The adage of when the going gets tough, the tough get going has never been more true than during these unprecedented times. The wedding industry was among the first to feel the impact of COVID-19, yet we’ve seen how wedding vendors are giving back during the coronavirus.
We are beyond proud of the way so many in our industry stepped up in a time of crisis.
Whether it was repurposing florals from postponed weddings or serving meals to first responders, we thrilled to share a few stories that touched our hearts.
SPARKING JOY WITH FREE BOUQUETS
As the pandemic began to spread, everything was shut down including a nearly immediate stop to all weddings. These early days, in particular, were full of uncertainty and fear. The team at The Fleuriste, led by owner George Catechis and co-owner Matthew Woods, used a postponed wedding to spark some joy during dark times with stunning free bouquets.
They spread the word on social media and local news outlets picked up the story. People kept coming by until they had distributed around 2,000 flowers. See more on this story here.
DONATING WEDDING DRESSES TO HEROES ON THE FRONT LINE
The Barcelona-based luxury brand, Pronovias decided to spread the love with their Heroes Collection meant for heroes on the frontline. They donated wedding dresses to engaged hospital workers in China. Since then, they have expanded the program to other countries. While the program may have come to a close now, there was an overwhelming response from the medical community.
WEDDING VENDORS MAKING THEIR COMMUNITY SAFER ONE MASK AT A TIME
Even after they had to close for the pandemic, Stanley Korshak Brides got to work using what they had to make a difference in the lives of their community. They started the Hopeful Heart program, where they created cloth masks and donated them to the local children’s hospital. This allowed families to safely be with their children and so much more. They donated masks to local medical workers, law enforcement, and other front line heroes.
Many fashion designers like Khanh Nguyen and wedding dress boutiques stepped up and made masks for their communities where there was a shortage. Carine’s Bridal Atelier in D.C. who turned their shop into a mask factory at the height of the pandemic in April. (Watch their story here.) All across the country, small businesses in the wedding industry turned their shops into a mask production line — and gave back to their community when it mattered most.
K&B Bridals in Maryland donated their bridal gown bags to local seamstresses who, at last reporting, were sewing 1,000 masks to be given to hospitals in their area. That’s just one of the many wedding vendors like her that used whatever they had to help.
From coast to coast, designers, boutiques and dress shops of every style and size gave back to their community in this way.
MEMORY-MAKING MOMENTS DURING COVID-19
When weddings were put on hold, many photographers brought joy and a little fun to their community with Front Porch Photos. The front porch photo trend spread all over the country giving families at home something to look forward to and a way to document these unprecedented times.
In Erie, Colorado, wedding photographer Analise Lawson, offered free photos of families in her community after seeing the idea on Facebook. She stayed busy and even donated any payments she received to a local nonprofit that helps feed children and families in need. Some families dressed up, others used costumes, and used it to get a good laugh.
“We’re all just trying to do the best we can with a crappy situation,” said Texas-based photographer Sara Easter in an interview with Pop Sugar. Check out her gallery of funny front porch photos from her community here.
FROM PARTY TENTS TO THE FRONT LINES OF THE PANDEMIC
Wedding vendors from every area helped on the front lines as well. Many rental companies in the wedding industry went from wedding parties to the front lines of the pandemic helping set up and manage outdoor tent use for coronavirus testing sites. Many rental companies were called upon to act quickly for testing centers, as well as other support programs. In Springfield, Missouri, Michael’s Party Rentals was on the front lines working with the police department, national guard, and the mayor to help address the medical needs of the homeless.
Many rental companies around the country were called upon to set up and maintain tents for outdoor triage as the virus spread.
These are just a few highlights out of the hundreds of stories we’ve seen throughout the wedding industry. At its heart, this industry is about people — and so many of you have proven that time and again throughout this season.
This is why we believe in Wed Society and the community of dedicated creative service providers that are part of it.
Do you have any wedding vendors that you would love to give a shout out to? Share their story in the comments below.
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Written by Corrie McGee
