Easing of pandemic restrictions brings surge in weddings, other formal celebrations

Jun. 12—When Stacey Rose Ortiz's fiancé got more or less evicted by his roommates near the start of the pandemic, the couple decided it was time to marry even though health restrictions limited it to being a small event in her grandparents' backyard. Not exactly the elaborate affair she'd long dreamed of.

Last month, though, they decided to do it right and invite nearly 200 people to join them at the Kern County Museum for a more formal ceremony complete with a full bridal gown, a sharp tuxedo and a surprisingly nervous bride and groom.

"It was so worth the wait," she said, adding that the outdoor event allowed people from his side of the family, almost all of whom had to miss the original wedding. "It was absolutely beautiful."

Now that vaccinations are available and the pandemic is subsiding, events that had been put on hold during the past 16 months or so are back on — and backing up.

So many people are rushing to the altar these days that suitable venues have become hard to find around Kern County. Already bookings are extending well into 2022, even 2023 in some cases, as couples insisting on just the right day find they have little choice but to keep waiting.

"We're seeing record numbers right now," said the longtime director of the Kern County Bridal Association, Bakersfield disc jockey and marriage officiant Kyle Brown. Some couples who would have preferred indoor receptions are having to host them outdoors lately or postpone again, he said, because of the limited availability of suitable locations.

It's not just weddings, either. The local events industry is scrambling to meet pent-up demand for everything from quinceañeras and other special birthdays to celebrations of life for relatives who died during the coronavirus crisis.

As more robust business returns to the funeral industry, another trend is also becoming clear: Some changes brought on by the pandemic have proved worthy of retaining, said Jim La Mar, president and CEO of Greenlawn Funeral Homes, Cemeteries and Cremations.

The practice of streaming a memorial service live on the internet, which was all but unheard of before the crisis, continues because people have realized it allows more people to participate in the event, even if it means peering into a computer screen, La Mar said.

Similarly, people who can't make it to a friend or family member's service now email comments to the funeral home, he said, so they can be published on a physical card that is presented to the family.

"It's kind of like we became Hallmark," he said.

Fernando Rocha, whose family owns and runs the venue and one-stop events shop Pelezzio in downtown Bakersfield, said business is so strong — up to an unprecedented five events in a single day — that he's coordinating with other venues. But he said often they're full up as well and the customers have little choice but to reschedule or choose a day of the week other than Saturday for their event.

Some are doing just that, he said, celebrating a wedding on a Friday night, for example.

Pelezzio has had to hire a couple of new employees, Rocha said, and his family members have had to cut back hours at their other jobs in order to dedicate more time to events.

He offered advice to anyone trying to book an event these days: Book the venue first.

"A baker can do five cakes in one weekend but a venue can (usually) only do one," he said.

Brown at the bridal association said the rush started about a month ago as couples started calling venues, DJs and photographers to put together a special occasion. He said a lot of them are doing like the Ortizes and inviting people to finally celebrate a wedding or birthday that took place during the pandemic but could only be lightly attended.

Protocols are gradually returning to their pre-pandemic norms, he said, with buffets and hors d'oeuvres that would have raised eyebrows a year ago. The difference is that servers, though fully vaccinated, still wear masks, handle all serving spoons themselves and make sure to sanitize everything more frequently than before, he said.

One local venue that still has near-term dates available is the Italian Heritage Dante Association. Unfortunately, Vice President Paul Steele said, the group's president recently left for the East Coast and the place is temporarily understaffed.

Even so, with a surge in bookings for weddings, fundraisers and musical events, recent months have seen more life at the sprawling Wilson Road complex than has existed there for years, Steele said.

"There's a desire to be outdoors and be together again," he said.