5 Ways To Handle Wedding Postponement During COVID-19

Photo by Titus Childers Photography

Spoiler alert: you’re going to be OK.

You planned for everything: weather, late car service, last-minute dress pinning, the groomsman who shows up late, the family member who always makes a scene. But who in the whole wide world would have ever thought that the impediment to your wedding, the big day you’ve been planning, would be this: a pandemic?

If you’re one of the thousands of couples who’ve had to postpone your March, April, or June nuptials, what you’re going through is the pure definition of unprecedented. Even the most seasoned wedding planners, people who plan for everything, couldn’t anticipate a global crisis. There’s nothing in the playbook for this, but thankfully, there are ways to cope with the present situation.

Breathe

Before anything else, take stock of the situation. Yes, this is extraordinary. Yes, this sucks. But no, you are not going through this alone.

Venues, florists, bands, caterers, photographers, bakers, etc., they’re all going through this with you. And because they’re going through this with you, they’re most likely going to work with you on finding a new date and modifying plans.

Before you go into full-on panic mode, take a breath, close your eyes, and know that everything is going to be OK.

Despite everything else, you’re still going to have a wedding.

Be Mindful of a New Date

Just as you landed on your date way in advance, so did the Fall 2020 brides (October 10 is the most popular wedding date in 2020.) You can also expect most Saturdays to be booked.

Again, breathe.

Go ahead and inquire about Saturday dates (gotta ask just in case), but consider other days of the week instead. Before this pandemic, Friday was swiftly becoming a popular alternative to Saturday weddings (this is especially true for Destination Weddings). Friday weddings allow guests from out of town to explore their surroundings and enjoy a long weekend. Hosting a small wedding with guests that already live in your city? Consider hosting your nuptials on a Thursday.

Whatever day you pick, resist the urge to say “I do” in 2021. For a wedding that’s already 90 – 95% ready, redoing those components for the following year might end up costing more in the end. Your vendors will also thank you for keeping your date in 2020 as everyone in all sections of the wedding and event planning business will be working hard to make up for the significant loss in revenue.

Whatever you decide to do, keep your vendors in the loop and get their feedback on potential new dates.

Anticipate not receiving a full refund or deposit

Like I mentioned before, this is a hard time for everyone. For small businesses, the profit loss alone is staggering. How would you feel if you lost your income for a significant portion of the year?

Instead of calling up your vendors, expecting a 100% refund or deposit return, discuss moving their services to your new date or see how you can still work together without a change fee.

Only if your vendor is not available on your new date and you’ve exhausted all other options, should you start discussing a full or partial refund.

But as I mentioned in my previous point, avoid the anxiety and awkward refund conversation by keeping them in the loop of the new date. Your vendors are in your corner! They want to be on your team for your big day. Approach this difficult point with that mindset, and you’ll both come out on good terms.

Have hope in what you can do right now

The first thing you can do: Flatten. The. Curve.

Save lives by staying home. Follow the guidelines of the CDC and the directives given by your local government. These steps will help the country to stomp out COVID-19, so we can get back to living our best lives.

Secondly, if you know that you need to postpone your wedding but have not done so, go ahead and begin running through the motions of securing another date. That means calling your venue and seeing what your options are.

If you have a wedding planner, this is their time to shine! Your wedding planner is meant to be there for you during times of trouble, so make sure you utilize their services. Work with them on securing a new date with your vendors.

Once that new date is set, jump on the phone or send out an email to your guests informing them of the new date. Your guests will also need time to adjust to these new plans, so they can rearrange travel and lodging

Third, go over your dynamic details. You know, those little details that can always benefit from extra tweaks: the ceremony, songs, seating chart, thank you cards (this is a great time to order them if you haven’t done so already!). Get on top of those to-dos that always need some extra TLC.

And finally

Whatever you do to relieve stress, be it running, walking, weightlifting, yoga, baking, hanging out with your dog, do it.

Do whatever it is that brings you joy. Remember, you are not alone, and everyone, from your vendors to your family members to friends is in your corner.

Your wedding will happen, and life will go on. COVID-19 will not.