It is surely a different and crazy time we are living in! The Covid-19 Pandemic has affected all ends of the world. To prevent the virus from spreading gatherings were severely cut back and initially limited to 250 people, then to 50 people, to 10 people and now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) has further limited indoor and outdoor non-essential gathering to 2 people. Now you can imagine how this has impacted events, weddings and couples all over the globe and maybe you’re even one of them. We’ve all been sitting in our homes for 2 whole months now, itching to get out but a pause in events doesn’t means you have to stop wedding planning. Instead keep dreaming and look towards the brighter future when you can celebrate YOU again!
If you had a March-August 2020 wedding date, it is likely that you have already postponed your wedding. Fall-Winter 2020 couples are playing it by ear and closely following daily updates about the severity of Corona Virus before making a final decision. If postponing your wedding is starting to feel like a realistic option, you have weighed the pros and cons of your situation. Each wedding is different and vendors are now working by a case to case basis. For example if you have lots of guests coming from out of town, this would greatly impact your wedding postponement. At this time, travel is restricted and may be for the next few months making it hard to have your guests from afar to attend your wedding whether it’s from a nearby city or overseas. Understandably you want your closest family and friends to be by your side on your big day!
So what are the nexts steps if you’re thinking of postponing your wedding?
-
Contact your wedding planner and have an open ended conversation with them about the possibilities and different options that can be taken.
-
Reach out to your vendors as soon as you can! Find out what their policy is when it comes to postponing and review your contracts. Many vendors are small business owners therefore not all your vendors will give you the same response. Will your initial deposits be transferable? Are there any additional costs for booking into 2021?
-
Find a mutual date between all your vendors. Sometimes this can be a smooth and easy transaction. Other times, it’s easy said than done. First, contact your venue to get a list of available dates for the months you are considering to move your new wedding date to. Once you find a date that works with all your vendors, you want to lock in that date. Venues are taking their postponements by a first come first serve basis. A new contract will be drafted so be sure to read through the terms and conditions carefully. Review the new payment schedule and sign once you agree and everything looks in line. On the off chance a vendor can not commit to your new date, review their cancellation policies. your wedding planner can refer you vendors in the industry who have similar style and budget as you will be on the hunt for a replacement.
-
Communicate with your guests and inform them with “Change The Date” cards or through your wedding website. They are also practicing social distancing and will completely understand the situation that you are in along with the reasonings of postponing your wedding.
-
If you have been planning a destination wedding or even a wedding in your home city, you may have booked hotels stay for yourself and your bridal party. Your family and guests may be affected by this as well if you were booking through a room block. Be sure to reach out to hotels to negotiate if a refund or credit can be provided.
-
Continue celebrating! There are many ways to share the fun and let loose. Host a Zoom bachelorette or bachelor party to not only to uplift your own spirits but to brighten up your friends day! Celebrate your original date at home! After all, the date will always hold significant meaning in your life. We’ve seen online, couples have already started to do this. Dress up and feel your very best while having a romantic dinner of your favourite meal, reenact your first dance song in a dimly lighted room then dance to your favourite tunes like you would on your wedding day. Remember this day with photos and videos, something to look back to in later years.
Most venues have already booked up their prime dates until the end of this year (i.e. Saturdays, Fridays and Sundays). Therefore, we are seeing a lot of weekday options being considered such as Thursdays or Mondays of long weekends. Though in this case we’d estimate your guest list might be smaller if your guests can’t travel or take time off of work mid-work. Another option is to forgo the big ceremony and choosing to elope. Elopements have a special place in my heart. They are truly a representation of you as a couple doing whatever you want without having to cater to anybody but simply enjoying each other’s company and the setting around you. (I haven’t had any couples elope yet but it is a complete dream of mine so shoot me an e-mail if you are thinking of eloping)! Other couples have decided to have a small ceremony now and host a bigger celebration in the future when the storm has calmed.
The occurrence of the pandemic has definitely thrown a curveball for every person in the world. There are times where you may feel down and in the blues about your situation. Acknowledging that those feelings are completely valid is a part of the process. Facetime your family, wedding party or turn to your partner to express the frustrations you have. This pandemic was not expected and came out of the blue, but at the end of the. day, staying home, healthy and positive is the most important thing we can do for ourselves and those around us. We are a community and we are all here to help one another. Stay healthy and safe!
