A trade fair where marriage-related companies introduce the latest services has started in Koto Ward, Tokyo. Since many couples have refrained from wedding receptions due to the Corona disaster, the venue is crowded with people who expect the vitality to return in the future.
The fair started on the 30th at Tokyo Big Sight in Koto-ku, Tokyo, and about 120 companies related to the bridal industry introduce their latest services and products.
Among them, companies in Shizuoka Prefecture are introducing a service that accepts weddings on tablet terminals against the backdrop of the corona disaster and the spread of electronic money, and can also give congratulations with electronic money.
It saves you the trouble of requesting acceptance and preparing congratulatory bags and new bills, and it is popular with couples.
In addition, companies in Aichi Prefecture are introducing a service that gives attendees a card with a QR code in order to reduce the burden of taking home many sweets and gifts, and when they access it, attendees can choose their favorite item and send it to them.
According to the organizers, due to the spread of the movement to refrain from weddings due to the corona disaster, there is a shortage of human resources in the marriage industry and IT is progressing, and the number of people invited to weddings is decreasing, and in order to increase the unit price per attendee, high-end services and products are also conspicuous.
Stakeholders expected a significant increase in couples holding weddings from this summer, and many vendors and others were seen negotiating business at the venue.
Saki Gondo of the Bridal Industry Newspaper, who hosted the event, said, "There is an issue of a shortage of human resources in the industry as a whole, so efficiency improvement using digital technology is an issue.
Wedding "Do not invite people at work" couples is also on the rise
A survey conducted by a private company on the changes in pre- and post-COVID weddings shows that there is also a tendency for more couples not to invite people from work to their weddings.
In February, wedding producer Take and Give Needs surveyed 2 of its wedding planners about changes in wedding attendees before and after the pandemic.
As a result, 332% said that there was a change, and 83% of these couples said that more couples were not inviting people from work.
According to the company, "There was a period when we had to reduce the number of invitees due to restrictions on movement, etc., and the awareness of inviting people from the workplace diminished, and weddings with only relatives and friends no longer felt uncomfortable. It can be seen that the way weddings are perceived and the points that couples place importance on have changed.