Valentines Day weddings dwindle during Covid by Erin DeGregorio

As New Yorkers near the one-year anniversary of the city’s first Covid case, they’ve showcased flexibility, persistency and creativity while making life work under new circumstances. For those who were engaged or soon-to-be married last year, wedding plans were postponed, rescheduled, or even advanced to an earlier date due to uncertainty.

Wedding Reporter, a trade organization, reports that NYC weddings dropped 56% in 2020 to 58,522 – the fewest since 2008. Couples who still held planned parties also reportedly spent an average of $32,743 – the lowest since that year.

Kristy May, a New Jersey-based photographer who specializes in elopements and weddings, says her business has seen its ups and downs during COVID-19. Before the pandemic, a majority of her client base was international tourists who wanted to get photographed in iconic Manhattan locations like Central Park, the South Street Seaport, and Midtown. Now, her base has been locals who want to safely get married in Manhattan and the surrounding areas.

“It was very quiet, except for clients calling to say they were postponing and canceling their dates. I had no inquiries and no one was planning,” May recalled about the spring of 2020. “I did have one client who decided to get married during the middle of the pandemic, but I couldn’t go because it was illegal for me to operate in New York City at that time.”

Though she was allowed to start photographing again beginning June 22, May said she didn’t see business pick up until mid-July.

“It wasn’t like a faucet being turned back on. It really took a while for people to feel comfortable again, to maybe start to plan things and dip their toes into it,” she explained. “But the fall was crazy because there was this desire for people who were planning on getting married in other parts of the country, or the world even, who decided they still wanted to get married on their original dates here.”

May photographed two weddings during the summer and 37 small, outdoor weddings during the fall – and even officiated at some ceremonies. She also worked a number of engagement photoshoots during the fall. She said the new normals of pandemic life have made their way into some of wedding photographs — including shots of the bride and groom wearing masks, personalized hand sanitizers that were given as favors, and even furry family members in attendance.

“Some clients said, ‘Well, this is the way it is. We’re going to try and make it pretty and fun,’” May said. “I also had people were live streaming their weddings, and sometimes the tech and equipment ended up in the photos. Another wedding I photographed had no guests, just empty chairs.”

“COVID has definitely made its way into the pictures, but I try to minimize it as much as possible.”

Manhattan’s Marriage Bureau continues to remain closed to the general public for in-person services. The City’s Project Cupid currently allows couples to schedule and attend a virtual appointment with the City Clerk’s Office, upload required documents for the license, and submit the signed license after completing the marriage ceremony. Marriage ceremonies performed by the City Clerk will be available at a later time.

“A lot of people get married on Valentine’s Day and it used to be a big day at City Hall. Obviously, it’s going to be quiet this year, which is really sad,” May said. “I photographed two weddings last year on Valentine’s Day – I don’t have anything booked right now [as of Jan. 22].”

However, May remains optimistic her business, as well as other industries’ businesses, will pick up again this spring.

“Just based off of last year, I expect that I’ll be booking a lot of last-minute elopements and small weddings,” she said. “I just spoke with a prospective groom who wants to get married in May, and I think the biggest challenge right now is couples have no idea what they can do. They’re thinking what are their options for locations? Where can they safely go for their reception? How big can their group be?”

“Totally, 100-percent, people are getting married,” May added. “I’d be fascinated to see what happens later this year.”