A wedding postponement or cancellation entails a change of plans for a very large number of people, including the bride and groom, their families and friends, and the businesses that they have contracted with to provide services for the wedding. Because of this, it is essential to approach the matter of postponing or canceling your wedding with this frame of mind, particularly during times of crisis such as the present moment with COVID-19.
We reached out to a number of wedding experts and friends in the industry, such as planners, a stationer, and a photographer, to ask them to break down what it means to postpone or cancel a wedding, as well as how to navigate the process, and in this case, the crisis, like a pro. This is to help you navigate the uncharted waters that you are currently facing.
Stay Informed
We recognize that this scenario is daunting, and it is changing every day. For married couples who don’t have a planner, it’s important to remain up-to-date on reputable news; nevertheless, you shouldn’t let yourself become overwhelmed by reading every news site! Maintain your composure and a level mind. Use your circle of acquaintances and family members to help out. Keep up with the CDC and the pages of your local government.
Check With Your Insurance
If you have insurance, your first contact should be with your insurance carrier to investigate what your policy covers and what it means for the connections you have with your suppliers and vendors. All couples should examine their insurance policies to determine what they cover before contacting vendors.
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Regrettably, it will not cover coronavirus on its whole; nevertheless, it may pay the difference in expenses from suppliers, People not be too hard on themselves if they do not have insurance, despite the fact that he believes that all couples should have insurance. If you don’t have it, it’s like trying to buy insurance in the middle of a hurricane; don’t beat yourself up for not having it, but make sure you acquire it for the new date!
Consult a Professional
In the event that you are compelled to modify the date, or are considering doing so based on the facts at hand, the next step that you should take is to consult with a nonpartisan sounding board. During this conversation, you should ask: Where and how will this look? If you have a planner, the first person you should speak to about the prospect of postponing the event is that planner. Before making that choice, have a conversation with a trained expert since you’re emotional and it’s an emotional decision. If you don’t have a planner for your event, you should talk to the venue or the caterer. You need someone to talk to who can provide comments and ideas and help you work through them, he explains.
Understand the Financials
Any alteration of plans carries with it the possibility of additional expenses, such as forfeiture of any pre-paid fees, such as retainers (or final payments, depending on when the wedding is), as well as any non-refundable purchases of products or services (more on that later). Consider doing the following steps in order to have a better idea of the impact on your finances that delaying or calling off a wedding will have.
Let Guests Know
In the case of COVID-19, event planners recommend informing attendees as soon as you have made the decision to modify the date of your event formally. If you’re in this window, which runs from now to the middle of May, you are going to need to postpone. Even though A phone call is the more appropriate manner of communication, this is done via email. This is an excessive amount of phone tags! Simply send an email, text message, or communicate in the same manner that you used to obtain the addresses in the first place, and He offers advice. Just let them know that the wedding has been moved to a date that has not yet been determined. In a perfect world, you would have a new date, but it may take a week or two to schedule a new date, which means that they are left in the dark for two weeks while they make preparations such as traveling, renting a dress, etc.
Talk to Your Venue
The next thing you need to do is get in touch with your location and inquire about three to four available dates. T arrange a date in the near future. Whether the next available date is in 2021, you might want to ask if they have a sister property that is nearby that might host your wedding, the website says. The significance of maintaining an open mind while thinking about the dates that are accessible. I believe that individuals are going to start getting married on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Mondays, which will make things difficult for guests.
Discuss With Hired Vendors
After you have discussed rescheduled dates with your planner and venue and have a good understanding of the postponement clauses in your vendor contracts (that is, you are aware of what you have already signed and agreed to), reach out to the vendors you have hired in order to inquire about rebooking your services. Vendors want you to have the wedding of your dreams, but they also have to realize that they’re little businesses operating on survival. Vendors have a balancing act to perform.
