TAMPA, Fla. — Many local businesses have struggled because of the pandemic, but one industry that’s been hit particularly hard is the wedding industry.
Colleen Lachnicht and her husband Luis Pimentel got married mid-April in Safety Harbor, when a lot of Florida was still shut down.
"When we got engaged we knew there is so much uncertainty in life, and the one thing that we knew is that we wanted to see what the future held together, so that tied into the decision to still get married despite what’s going on," Lachnicht said.
So they held a socially distanced ceremony, with a handful of immediate family members spaced out between pews in a church, and put up a livestream for the rest of their friends and family.
"It sort of made the whole thing more serene and spiritual having so few people in such a vast space," she said. Lachnicht said she felt excited and at peace that day marrying the love of her life, even if it wasn't how they'd originally planned their ceremony. The couple will have a reception in a year, or when it is safe to do so.
While some couples have found creative ways to still get married like Colleen and Luis, the wedding industry is still suffering.
"The wedding industry has come to a complete halt. With so many weddings not being able to happen, that’s put lot of people out of work and businesses in jeopardy," local wedding expert Anna Coats said.
Coats runs local online publication “Marry Me Tampa Bay” and says everyone in the wedding business is feeling the impacts.
"It’s made up of small businesses, a lot of women run small businesses," she said.
Businesses like Bearer of the Bling Owner, which Aimee Matsko runs with her best friend in Tampa Bay.
"We were closed for six weeks, without a single soul in the store, it was really sad," Matsko said.
They’re running on appointment only and only able to take one bride at a time. But she says things are starting to look up, at least for them.
"People are definitely still shopping, with the closing of the store that putting shopping to halt, so the November weddings coming up people are coming in and buying off the rack," she said.
Coats says caterers and venues have been hit the hardest within the industry, since they have the most overhead and the most staff.
What other people are reading right now:
- Here's how Crew Dragon compares to the 8 other spaceships that have carried humans
- Disney World proposes reopening July 11 with mandatory masks for all
- SeaWorld, Busch Gardens propose reopening parks June 10
- Troopers say open roads have led to a need for speed across the Tampa Bay area
- Floridians can get 13 additional weeks of unemployment under federal program
- Will a judge be able to force Florida to speed up unemployment fixes, payments of benefits?
- Weather forecast looks iffy -- but better -- for historic SpaceX, NASA launch
FREE 10 TAMPA BAY APP:
►Stay In the Know! Sign up now for the Brightside Blend Newsletter