Wedding vendors, couples worried as season dries up

The wedding season is in limbo because of COVID-19, forcing couples to reschedule their nuptials and putting some vendors in precarious positions.

Isabella Nicolo and her fianc Mike Dambra were supposed to get married next month with 400 guests, some coming from as far away as Italy.

"I'm super flustered, really stressed," said Nicolo. "But we're honestly trying to make the best of the situation. It's such a tough situation for everybody, so we're trying to remain positive."

They're rescheduling everything from their florist and DJ, to their church and reception venue, to the end of September, but they're already considering Plan C postponing until 2021.

"We always imagined having our close relatives there with us to celebrate our big day. But due to the travel restrictions, we don't know if those are going to be lifted by September."

Wedding photographer struggles with income loss as couples postpone ceremonies

4 years ago

Duration 1:25

Photographer Stacy Kenopic says most of her summer clients have postponed their weddings due to the pandemic, causing a big decline in her usual summer income.

2020 is a write-off

NicoloandDambraare not the only ones worried about all the uncertainty. The longer gatherings are prohibited and shutdowns continue, some event businessesare worried they may not be able to stay afloat.

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"It's scary," said Stacy Kenopic, a wedding photographer based in Renfrew, Ont. She was supposed to photograph 27 weddings this year.

"I'm anxious because I do want to get back to work. I love shooting weddings and I know the couples are just as anxious as well."

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Being self-employed, she's only eligible for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). While the majority of weddings she's booked to photograph are in August and September and are in a wait-and-see phase, she's had some couples ask for their deposits backsomething she cannot afford.

"I financially don't have the income right now coming in. The CERB only pays a limited amount of money that coversmy rent and my bills."

She's still left paying her business expenses including insurance and website costs, something she doesn't know how she'll pay for when CERB runs out after 16 weeks.

Steve Lachance has also seen most of his catering business dry up.

"It's the season where we're ramping up and usually by mid-May we have about 130 employees working for the company," he said.

Why 2020 may be a write-off for catering companies

4 years ago

Duration 1:18

Steve Lachance, president of Bytown Catering, says weddings, corporate events, and festivals have either been postponed or cancelled outright, leaving the catering industry searching for ways to adapt.

Weddings make up 15 to 20 per cent of Bytown Catering's business, but he's seen that number drop to zero as couples callin to postpone or cancel their weddings.

He's paid back some deposits, he said.

"The way I look at it, 2020 is a write-off and you know, we're not going to recoup that."