With all the August birthdays amongst my network of family and friends, it might seem that the most efficient way to mark them would be with one big mega-bash. But of course, megabashes are a no-no during a pandemic and huge gatherings are not really my thing anyway - I can only take them in small doses and that doesn't really allow time to socialize with everyone I'd like to!

I was reading something recently about pandemic-era weddings and how for many couples, the need to hold a smaller celebration can be a blessing in disguise (with masks compulsory!) They mean less stress, less money and more time for getting on with getting a life. And possibly fewer hard feelings on the part of anyone who may have felt excluded - since after all it was down to circumstances beyond our control!

With funerals perhaps the situation is a little different - unless you happen to have nine lives, you kind of only get one chance for a final farewell, though I guess cemetery visits and memorial services and the like are still a thing. There's been a bit of a trend towards drive-in or drive-through services but I'm not sure to what extent they're catching on. They also require ready access to a car and driver.
As well as being graduation month for many, June seems to be the most popular month for weddings too. But as we know, couples who always dreamed of pull-out-all-the-stops gala weddings with all the trimmings have had their hopes dashed since pandemic restrictions took effect.

But it's not just the couples, of course. Wedding planning and orchestration is a multimillion dollar industry, even in this day and age when most people don't even raise an eyebrow at the idea of couples "shacking up" together. So how are all these wedding-based industries coping? This one may give you a clue:

https://www.weddingstar.ca

Now, I'm sure selling masks and other Covid accessories at $20 a pop is not going to go very far in compensating wedding industries for all those overhead expenses that must be paid even though big weddings just aren't happening - but I guess they're adapting as best they can and this is a creative way to start. Masks in every colour of the rainbow - or in all of them! Tie-dye masks, animal masks including kitties and puppies and panda-bears and sharks. But if they want to specialize in wedding-themed masks, perhaps they might consider these possibilities:

1. His-and-Hers, His-and-His, Hers-and-Hers or Theirs-and-Theirs masks
2. Quilted masks in classic patchwork quilt designs like Double Wedding Ring, Log Cabin, Dresden Plate, etc. Extra points if the patchwork incorporates bits of cloth from old clothing of both bride and groom. Or maybe a design incorporating something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue?
3. Champagne glass or Wedding Cake designs
4. Hearts
5. Equations, Scrabble tiles, Bingo cages, Playing cards, Tarot cards or anything reflecting the particular interests of the people getting married
6. The animal reflecting the year on the Chinese calendar (as in Year of the Rat, Year of the Rabbit, etc.). Or maybe that's a little too politically charged?
7. Birthstones and Zodiac signs

Well, I think I'll stop at no. 7 - after all, that's a lucky number for many!
Page generated Jun. 29th, 2025 12:51 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios