Denver wedding season is about to go into overdrive

Colorado’s wedding season kicks off next month, and the surge in celebrations is shaping up to be one of the biggest booms the industry has seen in decades.

State of play: An estimated 47% of couples who planned to get hitched last year are now getting married in 2021 or beyond, according to a survey of 7,600 couples by The Knot.

• Denver-area wedding planners tell Axios Colorado has become a top destination for out-of-state couples from places like Chicago, New York, Texas and Washington, D.C.

What they’re saying: "It’s almost like a baby boom — but with weddings," says Heather Allen, the president and founder of Table 6 Productions, a Greenwood Village-based wedding planning business.

• Couples "either made it or didn’t" during the pandemic — and "the ones who made it are saying ... 'Life’s too short. Let’s get married,'" Allen tells Axios.

Details: Prime venues — particularly those with availability on Saturdays — are nearly impossible to lock down in 2021.

• More couples are taking the unprecedented step of booking Thursdays and Fridays if they’re set on tying the knot this year, said Lilli Black, the CEO of the Denver-based wedding planning company Sweetly Paired.
• Bookings are also happening much earlier than past years, with venue availability for 2022 filling up fast, local wedding planners say.

Of note: Microweddings were already growing in popularity pre-pandemic, but the COVID crisis accelerated the trend, with most guest lists being slashed from 200 to about 75.

• The pivot to hybrid weddings, with some guests attending virtually, could also stick around due to affordability and accessibility factors, experts say.

This story first appeared in the Axios Denver newsletter, designed to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news unfolding in their own backyard.

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