Census data sees growing common-law trend, but wedding planner only seeing wedding bells

Census data shows fewer couples are saying “I do” and more are opting for the less-ceremonious road of living common law.

That may be true, but it’s not what Angela Hodel is seeing now in Saskatchewan.

The owner of Imagine Events says the wedding industry is seeing the boom that was anticipated throughout 2019 and 2020.

“It’s absolutely booming right now,” Hodel said. “We’re not really going to see much of a slowdown probably until 2024 (or) 2025.”

That’s when Hodel predicts a more “typical” wedding season will resume, with pre-pandemic levels of activity.

Hodel said it essentially has been two years of brides and grooms waiting and postponing their nuptials, even just to see what turn the pandemic would be taking next.

With big weddings in which brides and grooms celebrate alongside family and friends being the dominant trend in Saskatchewan, Hodel said there are a lot of couples finally tying the knot this year that have been in limbo until now thanks to COVID.

Everyone in the wedding industry — from planners to DJs, photographers and venues — is “just slammed,” Hodel explained.

“As far as the event industry, nothing is slowing down for us,” she said.

The growing trend of common-law partnerships is something Hodel said the industry may need to keep a watch over, Hodel noted.

“A lot of people might not find the need to officially get married and they’re just going to be common law instead, which is totally fine as well,” she said.

But Hodel knows many couples do still want to be married and to have a ceremony to commemorate that.

“I don’t see that it’s going to impact the wedding industry that much,” she said.

Once the 2022-23 boom slows down, Hodel doesn’t see a major loss of business looming, though her schedule might not be quite as hectic as it is right now.

“I don’t think it will be as busy,” Hodel said.