The Malaysian Insight

FAILURE to adjust quickly and not adapting to new technology are two main lessons wedding planners learnt during the Covid-19 pandemic.

They told The Malaysian Insight wedding businesses have struggled to stay afloat in the past year, but they are now adapting.

They are looking at organising small and technology-driven weddings, as well as providing adequate safety measures in line with health protocols.

Even wedding cakes have become smaller to make them affordable in these hard times.

“Business was close to zero in 2020 with many cancellations and postponements,” said Leticia Hsu, president and co-founder of the Association of Wedding Professionals (AWP).

AWP members include a range of vendors involved in wedding planning from florists and gown designers to entertainers.

To remain in the business, they have all diversified to other areas, Hsu added.

“If there’s one thing we learnt was that we should seize the moment and proceed with whatever plans rather than procrastinate.

“The industry has also learnt how to engage clients on social media and virtual platforms.”

Hsu said customers want their weddings to be intimate and meaningful, so vendors needed to cater to that.

“We learned to be flexible to meet the changing needs of our clients,” said co-owner and professional photographer Teo Li Anne from Bitesize Visuals.

“Not only as service providers but also to be helpful and supportive. It is an understatement to say that 2020 was a stressful year for the soon-to-wed couples.”

She said many had very short notice to work around the changing regulations and crack their heads to ensure safety of wedding guests.

“As a business, we also understand the importance of having sufficient backup funds for unforeseen circumstances or to be able to diversify our work,” Teo said.

Wedding bakery The Quirky Taste said it relied on regulars to support the shaky business during the pandemic.

“Business slowed down in March with zero orders and picked up in May or June. Lots of sales were seen from July to October, slowed down in November and got better in December,” said Melissa Sukumaran, owner and cake specialist.

She also said the means to survival was being agile and adaptable, for instance, customising the size of her tiered cakes.

“All of the cakes are now much smaller. We have come up with options for clients to make it more affordable.”

Drop in bridal make-up services

For Barry Make Up and Hair Design Academy based in Penang, its income before the pandemic was 90% through wedding engagements.

Currently, the hairdressing business has increased by 50%, while the bridal make-up business has dropped to 10%.

“From March to December last year, I served four brides each month, which I charged about RM1,200 to RM1,300 per person,” said Barry Wong, who runs the academy.

“I calculated and found that the loss was quite large.”

He has been in the wedding industry for more than 13 years, began in a bridal house for seven to eight years, and then decided to work solo before building his academy four years ago.

In 2015, Tally Press categorised him as one of Malaysia’s top 10 bridal make-up artists.

“Due to my network of clients, I am lucky as they return to me for their hair-dos. That explains the increase in my hairdressing business.

“While bridal make-up may be once in a lifetime, the satisfied clients come back frequently every month or two to cut or colour their hair.

“Thankfully, I am both a professional make-up artist and a professional hairstylist, which kept me in the beauty line despite the pandemic.”

Wong said many of his friends were forced to leave their passion in the make-up industry and doubt they will ever return even after the Covid-19 cases are brought under control.

With that said, the wedding vendors are now hoping for a good recovery year as clients have already started rebooking dates and venues for 2021. – February 2, 2021.