How to Adapt Your Wedding to COVID-19
COVID-19 is here for a while and you might be wondering, how the heck will we adapt our wedding to this? Well here we are, in all my years in business I never thought I’d have to write a blog about how to adapt your wedding in the case of a global pandemic. If you landed here you might be feeling a little (or very) stressed.
It’s all going to be okay! I compiled some tips (and if I missed anything let me know, this is fluid so I’m happy to add to it!)
First tip:
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Breathe, Don’t Forget Why You’re Getting Married!
Even before all of this, the first thing I tell all of my clients is to remember that at the end of the day it’s about a marriage. Not a wedding and certainly it’s not about COVID-19. Don’t feel pressure, don’t succumb to what others think you should do. Breathe and remember why you are doing this in the first place. You love each other and want to spend the rest of your lives together – even if that means getting legally married and having a party later, or moving your date to another time. COVID-19 doesn’t and shouldn’t take away the true meaning of your day.
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Take stock of what you really want
This leads me to my second point. Sit down, have a conversation with your fiance and take stock of what’s most important to you on your day. Ask each other questions like “Do we really need that many people there?” “Should we elope instead?” Make a list of what is important. If you feel after discussing things that you want to stay the course, then plan to push your date to 2021. If you want to still get married as planned, make a new “wedding wishlist”. Who will be there? Where will it be? If the COVID-19 is still around and guidelines change on having gatherings more than “x” people are we okay with that? “Should we elope instead and have a party later? Remember that the bottom line is you are embarking on a marriage and the health of your friends, family, yourselves and the world is of utmost priority.
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Contact Your Other Wedding Vendors
If you plan to minimize things or keep it as it is and “see what happens” you need to stay in touch with your vendors letting them know your plans and wishes. Are your other wedding vendors cancelling due to COVID-19? Are they playing it by ear? What’s their comfort level?
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Venue and Wedding Photographer
Your venue and photographer are the most likely to book up in advance so it’s a good idea to talk to your venue about alternate dates in 2020 or 2021 and then reach out to your photographer asking them what options you have based on those dates (making sure that works with their policies/contract). Be flexible. COVID-19 is a rapidly changing situation, so you do need to be prepared that you may even need a third plan. Remember, some venues and photographers might already be booked into 2021 so considering alternate days like Fridays or Sundays is your best bet.
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Check Your Contracts.
This kind of goes along with getting in touch with your vendors (if they haven’t already emailed you). Ask all of your wedding vendors what their policies are about moving the date due to COVID-19 and check your contracts. As a photographer, in order to continue in business and serving all of our clients, our deposits are always non-refundable regardless the situation, but we are offering a 1 time date reschedule and we have associates available to open up availability in 2020 and 2021. Keep in mind every vendor has different policies about whether they can or will change your date to a new date and how that might look. Be transparent about communicating and remember that they are people too, with families and mortgages to pay. This is our livelihood, so we want to maintain a balance of being flexible for our clients while also ensuring we can stay in business to serve our other clients and keep our doors open.
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Take time to disconnect
Just as it’s important to disconnect from the news – it’s important to take time away from worrying about how this is going to affect your wedding. Spend time together as a couple without talking about the wedding, without talking about “the virus” and its impact. Be present, be together and practice mindfulness.
If you have questions about all of this, need someone to talk to or want some guidance, please leave a comment below or reach out to us at [email protected] – we’d be happy to do our best helping you navigate this interesting time.
Stay well! xo
Nicole Sarah
We’ve seen some lovely weddings that have adapted to Covid, like this one here!
Interested in more wedding planning advice? Check our article on How Undercutting Hurts!
