Nova Scotians are getting ready to bust out their best moves on the dance floor as weddings make a big return this summer.

(CREDIT: Candice Ross Photography)

The owner of Wedding Whisperer tells our newsroom our celebrations have returned to pre-pandemic days now that strict COVID-19 rules have been dropped.

Lead planner Jessica Higgins says business is booming for vendors as many couples waltz down the aisle.

She’s been planning events in the wedding community for more than a decade.

“So this year is unique in that a lot of people are trying to get married all at once,” Higgins says. “We’ve got people who are scheduled for the first time this year. And then there are people who’ve pushed their weddings year after year and are finally getting the chance to say ‘I do.’ So that means for the wedding community, it is a very busy season. It’s a very high-stress season.”

She explains one of the biggest changes this year is ceremonies are taking place every day of the week as couples eagerly look to deliver their vows.

So you can expect to get dressed in your best, not just on weekends, as was typical in the past.

“It means a lot more weddings crammed into a shorter period of time,” Higgins explains. “So we’ve got weekend weddings, Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays. Kind of every day of the week, we seem to be having weddings now, which is a bit unique to seasons past.”

A return to joy as more couples tie the knot

(CREDIT: Marie Roy Photography)

Despite the high stress of delivering the perfect day to couples, Higgins says everyone from vendors to guests are excited to watch couples tie the knot. It’s like a huge weight has been lifted.

“It’s incredible,” she exclaims. “It’s some of the most joyful experiences I’ve witnessed as a wedding planner. People are just really, really happy to finally get to come together and to get to celebrate. A lot of these couples have been waiting for years to get to do this. And you can feel the sense of relief and excitement on the day.”

Higgins adds this season marks a big return of the “dream wedding.” Now that major restrictions are gone, couples can plan the large gatherings they had envisioned for their big day.

“Couples finally get to have the weddings that they’ve dreamed of,” she says. “With the restrictions gone. They can really enjoy themselves in the way that they’ve always anticipated and dreamed of, without having to deal with all of the rules that others have had to deal with during kind of the height of COVID.”

Higgins herself got married during the pandemic and her heart goes out to all of the couples who did the same or had to continually push their plans forward.

One of her biggest tips when planning a wedding is to remember it’s a party and not even COVID can stop a couple from saying “I do.”

“Now that we’ve gotten through a pandemic, it feels like you can get through anything,” Higgins says. “And I think I come to that with my couples — that stuff is going to happen on your wedding day, be it the little things that always happen or the big things like a pandemic — but no matter what happens, you’re going to be married, and you’re going to be starting your life together. And that’s a really, really happy moment. So let’s focus on that.”