You are not alone in this
You were not the exception. You were the rule.
96%
of 2020 couples altered their wedding plans
66%
postponed the wedding entirely
47%
downsized the guest list
5 years
later. The milestone is now.
The class of 2020 and 2021 is hitting their five-year anniversary right now. For couples who filed the paperwork but never got the party, this is the window. Planners, photographers, and venues are actively building packages for exactly this.
Source: The Knot 2020 Real Weddings Study (COVID-19 Edition); Brides 2020 Wedding Study.
What couples are doing now
Not a vow renewal. A proper celebration.
These events land somewhere between a vow renewal and an anniversary party. They're throwing out the old rules. No bridal party required. No sit-down dinner if you don't want one. No obligation invites.
Most couples are keeping it to 50–100 guests. The people they actually chose, not the 200-person list they felt obligated to invite in 2019. They're putting that savings straight into the open bar, the food truck, and the photographer.
Because the photographer is often the whole point. These couples have nothing but masked backyard snapshots and a Zoom screenshot from their actual wedding day. They want portraits. They want a room full of unmasked faces. They want the photo of everyone together. Especially the grandparents who couldn't be there in 2020.
“Is it weird to invite people I disinvited during COVID five years ago?”
The most common question in every forum thread on this. The answer is no. The people who understood what 2020 was will understand this. The ones who don't weren't the right list anyway.
Find your vendors
Eastern Alabama and West Georgia vendors ready for this.
The Aisle directory covers photographers, venues, florists, caterers, officiants, and entertainment across our region. Every vendor is searchable by type and location.
Photographers
You have Zoom screenshots. You deserve portraits.
Venues
Reception-only packages. No ceremony pressure.
Florists
For the flowers you never got to carry.
Caterers
Open bar. Late-night food. No sit-down required.
Officiants
For couples who want words said over them this time.
Entertainment
The dance floor you earned.
Meet them in person
The Aisle · October 18, 2026
Anniston Museums and Gardens · Anniston, Alabama
A regional bridal expo for couples who are starting out and for couples who are starting over. Photographers, venues, florists, caterers, and officiants all in one room. Come plan the celebration you were owed.
You got married in the middle of a pandemic.
You built a life.
The celebration is still yours to claim.
The Aisle · Eastern Alabama & West Georgia