Choose a New Date
The next question to ask yourself once you’ve decided to delay something, after making an informed decision—asking yourself, What will this look like financially?—is when you should delay it. How far into the future do you want to push the postponement?
Gather Your Team
Put everyone on the same page once you have established relationships with your main providers. Make a document that is essentially a CliffsNotes version of your wedding and includes all of the pertinent information. You jot down the story of your day in writing. This is something that we always urge our couples to do.
What does everything seem to be looking like, and how does it sound? Where do we want to go to? Concerning the particulars of what should be included. One should print out everything that has been prepared thus far and merge it into a notebook. Include your must-take photo list, timetable, music, and vendor contracts, basically, print down everything and store everything in one place. The idea is to keep everything as near to the original plan as possible, so include your must-take photo list.
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The next step is to set up a Zoom call with all of the participating suppliers, during which you will share the aforementioned dossier with everyone (excluding any sensitive vendor contracts). (An added benefit is that, in the event that you do need to transfer vendors, this will provide everyone with a concise summary of your vision.) Because of this, everyone will be on the same page, and it will be much simpler for all of the concerned parties to begin planning for the new day—and to become enthusiastic about it.
Formally Inform Your Guests
In light of the current situation with the coronavirus, the specifics of your situation may depend on where you are in the planning process and whether or not you have already mailed out your invites. You just send out an electronic invitation in the same design style. I would send digital now until the end of summer, and if your new date is beyond that, then you can start from scratch if you’d like. I would send digital now through the end of the year.
Rethink the Details
It is important to ask yourself if you want this new celebration to look the same, as the details from the flowers to the linens to the food can change with the season. Even though your wedding does not have to necessarily coordinate with the season, it is important to ask yourself if you want this new celebration to look the same.
If you’re going to change the date, presumably in a new season, from a visual point of view, do you want to embrace the seasonality you’re moving towards? If you’re going to change the date, likely in a new season, from a visual point of view.
A wedding in the winter might appear extremely different than a wedding held in the spring. You are not going to be able to have spring flowers in the winter unless you pay for them… Because everything is going to be affected, it will be vital to revisit all of the minor aspects once everything is in place.
Coordinate With Day-Of Vendors
After you have had discussions with the companies that are hosting the party, it is time to plan the activities for the weekend of the event, such as hotel blocks, transportation, and items for the welcome bags. Make a phone call to inquire about the company’s policies. It depends depend on whether you have a soft block (no financial commitment) or a hard block (they have your credit card on file) when it comes to room blocks.
The hotel’s willingness to be flexible will determine the cause for the postponement, which might be anything from a national issue to a personal one. When confronted with significant obstacles, listen to people’s emotions rather than their money. we’re delighted to have our visitors stay with you and want to transfer the business to another day and keep it with you, We’re excited to have our guests stay with you. You should update your wedding website as soon as you receive fresh information on hotel blocks and transportation.
Thank Your Team
When everything is said and done, what are some things that you may do for the persons that assisted you in rescheduling the date? Exhibit patience and a positive attitude! Businesses to your loved ones and close friends. A referral for either ongoing business or increased business is the best possible thing that can happen to a vendor. In addition to providing a glowing recommendation, you may also consider writing an online review or making yourself available as a resource to prospective customers who might be interested in speaking with former customers, as he proposes.
Last but not least, it would be the perfect moment to leave a big tip if you are in a position to do so. Do it if you have the capacity to be extra generous, particularly if your suppliers have gone above and above given the circumstances, he advises. Do it if you have the opportunity to be extra generous.
Make Any Necessary Cancellations & Returns When Applicable
When you decide to push back the date of your wedding, don’t forget to also push back the date of your honeymoon if you want to take it after the ceremony. Your ability to reclaim any costs associated with your honeymoon will rely, in the same way as it does with wedding postponement insurance, on the sort of tickets and bookings that you made. In the case that the wedding is canceled, you will need to think about returning the gifts that were given to you, as well as the dress and the engagement ring.
