IN JUNE, the most popular month for weddings, many would have been busy with suit and dress fittings, gift-hunting for the couple, drafting speeches and prepping for an out-of-town trip, in the case of destination weddings. However, with the Covid-19 pandemic, weddings have been either postponed or dramatically downsized. Here are some of Cebu’s best wedding suppliers and what they think weddings would be like from here on out.
Snoogie Reynes-Mata
Facebook: Snoogie Reynes-Mata
Instagram: @snoogie_reynes_mata / @urwithsnoogie
THE new normal for celebrating weddings in the post-Covid-19 world is going to be different with social distancing becoming the norm. Weddings will be smaller, more intimate, and with emphasis on top-notch hygiene standards as well as ensuring contactless services. As wedding planners, it is our job to suggest to the couples some tips and measures to help them plan their big day with utmost caution, like venues should set up bigger tables with limited seating to maintain distance among people, say, a table for 10 should be assigned to five. A well-thought-out and strict seating arrangement must be followed to reduce risk and allow easier contact tracing just in case.
Sanitizers, alcohol and hand napkins should be readily available anytime and anywhere, and these are just a few of the many measures that we all have to follow. Even with the lifting of the ECQ and if things will slowly go back to normal, people will still be skeptical or afraid if they will push through with the wedding or not, especially if there is still no vaccine available. I suggest that couples will have to postpone their wedding to next year and to follow the directives of the local government and health officials.
Joseph Ong
Instagram: @josephongfotoholic
Website: joseph-ong.com
Weddings will be adjusted in many facets. First, every involved party will be responsible to follow all health protocols and must be equipped with the accredited, modern PPE kits. From the photographer to the lighting men and the assistants, everyone must have his own PPE and disinfecting kit to ensure the confidence and health of everyone. For photographers, this means that most probably, we will be updating our lenses with the best zooming features to maintain the social distancing guidelines.
But besides all the practicalities, we must still be reminded constantly to aspire for the most beautiful, fitting shots. After all, a wedding must still look romantic and blissful. The creative processes might be altered, but the goal is still beauty. Beauty, beauty, beauty.
Chef Lani Garcia Obaje
Facebook: LMG Pastry Chef
As a wedding cake artist for almost 12 years, this current pandemic will surely change a thing or two in our wedding scene. We expect to deliver smaller and more intimate wedding cake pieces this yearend and early next year. For those who wish to maintain the grandeur of their reception, they already moved to a 2022 or 2023 date. Smaller to medium-sized cakes are the way to go for now, but still equally if not even more special and more beautiful. This is not only for weddings but other events like debuts, first birthdays and christenings.
John Mark Florida Cañete
Facebook: Salt By John Mark
Instagram: @saltbyjm
Weddings, regardless of the situation, will always be a day of celebration. I think with the “new normal” as we call it, it will be a lot more intimate. When we say intimate before, it means a very small group normally those who are close to the bride and groom. However, this time around, it would mostly likely be limited to actual family members. Nowadays, we have extensively relied on online meeting platforms to connect. I feel that this will also be the avenue for friends to join in on the celebration and cheers for the newlywed. I think that at this point in time, the kind of service I provide is very applicable.
We specialize in canapes, and with an intimate event comes a very quick gathering wherein quick yet exquisite bites will be a better choice rather than the usual heavy meals.