{"id":8803,"date":"2020-06-15T15:11:50","date_gmt":"2020-06-15T14:11:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/?p=8803"},"modified":"2021-01-18T16:28:11","modified_gmt":"2021-01-18T16:28:11","slug":"wedding-during-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/blog\/wedding-during-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"Love \u2013 and weddings \u2013 in the age of Covid-19!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_heading-d6dd76a531cbb0d47e3343ec58647668\">\n#top .av-special-heading.av-av_heading-d6dd76a531cbb0d47e3343ec58647668{\npadding-bottom:10px;\n}\nbody .av-special-heading.av-av_heading-d6dd76a531cbb0d47e3343ec58647668 .av-special-heading-tag .heading-char{\nfont-size:25px;\n}\n.av-special-heading.av-av_heading-d6dd76a531cbb0d47e3343ec58647668 .av-subheading{\nfont-size:15px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='av-special-heading av-av_heading-d6dd76a531cbb0d47e3343ec58647668 av-special-heading-h1 blockquote modern-quote  avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_image  avia-builder-el-first '><h1 class='av-special-heading-tag'  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Love \u2013 and weddings \u2013 in the age of Covid-19!<\/h1><div class=\"special-heading-border\"><div class=\"special-heading-inner-border\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-k2xdybux-256fa802ede6f582330902e6a38bfcc3\">\n.avia-image-container.av-k2xdybux-256fa802ede6f582330902e6a38bfcc3 img.avia_image{\nbox-shadow:none;\n}\n.avia-image-container.av-k2xdybux-256fa802ede6f582330902e6a38bfcc3 .av-image-caption-overlay-center{\ncolor:#ffffff;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='avia-image-container av-k2xdybux-256fa802ede6f582330902e6a38bfcc3 av-styling- avia-align-center  avia-builder-el-1  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_textblock '   itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><div class=\"avia-image-container-inner\"><div class=\"avia-image-overlay-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" class='wp-image-8811 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-8811 avia_image ' src=\"https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/jonathan-borba-F8-B78_gf7U-unsplash.jpg\" alt='Shane Black Mentalist Blog on social distancing at weddings' title=''  height=\"640\" width=\"960\"  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/jonathan-borba-F8-B78_gf7U-unsplash.jpg 960w, https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/jonathan-borba-F8-B78_gf7U-unsplash-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/jonathan-borba-F8-B78_gf7U-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/jonathan-borba-F8-B78_gf7U-unsplash-705x470.jpg 705w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-39j46m-e7528f10bf7a9a6d70731cc7c2eb5a35'  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock av_inherit_color'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h3>Over the past few months, there has been a widespread misconception out there that no weddings were taking place during the worst of the lockdown era.<\/h3>\n<h3>And in fairness, I myself was of the opinion that nothing was happening out there on the wedding front.<\/h3>\n<h3>Imagine my surprise, then, on reading a great piece in The Journal which cited figures released to RT\u00c9 News by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.<\/h3>\n<h3>The stats revealed that no fewer than 82 marriages were registered in the months from lockdown till now.<\/h3>\n<h3>The exact dates involved were from March 8<sup>th<\/sup> to June 5<sup>th<\/sup>.<\/h3>\n<p>To give you a sense of comparison, the same period last year saw a total of 3,949 marriages.<\/p>\n<p>And while 82 may be a tiny figure in comparison, it raises some very interesting questions about the couples who decided to proceed with ceremonies and celebrations that were pared back beyond belief.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re being highly speculative here, and have absolutely no inside track into the background of these weddings.<\/p>\n<p>Nevertheless, it seems self-evident that these couples were much more interested in being married than in the trappings of the modern wedding.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-8812 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/3487.jpg\" alt=\"Covid-19 Bride\" width=\"1293\" height=\"836\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/3487.jpg 1293w, https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/3487-300x194.jpg 300w, https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/3487-1030x666.jpg 1030w, https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/3487-768x497.jpg 768w, https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/3487-705x456.jpg 705w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1293px) 100vw, 1293px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s something intensely hopeful and heartening at the heart of this.<\/p>\n<p>Posh frocks, lavish meals and huge numbers of guests were all deemed to be less important than the act of a couple committing to each other for the rest of their lives.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s very clear that romance, in the truest sense of the word, is alive and well in Ireland right now!<\/p>\n<p>We have to speculate that no more than ten people were in the church for each of the 82 ceremonies (in keeping with the figure for funerals), which meant that the wedding party was cut down to the absolute minimum.<\/p>\n<p>The bride and groom, the celebrant and two sets of parents takes the tally to seven.<\/p>\n<p>Maybe there was a bridesmaid and groom, or maybe the parents acted as witnesses.<\/p>\n<p>This would have meant that the couple would be left with just four more invites.<\/p>\n<p>If they had siblings, then the tally of ten would surely be reached within the immediate family alone.