Inflation is affecting the wedding sector as well as the type of weddings people are having, while destination weddings have become increasingly popular among the Maltese, wedding planners have said.

The wedding sector had been significantly impacted due to the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, forcing couples to postpone the most joyous day of their lives. Now that the wedding season is back in full swing, several wedding planners have found themselves busy with an influx of weddings this year.

Wedding planner Sarah Young said that this year was very busy due to the number of weddings which had been postponed since 2019.

"This year has been very busy, trying to catch up on weddings postponed due to the pandemic. There was also a lack of staff, but we will catch up for next year, as inquiries for next year are still slow," she said.

Food and drink prices have been on the rise over the years, more so in 2022 due to inflation and increasingly rising prices which have affected many sectors around the world. Asked if inflation has already had an impact on the wedding sector, Young said that food prices are definitely not at the cost they were four years ago.

"Speaking for ourselves, everyone is wary about how to price our services, as we do not yet know the outcome of inflation. There is still a question mark on pricing for next year, as well as 2024. It is not a clear picture yet, no one knows what prices will be next year," she said.

Maltese people are known to favour big weddings rather than smaller ones. However, due to rising prices, this may well impact the Maltese view on large weddings.

Young was asked if there has been an increase in destination weddings, to which she said that Maltese people are starting to look for them, albeit the number still being low.

"After Covid-19 more people realised that they can have a smaller, more intimate wedding. It is not only a matter of budget, but there is also no shame in having a smaller wedding. Some even prefer to opt for seated weddings," Young said.

Martina Selvagi from Wed Our Way, who specialises in destination weddings for foreigners coming to hold their weddings in Malta, said that compared to the pandemic years, 2022 has been much better.

"Weddings are peaking to the level they were before; we are also seeing an increase in bookings. This, however, has created an overlap of weddings which include ones by those who have been postponing their weddings since pre-pandemic years and inquiries for 2023 and 2024. Suddenly we have all these people wanting to get married at the same time," she said.

Selvagi hopes that the influx of weddings is not just a short boom caused by the recovery from the pandemic. She said that there has been a good interest in destination weddings, as people have been more interested in travelling abroad and have smaller weddings, which helps the budget.

On inflation, Selvagi said that despite the significant rise in prices, she is not seeing these affecting couples. Selvagi said that there has been an increase of inquiries since April of this year, ranging from couples from the United Kingdom to Ireland and Australia.

"We also receive inquiries for Gozo; however, Malta is more interesting and convenient," Selvagi said.

Asked about expectations for the coming year, Selvagi expects numbers next year to reach pre-pandemic levels, and an increase in interest for destination weddings.

She said that while prices have been rising, it has not reached a peak yet.

Malta and Gozo wedding planner Carmelino Refalo said that the weddings situation is much better now that people can hold standing weddings, rather than seated ones.

On inflation, Refalo said that the food prices have become too expensive.

"If couples used to pay, for example, €60 per person for their meal, now they must pay €80. Multiply that by 300 people and you have €24,000 to pay solely for the guests' food. The prices have definitely risen," Refalo said.

Jurgen Briffa from The Wedding Organisers Malta said that it has been a nightmare to cope with the demand for this year.

Briffa hopes that next year will be good in terms of inquiries, offering good service with good prices.

With regards to inflation, Briffa said that during this period in the wedding sector, the main things being affected are food and drink prices.

Asked if this will have an effect on couples choosing to hold smaller weddings rather than big ones, Briffa said that inflation will not make much of a difference, as couples must still pay for these services and will continue to do so.