By Danielle Kutchel
A Pearcedale wedding photographer is looking forward to a bumper season of love once Covid-19 restrictions ease.
Former nurse and paramedic Brendan Creaser, who made the leap to full-time wedding photography last year, said he can’t help but be optimistic about where the wedding industry is headed.
That’s despite 18 months of lockdowns, which have had a devastating impact on many wedding vendors with events often shrunk down or cancelled completely.
“It’s been an absolute roller coaster of boom and bust,” he explained.
But the boom times will come again, he said, especially if past trends are anything to go by.
Mr Creaser said last summer was particularly busy, as delayed brides and grooms rushed to tie the knot.
While the warmer months are usually peak wedding season, he said last season was “really crazy”.
But lockdown six has “really rattled the industry”, as vendors and couples look nervously to the north and wonder if what’s happening in New South Wales could also occur here.
“Most of the weddings through September have already made the decision to postpone to early next year,” Mr Creaser said.
Now, he’s getting bookings for late 2022 and early 2023.
His focus, and the focus of many others in the industry right now, is on making sure current clients are well-looked after and coordinating with other vendors to gauge when and where the wedding will eventually happen.
In some ways Covid has fundamentally changed the industry; mid-week weddings have become more popular as vendors race to fit couples in, and there’s a trend towards more intimate events and elopements.
Covid is the perfect excuse to cut back on the guest list, Mr Creaser joked.
While he has seen others stop taking bookings and prepare to leave the industry, he said that’s not his plan.
“I transferred from a healthcare position last year and went full time in this during the pandemic, which is an interesting move, but I’m of the opinion there will be a bounce back,” he explained.
“When there’s a lot more stability in what events can run, there will be a boom.
“I understand the measures that have been put in place to protect the fragile health system – I think my optimism comes from an appreciation of why we’re doing this.”
While we wait for restrictions to ease again, Mr Creaser said he’d encourage couples to begin planning their big day to give them something to look forward to when Covid is over.
“I think next year is going to be totally different to this year,” he said.
“Get creative and get excited, and still get married – love will always be around.”
Find out more at www.brendancreaserphotography.com/
