“Typically what happens if you look at the history of epidemics is that it’s like a tsunami washing up ashore,” he said. “The waters recede, but now the shore is devastated so it takes us some time to recover socially, economically, psychologically from the shock.”One area that has seen a surge in demand is weddings, though many couples are holding smaller ceremonies, according to industry analysts. A report last month detailed how the pandemic ravaged the nation’s wedding industry in 2020 and predicted a strong rebound this year, especially around so-called “micro-weddings” that involve a couple dozen guests with vows exchanged outdoors. In New York, some hotels are adapting, too, offering one-hour slots for intimate celebrations instead of the six-hour minimum they typically required before the pandemic, said Tatiana Caicedo, a wedding planner based in Manhattan. So, in order to comply with indoor capacity limits at the time, she and her now husband, Alex, whittled down the guest list by nearly half to just over 100 from the 200 people they had originally intended to invite.

Source: International New York Times June 07, 2021 09:00 UTC