Covid restrictions eased — 'It feels like the end is in sight'

A survey shows that 20% of couples are spending €100 per head on the wedding meal, double what couples were spending in 2021

Ciara Crossan of WeddingDates.ie: “Now that we are into 2022, it almost feels like the shackles are off." Picture: Dan Linehan

Ciara Crossan was one of the many business owners that breathed a sigh of relief yesterday as the majority of Covid-19 restrictions were removed finally signalling that the end is in sight for the coronavirus pandemic.

The Cork businesswoman launched WeddingDates.ie at the start of the recession in 2008. Her company lets engaged couples compare wedding venues to secure the best prices available.

After battling the impact of Covid-19, which brought the hospitality industry to a standstill, Crossan feels like normality is finally returning.

“Now that we are into 2022, it almost feels like the shackles are off, which is kind of amazing,” said Crossan.

“I was at a big conference this week in London with 400 hoteliers and the positivity in the room was brilliant. It really feels like the end is in sight,” she added.

Previous restrictions meant attendance at weddings was restricted to 100 guests and had to end at midnight. With restrictions being eased, Crossan says there is more of a demand than ever before for weddings and many couples have gotten deep pockets during the pandemic.

“People just want to get back to work, get back to normal, get back to celebrating,” she said.

In a recent survey of 14,000 couples by WeddingDates.ie, of which over half got engaged in the last six months, 86% of the couples said their budget for their wedding hasn’t changed and 52% of couples are spending over €20,000 on their big day alone. The survey also showed that 20% of participating couples are spending €100 per head on the meal, which is double what couples were spending in 2021, according to WeddingDates.ie.

“The difficulty for people now is getting a venue” due to the rising demand said Crossan.

The Irish wedding market is worth over €750 million and is essential for other businesses that have been impacted by the pandemic such as hotels, hairdressers and those in the arts such as musicians and singers.

In the first half of last year, revenue for WeddingDates.ie was down 80% compared to the previous year and it lost a substantial number of clients. These clients are the venues that use the site as WeddingDates.ie does not charge couples directly.

Business did pick up when restrictions eased in the last months of 2021 and revenue for her company returned to pre-pandemic levels. Crossan also operates her business in the UK where restrictions were lifted earlier than in Ireland.

Last January, WeddingDates.ie processed 41,000 enquiries which was up 12% on 2020. Crossan expects this number to be higher again for January 2022.

Crossan’s mum’s family ran the Marine Hotel in Enniscrone, Co Sligo, and her father ran the Imperial Hotel in Ballina, Co Mayo. She later completed a degree in business information systems. She saw WeddingDates.ie as the perfect way to marry both her experience in hospitality and her business knowledge.