Planning a Wedding During COVID-19?
How to postpone, reschedule, and continue planning so that you still have the wedding of your dreams!
Wow, I don’t know about you, but I certainly never thought that this would be the type of blog post I’d be writing less than halfway into 2020, let alone ever. And I’m sure you never thought you’d be reading or seeking advice on how to reschedule or plan a wedding during a pandemic. But here we are…
If you are reading this and you’re wedding is being affected by COVID-19, let me start by saying, I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I can’t imagine how stressful and frustrating all of the uncertainty is. Sadly, I can’t provide you with answers (trust me, if I had a crystal ball and was able tell you exactly what you should do, I’d do it in a heartbeat for you!), but what I can offer is advice and guidance to help put you at ease, and I’m here to remind you that just because your plans might be on hold, love isn’t and you will have the wedding of your dreams when all of this is over!
Within this post you’ll find tips on what to do if you’re:
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currently postponing your wedding
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unsure whether or not you should postpone your wedding
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currently planning your wedding for later in 2020 or 2021
If you’re currently postponing your wedding…
I’m so sorry that you’ve had to make that difficult decision. I hope you’ve let yourself have a good cry and once you’re ready, I hope that you can start to get excited again, because when all of this is over, you’ll still marry your best friend and your celebration will be even sweeter and filled with even more love than you can possibly imagine!
If you’ve had to postpone, this is what I recommend doing:
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Contact your vendors as soon as possible. Check with them to see if they’re available on your new date and to find out how they’re handling postponements. As the lovely ladies over at Greater Good Events pointed out in their recent blog post:
“Most vendors are enabling postponements for their clients as long as they are currently available on the alternative date. We foresee venues being one of the toughest places for rescheduling, so if you’re even remotely considering it, please reach out to your venue and begin the preliminary conversation to ensure you know what all of your options will be.” (read the full post here)
If you aren’t feeling up to making those emails or calls yourself, see if a bridesmaid, mom or friend is able to help you.
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Alert your guests of the change. Many guests have most likely already made arrangements to attend your wedding, so it’s important to let them know about the change of date.
To help with this process, I’ve designed two templates that you can use, free of charge, so you won’t have to stress over what to say and you’ll be able to spread the word quickly, efficiently, and in a beautiful way. You can mail, text and/or upload the announcements to your wedding website to notify your guests.
If you’re in need of a postponement announcement, please fill out this form and I’ll send the files to you within 24 hours.
(If you’re in need of a custom announcement, would like something that matches your original invitation, or need Save Our New Date cards + envelopes to mail, please send me an email and I’d be more than happy to help you! hello@writeprettyforme.com)
If you’re a getting married in late summer/early fall and are unsure whether or not you should postpone…
The ladies over at Greater Good Events have some great advice for helping you make the difficult decision of whether or not to postpone:
“When thinking through the initial process of event postponement, there are a number of items that we suggest starting with:
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Is your event currently in the 8 week CDC recommended window for small gatherings? If so, we 100% suggest no matter the size, pushing your event.
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Is the majority of your guest list traveling to attend your wedding?
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Where is your wedding being held?
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Is it at a venue that may have closed for the time being, is it indoors or outdoors?
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Are there people that will be really sad/upset if they are unable to attend?
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Are my vendors still working?
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Will guests be in close proximity to lots of other people or just each other?
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Am I or my guests at risk or have we been exposed to COVID-19?
Depending on your answers above, I would start by reaching out to your planner/coordinator if you’re working with one. If not, start with your venue and check in on their current event policies. This will significantly affect your decision.”
Piggybacking off of their advice, I want to stress the importance of staying in communication with your venue and/or planner and listening to what they’re advising you to do.
If you haven’t sent out your invitations yet, but your venue/planner has given you the okay to proceed with your scheduled date, then I recommend including an additional insert that alerts your guests that you’re aware of and monitoring the situation, and that as of right now, your wedding will proceed as outlined in the enclosed invitation. Here is some wording that you can use as a starting point:
Please note, we are continually monitoring the situation surrounding COVID-19. At this time, our wedding will proceed as planned. If anything changes, we will be sure to notify you as soon as possible, so that you have time to change any arrangements.We hope that you stay safe and healthy during this time and we cannot wait to celebrate with you soon!
