KINGSTON, Pa. — When wedding planner Amanda DiPierro started Electric City Event Co. smack dab in the middle of the pandemic, her fiancée asked a fair question:
"He said, 'Are our weddings happening right now?' I said no, but that they would be," DiPierro recalled.
And she's right. 2022 is gearing up to be one of the busiest wedding seasons in decades.
Just ask the experts.
Erin Pikul is booked with hair and makeup appointments at her Wilkes-Barre salon, Union + Main, almost every weekend this year.
"People are being a lot more proactive about booking. I think that the bridal parties are getting larger, and I think that everything is booking a lot faster."
Jennifer Rushton, owner of The Dress Lounge in Kingston, says brides are saying "yes to the dress" close to two years before their wedding date.
"So I'm telling all brides: Book early. Things are happening. Delays are happening. We're on schedule for everything, but just to be precautious and make sure you get what you want."
Michelle Cadden is ready to whip up more cakes than ever at Electric City Bakehouse in Scranton.
"It feels really good to be back into the normal wedding season. But twice as busy as we've ever been!"
She'll also be helping Patrick Nasser prepare spreads like this one for their Tunkhannock-based catering company, The Epicurean Delight.
"We have a couple of days left in 2022, but really we're booking for 2023 now, and those are filling up fast."
Photographer Brittany Boote says her 2022 calendar is shaping up to be:
"Intense. But I'm ready. I'm ready to get back into it and hang out with my brides and create beautiful work."
And Elyssa Chakiris, a bridal specialist at Matterns Floral in Kingston, is busy creating arrangements for brides saying, "go big or go home."
"Everything's bigger. Everything's about organic shapes, textures, more modern peaks, playing with color."
Now that COVID restrictions have eased, brides are not holding back. They're looking forward to spending their special day with their family and friends.
"Bridal parties went from the small micro weddings; we're seeing bridal parties from 10 to 15," Rushton said.
"It's a very different year. I will say that everyone's really excited and really happy. I think the pressure is on to have these big, elaborate fun parties because nobody got to do it before," Pikul said.
So if you're planning on tying the knot next year, the pros say, do it how you want, but do it soon.
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