Increase in venue bookings for weddings and christenings
weddings
24 May 2021
/ 16:30
CORFU. Concern about cancellations of bookings made from abroad.
Bookings have increased for wedding and christening venues and a lot of couples and young parents are rushing to find available dates.
Professionals involved in the sector are saying that the pandemic disrupted a lot of people's plans last year due to the strict health protocols and the maximum number of attendees allowed and weddings were put off to this summer.
Churches and venues have been flooded with calls following the official government announcements from the Prime Minister's Undersecretary Akis Skertsos on 12 May, relaxing the measures for weddings and christenings and increasing the maximum number of attendees allowed to 100.
Already there are very few available dates left in Corfu for this summer and many are choosing weekdays as nearly all the weekends are fully booked.
The reason for this is that the demand has doubled - the postponements from last year plus those who had already planned their event for this year. "There are no free weekends and people are booking weekdays," says event organiser Stella Papidi. "The season is now extending to October and there is especially great demand for christenings as the children are getting older."
According to Corfu Metropolitan Church wedding office, the numbers have increased this year and this is expected to be seen in the official figures at the end of the year.
In 2019, pre-Covid, there were 349 weddings but in 2020 only 90 of the 105 weddings for which licences had been granted took place.
Event organisers happy
The increase in demand has, naturally, pleased event organisers, especially following last year's drop and the extended lockdown, and can now see there income starting to increase again. "From the beginning of June to the end of October we are completely booked," says Stefanos Laskaris, owner of a local catering business.
Cancellations of bookings made from abroad
What does concern those involved in the sector, however, is Corfu as a wedding destination, given that it normally attracts a lot of young couples - both foreign nationals and Greeks living abroad.
They say that the limited number of international flights, the fact that the UK has put Greece on its amber list plus the fact that Greece hasn't opened its borders to all countries yet is putting a lot of people off.
"The majority of our customers are from abroad," says Corfu Restaurant Association member Yiannis Vlachos. "And we can see a decrease of approximately 70% as many of them are cancelling."
Professionals involved in the sector are saying that the pandemic disrupted a lot of people's plans last year due to the strict health protocols and the maximum number of attendees allowed and weddings were put off to this summer.
Churches and venues have been flooded with calls following the official government announcements from the Prime Minister's Undersecretary Akis Skertsos on 12 May, relaxing the measures for weddings and christenings and increasing the maximum number of attendees allowed to 100.
Already there are very few available dates left in Corfu for this summer and many are choosing weekdays as nearly all the weekends are fully booked.
The reason for this is that the demand has doubled - the postponements from last year plus those who had already planned their event for this year. "There are no free weekends and people are booking weekdays," says event organiser Stella Papidi. "The season is now extending to October and there is especially great demand for christenings as the children are getting older."
According to Corfu Metropolitan Church wedding office, the numbers have increased this year and this is expected to be seen in the official figures at the end of the year.
In 2019, pre-Covid, there were 349 weddings but in 2020 only 90 of the 105 weddings for which licences had been granted took place.
Event organisers happy
The increase in demand has, naturally, pleased event organisers, especially following last year's drop and the extended lockdown, and can now see there income starting to increase again. "From the beginning of June to the end of October we are completely booked," says Stefanos Laskaris, owner of a local catering business.
Cancellations of bookings made from abroad
What does concern those involved in the sector, however, is Corfu as a wedding destination, given that it normally attracts a lot of young couples - both foreign nationals and Greeks living abroad.
They say that the limited number of international flights, the fact that the UK has put Greece on its amber list plus the fact that Greece hasn't opened its borders to all countries yet is putting a lot of people off.
"The majority of our customers are from abroad," says Corfu Restaurant Association member Yiannis Vlachos. "And we can see a decrease of approximately 70% as many of them are cancelling."
