There’s a lot that goes into planning a wedding, but one thing no one counted on was that a global pandemic would mean that many weddings over the next two months won’t happen. It’s a really stressful time! You’re worried about your health and the health of your loved ones. The last thing you want to do is to put your wedding guests at risk. You’re thinking about cancelling or postponing your wedding. But you’ve paid your deposits and signed contracts. What can you do to save your special day?
Stay calm
Right now your focus should be on making sure that you and your partner are safe. Maybe you’re under self-quarantine already or preparing for it. Give yourself time to process everything that’s happening and be kind to your yourself for the emotions that you’re feeling. Nothing about this is easy.
One thing to remember is that everyone in the wedding industry is in the same boat right now. There are many concerned people who have weddings in the next two months. You can expect that your guests, vendors, and venue will be understanding as you start your conversations with them. We are all focused on health right now, and we will understand why you might want to postpone your wedding.
Talk to your venue
If your wedding is around the corner, it’s very likely that your venue may have already reached out to you. It’s unlikely that venues will proceed with events over the next eight weeks now that the CDC had issued its latest recommendations. Talk to your venue about your options. Most will offer to apply your deposit to a new wedding date. Be sure to have one in mind – many other couples are doing the same thing right now and future dates are filling up fast.
Talk to your vendors
Once you’ve talked to your venue, it’s time to touch base with your vendors. Make sure to reach out to everyone – your caterer, florist, rentals, officiant, and entertainment. If you have a new wedding date, now is the time to share it. You can do this all in one email to all your vendors to quickly see if they are available on the new date. Make sure to ask them if their services will be affected by the new date (maybe the showcase flower on your wedding bouquet won’t be in season anymore, for example).
Check your orders
Right now it’s hard to get anything from overseas. If you’ve placed and order for a dress or ring and expect it to be shipped to the United States, you should get in contact with your seller right away. Ask your seller what you can expect and what options they can give to you to make sure you get your items.
Tell your guests
Your guests are probably expecting to hear from you about your wedding especially if they’re traveling to it. Right now most people are unwilling (or unable) to fly. Reassure them that you still intend to have a wedding but that you’ve postponed the date for everyone’s safety. You’ll need to get confirmations again from your guests since the new date might affect your guest count. That’s okay – as long as the most important people are there it will all be worth it in the end.
Feeling overwhelmed? Tell me what’s on your mind and I’ll do my best to give you advice to make the process a bit easier. Everyone in the wedding industry loves love and wants you to celebrate your special day. We are here to support you!