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-8813 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/craig-hellier-R8DEp0oQGcA-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"Social Distancing at weddings\" width=\"576\" height=\"572\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/craig-hellier-R8DEp0oQGcA-unsplash.jpg 576w, https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/craig-hellier-R8DEp0oQGcA-unsplash-300x298.jpg 300w, https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/craig-hellier-R8DEp0oQGcA-unsplash-80x80.jpg 80w, https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/craig-hellier-R8DEp0oQGcA-unsplash-36x36.jpg 36w, https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/craig-hellier-R8DEp0oQGcA-unsplash-180x180.jpg 180w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This may seem like something of a hardship. But when you think about it, these couples have had some of the most intimate and loving weddings imaginable.<\/p>\n<p>And as to the party aspect of the modern wedding, well that can come at a later date when things settle down a little bit more.<\/p>\n<p>And won&#8217;t it be great for the couples concerned when they get to enjoy \u2018Part 2\u201d of their big day?<\/p>\n<p>Remember, too, that new technology allows all the friends and relatives of the couple to join in the ceremony via webcam.<\/p>\n<p>While not ideal, this is certainly better than nothing in terms of creating an event that allowed a full complement of virtual guests to take part.<\/p>\n<p>The new funeral allowances now stands at 25, so couples planning a wedding right now would be free to invite a similar number.<\/p>\n<p>It would be still very tight \u2013 and hard to avoid leaving out some of your best friends or closest relatives.<\/p>\n<p>But people are likely to be understanding, as you simply can\u2019t get a gallon into a pint jar.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8814\" src=\"http:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/jonathan-borba-hY2CQ2MHN6w-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"Covid-19 Wedding Ceremony\" width=\"691\" height=\"648\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/jonathan-borba-hY2CQ2MHN6w-unsplash.jpg 691w, https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/jonathan-borba-hY2CQ2MHN6w-unsplash-300x281.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 691px) 100vw, 691px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>In terms of what\u2019s likely to happen over the coming weeks, there are a few optimistic straws in the wind.<\/p>\n<p>Already, we have seen a contracting of the guidelines, with a number of key dates being moved forward by the government.<\/p>\n<p>If we all continue to behave ourselves, there is a chance that normal weddings will resume sooner rather than later, albeit with a huge focus on good hygiene, social distancing and avoidance of too much kissing and intimate contact (other than the bride and groom, of course!)<\/p>\n<p>With such small numbers involved in a wedding right now, it goes without saying that I have not been involved in the celebrations as a <a href=\"http:s\/\/shaneblack.ie\/weddings\"><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\">wedding entertainer<\/span><\/a>, but there is very definitely light at the end of the tunnel, and I have taken provisional bookings for dozens of weddings in the second half of the year.<\/p>\n<p>Like everybody else, I can\u2019t wait to get back to \u2018normality\u2019, but let\u2019s not spoil the prospects of an even bigger recovery by dropping our guard right now.<\/p>\n<p>Keep washing those hands, stay safe and I truly look forward to seeing you in person at some point.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-ka81djpc-ef4bfa9355c791fa2adbf351a3d0d2ce\">\n.flex_column.av-ka81djpc-ef4bfa9355c791fa2adbf351a3d0d2ce{\n-webkit-border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n-moz-border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:20px 20px 20px 20px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div class='flex_column av-ka81djpc-ef4bfa9355c791fa2adbf351a3d0d2ce av_one_full  avia-builder-el-3  el_after_av_textblock  avia-builder-el-last  first flex_column_div column-top-margin'     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-kahznbg1-317b7f0418c4a61bf6a4aa1bd985a044'  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\">\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-2mz90t-ca7b88bc2f132a7e24eb17f9ac538dc3\">\n.av_font_icon.av-2mz90t-ca7b88bc2f132a7e24eb17f9ac538dc3 .av-icon-char{\nfont-size:30px;\nline-height:30px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<span  class='av_font_icon av-2mz90t-ca7b88bc2f132a7e24eb17f9ac538dc3 avia_animate_when_visible av-icon-style- avia-icon-pos-left av-no-color avia-icon-animate'><a href='http:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/blog\/'  class='av-icon-char' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue830' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello' ><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><a href=\"http:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/blog\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Back to blog.<\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you thought that nobody was married in Ireland over the past few months, then think again. Here\u2019s the truth about how many couples have ploughed on with their weddings, despite all of the challenges out there.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8826,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"82 couples have tied the knot during lockdown, proving that love  is still more important than a flash wedding!","_seopress_titles_desc":"If you thought that nobody was married in Ireland over the past few months, then think again. Here\u2019s the truth about how many couples have ploughed on with their weddings, despite all of the challenges out there.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[14,10,16],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8803"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8803"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8803\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8826"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8803"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8803"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shaneblack.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8803"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}