From Gretna Green to Las Vegas (and everything slightly more orthodox in-between), wedding plans covering all degrees of personal taste have taken something of a hit in 2020 thus far. The ripple effect has reached the world of wedding photo editing too, as one of our main lines of enquiry at this time of year tends to be desperation calls from brides briefing DT about how they want us to digitally retouch their precious wedding pics.
As the global Covid-19 pandemic systematically put the brakes on bride and grooms’ best intentions, rumours suggested that next year was already shaping up to be the unofficial ‘Year of the Wedding’. Courtesy of this year’s deferred nupitals; coupled that is with the ones already long-pencilled in for 2021.
The findings of a recent study reports that a whopping 64% of weddings globally have been put on hold (either cancelled or postponed), with the industry set to shoulder an estimated £87.5 billion loss in revenue. From a UK perspective, that equates to close to 64,000 weddings having been disrupted.
For the record, approximately 250,000 weddings take place here annually. Which subsequently generate a staggering £10 billion sum for the economy, if you’re a fan of wedding-related stats as much as DT.
Wedding photo editing services take a moment to reflect on the ramifications of postponed weddings….
Of course, should the wedding sector begin to regroup and turn its attentions to making preparations for an envisaged bumper year for knot-tying get togethers in 2021, even a frantic and fop-haired mid-1990s Hugh Grant (et posh al) would struggle to attend all the engagements that might potentially be playing out across the UK. To compensate for what until recently looked like a catastrophic wedding embargo this year.
And if and when weddings eventually do make what would be a hugely popular comeback here in the UK (especially with wedding photo editing being a vested interest of DT’s), will PPE-conforming wedding attire be the ‘look’ of future ceremonies?
Very good question.
As when weddings do return to their ‘new’ normals, many recognizable elements aren’t going to be that recognizable. Wedding day dress codes for example are probably going to look a little different. A little less conventional, let’s say. As brides and grooms come to terms with stylising their wedding wardrobes with various forms of Coronavirus-shielding PPE. Rather than male guests simply being reminded to match their corsages with the bride’s shoes.
Don’t forget the implementation of social distancing measures at weddings too….
Yup. Social distancing would play additional havoc with the hitherto traditionally awkward ‘mingling’ we’re all supposed to actively embrace at weddings; despite the fact our only tangible connection to either party is tenuous and normally involves knowing the neighbour of someone who once babysat the bride. Or something equally as contrived. Still, a wedding invite is a wedding invite, as Richard Curtis would excitedly concur.
BUT WAIT! What’s this DT hears?
STOP PRESS! – Brilliant news!
Weddings are set to make a shock comeback this summer. And we’re all invited. Well, not all of us, obviously. But a maximum of 30 at last count. 28, if you include the bride and groom, which is kinda traditional.
In an address to the House of Commons covering various aspects of continued lockdown-easing being introduced in July, Boris Johnson has just announced that wedding ceremonies in England will be able to resume as of the 4th. The only caveat being the number of attendees would be limited to 30 for the time being. And that social distancing would have to be enforced. Although 1 metre is the new 2 metres, apparently.
Hurrah! Three cheers for Boris, hang out the bunting, etc!
Steady on. You haven’t heard all the news yet.
As we all know, weddings are big business for all concerned. They also tend to work out quite expensive too. On average a UK wedding costs just over £27,000. While British couples are said to fork out somewhere in the region of £1,200 on the dress and a ball-park figure of around £2k on the wedding ring. Sorry, but DT loves a good stat or three as we mentioned earlier….
Financial outlay aside, weddings also typically attract a sizeable number of guests. As well as other people present on the big day to fulfil additional duties. Which explains why in this new era of social distancing, weddings have understandably been put on hold until late. Until the curve had been flattened.
Oh, and another thing.
