As California inches closer to a full reopening on June 15, the events industry is buzzing with business. It’s one step toward recovery after more than a year of losses, according to Suher Haidar, an event planner and owner of Refined by Suher and FRE by Suher.
“No days off, not for me anyway…I love it. And I’m very happy doing what I do and we’re very blessed,” said Haidar. She’s booked through the year and told NBC 7 that she’s already taking inquiries well into 2024.
“It’s lots of work, late nights, timelines, deadlines, playing Tetris with all the vendors that we have available,” Haidar explained.
Haidar said the state’s full reopening, scheduled for June 15, is opening the doors for more events.
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“Indoor dining is going to be a lot more accessible, which means we can do rehearsal dinners at restaurants, at venues, at hotels that are reopening again,” Haidar explained.
Most indoor venues will be able to reopen without restrictions for events with under 5,000 attendees, according to state health officials. And when it comes to traveling for events, in most cases, the state will no longer advise Californians to quarantine once they return.
“It’s extremely welcomed after such a rough year of not being able to do anything and work with our couples and give them their special day,” said Haidar.
Some of her clients are planning their weddings for the second time, like Natalie Hormann.
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“May 2020 is when we were supposed to get married,” said Hormann. She’s Haidar’s lead wedding assistant and client, who told NBC 7 she has been planning her wedding since 2018.
“We’re relieved and thankful for the love and support we’ve had during this time and everyone’s just as excited as we are to finally have our special day,” said Hormann. Her wedding has been rescheduled for October and she expects to celebrate the big day safely, but without many restrictions.
Meanwhile, Haidar said she’s preparing for a long year of events and is happy to be back to work.
“I feel like it’s only the beginning of what we’re seeing, and the boom is really coming,” Haidar said, predicting the demand for rescheduled events will continue for at least a year.