By including an insert like this, you won’t need to clutter up your actual invitation with this information and your guests will rest assured that they can proceed with their plans unless they hear otherwise.
If you’re hesitant about proceeding with a larger wedding in 2020, but still want to have keep your 2020 wedding date, I suggest hosting a smaller, more intimate gathering and then throw a bigger party in 2021. If you’re interested in learning more about your options for an elopement or smaller celebration, please feel free to contact the Love Wed Collective. Our mission is to throw you a micro wedding with a big heart! And when you book with us, we’ll handle all of the planning as well as all of the details like your florals, calligraphy and photography, so all you have to do is get excited for your special day with the ones you love!
If you’re a late 2020 or 2021 couple
currently planning your wedding…
If you’re in the middle of planning your wedding for late 2020 or 2021, then I think you should continue with your planning! At the moment, 2021 is estimated to be a big year for weddings because so many 2020 weddings are being pushed into next year. That means that venue dates and vendor availability could fill up quicker than usual. If you have a list of vendors that you know you want to work with, don’t wait to reach out to them. The sooner you can book them, the better. Plus, it’ll give us wedding vendors something exciting to look forward to when all of this is over!
At the moment, a lot of vendors, including myself, are offering things like lowered booking deposits, in order to help ease couples’ minds with the planning and booking process. We’re all aware of the situation and most of use are willing to be as flexible as possible with couples planning a wedding during this time, so we’re more than happy to help you any way we can. I’m personally offering the following:
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Free digital postponement announcements (choose from 1 of 2 templates): Request yours here
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“Save Our New Date” card design & printing starting at $330 for 100 cards + printed envelopes: Inquire here
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Lowered booking deposits from 50% to 30%: Contact us about your event
You might have some extra time on your hands while we’re all hunkered down at home, so why not use that time to knock a few things off of your wedding planning checklist? If my predictions are correct, I have a feeling that when we all come out of this, we’re going to be busier than ever, so use this time to help get yourself ahead of the game.
And lastly to all couples during this time…
Don’t forget, you’re not alone! I know this is an incredibly frustrating situation and we’re all isolated within our own homes, but I’m here to remind you that we’re in this together. If you need anything at all – advice, a listening ear, help with your wedding – I’m here for you, so please don’t hesitate to reach out. Together, we’ve got this, and we’ll make sure that your wedding still happens and that love conquers all!
Additional Resources:
Love Wed Collective is currently offering free 30 minute consultations with our in-house planner. Whether or not you’re a Love Wed couple, Dawn is available and happy to answer any questions you may have about postponing, rescheduling, planning, etc.
Looking to throw a smaller, more intimate celebration sooner or in place of your bigger wedding? Love Wed is also offering lowered booking deposits for couples who wish to book a wedding package with us. Unfortunately, no one knows how long the ban on larger gatherings will remain in effect. But Love Wed Collective is here to make sure you still celebrate love! We offer all-inclusive wedding packages for celebrations of up to 40 guests and we’d love to help you plan and design the intimate gathering of your dreams! Learn more about how we can help you throw a micro wedding with a big heart here.
Greater Good Events has several helpful blog posts for couples during this time, including how to postpone and information on event insurance, and they’re also offering the following:
Clients that book between November 2020 – February 2021 will receive a 20% discount on Day-of Coordination Packages. Lowered booking deposits for all new clients, regardless of your wedding date. Free date change for any current couple who is moving their wedding due to COVID-19 in 2020 or 2021.
Wander Atelier is offering virtual wedding gown and accessories appointments for brides who are looking to find their perfect dress! Book an appointment here.
And here at Write Pretty for Me we’re offering:
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Free digital postponement announcements (choose from 1 of 2 templates): Request yours here
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“Save Our New Date” card design & printing starting at $330 for 100 cards + printed envelopes: Inquire here
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Lowered booking deposits from 50% to 30%: Contact us about your event
Photographs on this page courtesy of:
Mile Square Moments
Amy Rizzuto Photography
