goods/services is much higher than it has been in the past, and many wedding professionals have invested in education throughout the course of the pandemic. Increased expertise means a higher value for their services. Of course, some wedding professionals must increase their rates simply because they must keep up with demand and have time for their own personal lives. Whatever the reason, this means that if you are getting married in 2022, you can expect to pay a higher rate than your friends or family may have for a specific wedding professional in the past.

Fall wedding at The Palace at Somerset Park — Credit: Fox Hare Photography

Packed Calendars

Wedding professionals will be booked and booked fast. If there is a certain professional you absolutely need for your day, book them first and as soon as you can! However, DON’T book someone whose services/product/whatever you aren’t 100% sold on. Even worse than not being able to book a professional you love is regretting booking someone down the road because you jumped the gun. Once you’ve booked someone, that is an investment you cannot get back.

Danielle and Vince’ wedding at The Palace at Somerset Park — Credit: Fox Hare Photography

Booked Up Venues

Many couples who got engaged in 2020 or 2021 are now feeling comfortable with booking their wedding dates. This means venues are booking up like crazy—and the odds that you will have to get married on a weekday instead of a Saturday at your venue of choice (especially in peak season) are very much a reality. We personally recommend making a list of five to ten venues that pique your interest after browsing online. Then, schedule visits with three favorites that are within your budget and narrow down from there. Do not waste time visiting venues that are out of your budget!

Vaccination Concerns

The pandemic is still very much a reality. Still, don’t be overly hasty about requiring proof of vaccination from your guests. This will only create unnecessary stress, since a handful may disagree with your request. Instead, wait to see what the future holds. The state of New Jersey may mandate vaccines for event attendance as New York City has, but no one knows for sure. Waiting will allow your guests who have not yet made a decision to get vaccinated to do just that. Or, it is possible that alternative forms of protection will become available. We may not be scientists (and we don’t know what the future holds), but we did survive and thrive in the business of wedding planning during a pandemic. So, we know a thing or two about shifting mandates, guests’ reactions, and keeping couples’ stress levels down. We recommend really thinking about how the pandemic will affect your event three months prior to the date. That way, everyone has time to get vaccinated if they choose to, and you have time to see how events unfold over the next year. Most importantly, you have the chance to breathe and look forward to your day without the constant pressure of ‘what if’ hanging over your head.

Partying Locally

Bachelor and bachelorette parties will be staying local, or at least within the USA, for their celebrations. Traveling out of the country for these events was trendy for a while, but with travel restrictions constantly changing, we are observing that many parties stay local—and we expect this to continue through 2022. We recommend gauging your party’s comfort level with travel. Then, figure out in advance where you will be celebrating your pre-wedding festivities, without waiting until the last minute. With so many weddings happening in 2022, all of the bachelor/bachelorette party ‘hot spots’ WILL book up fast!

How to plan your New Jersey wedding for 2022 — Credit: Fox Hare Photography

Are you overwhelmed thinking about planning your 2022 wedding? Don’t be! Weddings with Verve literally exists to take that pressure off your shoulders and make sure that your day is all you’ve dreamed it will be, down to the last detail. Don’t hesitate to contact us!