Publish Date: 31 March 2021
It is going to be GGGGGGGreat! (do your best Tony the Tiger).
I know there are still 9 months left in 2021 at the time of writing this. However, 2022 is going to be all out amazing. If 2022 is going to be amazing, then the road to wedding bliss is going to be a lot better than the restrictive nature of things since March 2020. Here is why 2022 is looking good!
If you have questions like when are weddings going to be normal? When will there be no restrictions at weddings? when will the wedding rules change? The below will help:
Fully Vaccinated People can meet up!
As of the latest announcement (30th March 2021), fully vaccinated people from 2 households can meet indoors without wearing masks or staying 2 metres apart (more will be announce at the end of April).
This might not seem like much, but it is a huge indication as to the lifting of restrictions when the majority of the adult population in Ireland are vaccinated. While there is an expectation that health advice will be to wear face coverings even after vaccinations. Allowing fully vaccinated people to meet up as early as April 2021, clearly indicates that once reasonable precautions are in place, people’s liberties will not be further impinged on. The nanny state will lift the reins as soon as it can and the gov does not want to bear the brunt of more criticism and lobbying.
Christmas is coming!
“Ah, go way with that talk”. As soon as the Christmas was over (2020) there was warning that next Christmas was not necessarily going to be back to the old normal. Even with the vaccine I do not expect Christmas and New Year’s 2021 to be an unleashed, free for all. I do not expect pubs to be allowed to have unlimited capacity. In turn I do not expect dining to be unrestricted. Thus I expect some cap on the number of wedding guests permitted. The number of guests may be higher than the COVID national framework, but I do not expect it to be unlimited.
“But if we are all vaccinated by Christmas, what is the problem?”
International travel into Ireland is the biggest risk now. It will be the biggest risk until the end of 2022. By the end of 2022, the entire world will be largely vaccinated. The risk after global vaccination is limited to a super variant that current vaccines cannot deal with, or a new virus (sorry). That puts us back to the summer of 2019, wedding paradise, do not worry about the next one until it kicks off. Party on Gareth! (sorry again).
All that said, travel will not be tolerated for Christmas 2021. Seriously though who knows what rule changes they will make!
January 2022, Freedom!
In November 2020, I predicted January 2022 would see the lifting of all restrictions. The reasoning was: I could not see Christmas 2021 being all hell broke loose. After the disaster of 2020, only a fool would permit the risk of repeating the same mistake straight away. We have plenty of fools in leadership in Ireland, but I think they take things seriously when it comes to matters of life and death. The gov tend not to repeat the same risk exposure twice (cute whorers).
Easter in 2022 is late, so mid-April. There are no significant events in Ireland January to March 2022. This is the perfect time to remove all restrictions and see the outcome. If you are comfortable getting married is January February weather than 2022 is looking really good. Spring 2022 is looking like the optimum time to put all your wedding eggs in one Easter Basket!
2021 uncertainty
2021 is still froth with unknowns. Hospitality might be back open in June but more likely July (with intercounty travel). Wedding guest numbers will get up to 25 but when will the get up to 50. Crowds will not be permitted at large gatherings so until there is confidence in large outdoor gatherings, that will not trickle down to indoor settings for a period of time. There are targets for vaccination numbers but will they be met as expected or will there be delays. All that and more, bundled in with the threat of new variants leaves a lot of uncertainty in 2021.
So, 2022 is where it is at. Weddings in Ireland are primed to kick off unfiltered in 2022. Morning preparations with hair and makeup, crowded kitchens with noise and laughter. Ceremonies jam packed with uncles standing at the back to let others get the seats. Guards of honour, people chatting in groups outside the ceremony. Drinks receptions with people queueing at the bar! Waiters squeezing by tables of a full banqueting room. Dancing! Music! Loud live Music! Wedding Bands!
It will be great, it will be sociable and it will be normal living!
P.S. all the bad puns and bad humour was Benny.
