Rbud Ray Photo courtesy of Dino’s Catering
Anticipating a busy 2021 season, event professionals see light through pandemic By Collin Cunningham
B
y its virtue of bringing people together, the event planning industry felt the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic more than most in 2020. Now, a full 12 months into the pandemic, local event professionals who are expecting a busy 2021 season for weddings and b’nai mitzvah say they’re taking care to weigh the lessons learned last year as they help clients plan the receptions they couldn’t hold before.
Mallory + Justin Photography / Rock The House 24 Celebrations SPRING 2021
“The live event industry was one of the most impacted industries throughout the pandemic,” says Ryan Konikoff, Chief Operating Officer at Rock The House Entertainment Group, which provides entertainment services for weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs and various organizational events throughout Northeast Ohio. “We were the first to close and we will be the last to reopen.” Konikoff says the majority of the Oakwood Village company’s clients who had weddings or b’nai mitzvah scheduled last year did not end up having them, instead pivoting to make way for scaled-down or virtual ceremonies in place of traditional ones. However, the vaccine rollout and adherence to social distancing guidelines have opened new doors, allowing clients to plan the in-person or hybrid events they had to forego last year. “We have a lot of bookings for this year and we expect more to come, and we’re hoping it’s a turnaround season,” says Anna Bolman, owner of Willows and Sage Flowers & Events, a Beachwood florist that creates bouquets and other arrangements for weddings while also offering full event planning for smaller or more intimate occasions, like b’nai mitzvah. “That being