Brides-to-be will be relieved to learn that their wedding day hair will be as imagined, and far less Flintstones than it might otherwise have been if hairdressing salons hadn’t also got the nod to re-open at the beginning of next month. However, as we all know the Lord taketh as much as he giveth sometimes. Or BoJo does, in this instance. So brides-to-be will have to forgo their pre-wedding manicures and pedicures, given that nail and beauty salons will remain firmly shut until further notice, as DT writes.
Don’t fret though, as wedding photo editing can save your day. We’re always on hand to touch-up any wedding photos afterwards. So there’s no reason we couldn’t amend your nails in key pics if that’s what you wanted. Perhaps add that to the list, along with face mask removals.
More of which beneath (no, not them!)….
Is this now the calm before the summer wedding storm then?
It could well be.
This time of year is usually a very busy one for DT. With the wedding season in full swing from Spring onwards, by the height of summer we’re receiving a lot of enquiries from brides, anxious for us to ‘rescue’ their wedding shots. For a variety of reasons. Editing guests in (and removing them where deemed necessary) being populist requests which fill our email inbox. Wedding photo editing is arguably our number one request. Certainly DT’s favourite.
However things have been somewhat quiet on that front to date.
Yet now we’re anticipating a flurry of communication in the coming weeks and months, as brides and grooms are finally given the green light to celebrate their big day. Let’s just hope the great British summer weather received the memo too.
How Might 2020 Weddings Look Then?
As we’ve already summised; virtually unrecognizable in some respects. For a quiet start that familiar refrain of ‘you can now kiss the bride’ might pose a bit of a logistical challenge should both the bride and groom have chosen to don bridalwear colour scheme-co-ordinating face masks so as to protect more vulnerable guests.
But hey.
PPE might become the de rigeur wedding look for 2020/21, with some couples going ‘all out’ to up the decorative/creative ante. You must have seen the aftermarket collections of avante garde face masks available today (and championed by who else, but celebs), where pretty much any design goes. As it should.
However for all those traditionalists/puritans out there, the wearing of face masks won’t be anything to smile about. Not least, because nobody can make out quite what expression people are wearing beneath their go-to PPE. Even people with other features which often give the game away.
But fear not, as DT has the perfect solution. And the ideal way to get your wedding day plans back on track. Yes, you’re staring the answer right in the face. What else but the power of wedding photo editing.
Our bag.
‘Remove Face Masks From Wedding Photos’
We can pretty much visually amend/recreate any photographed image you want. And we’re bracing ourselves for a tidal wave of bride and grooms pleading with us to ‘remove face masks from wedding photos’. And if that specific search engine query doesn’t start trending this summer, we’ll eat our best wedding hat.
Seriously though. We’d love to digitally photo retouch any wedding pics which you’re not happy with. Pandemic associated or not. It’s what we do, and have been doing successfully for years.
We’re pre-empting a surge of brides (and/or grooms) getting in touch with us asking if we can make face masks vanish. Literally. Well, photographically. Which of course we can, and would be very happy to do for you.
Conversely however, while dedicated wedding traditionalists will beat a path to DT’s wedding photo editing door, imploring us to Photoshop masks out left, right and centre, on the flip side of the Covid-19 coin, other folk will choose to have fun and work within the parameters of the restrictions. Preferring instead to capture a visual artifact of such historical importance. For future prosperity, like some sort of Blue Peter garden-buried time capsule.
From a photographical perspective DT can customise your wedding day face masks after the event, if you would like. We know that some of you might wish to have fun with these unavoidable signs of the current times. We can print words on face masks, change the colour, superimpose a unique design across it. Infinite possibilities only ever limited by imaginations.
DT Will Save Your Wedding Day Photos
There’s no doubt here at DT we’re set to play a pivotal role in the new wedding landscape. Post-production stages anyway. Where we’re looking forward to witnessing just how the wedding landscape pans out in the coming months.
Rest assured we’ll be on hand as always to resolve any and all wedding photo editing niggles, queries or SOS’s.
So do, please, give DT a shout for ALL your wedding photo editing requirements as everyone learns to embrace the new norm.