Preparing for a wedding is stressful enough in itself, not to mention that it demands a lot of your time and hard work just so everything seamlessly goes according to plan.
But when the months (or even years!) of effort goes to waste due to the onslaught of an unexpected pandemic, it becomes difficult to find your bearings and to have a sense of direction from thereon.
However, these tips could just be the help that you might need! See how you can plan, cancel, or postpone your wedding amidst this health crisis.
Plans A, B, C, and D
These times are uncertain, especially now more than ever, and until such time that we can go back to our daily lives, planning for something in the future is a risk and a gamble even more so when it comes to costly events like weddings. So to minimize the risks and better prepare for what can happen, creating backup plans is extremely necessary.
Begin by planning for the best, the okay, the bad, and the worst case scenarios. It might sound daunting to be drafting so many different plans but the key here is just modifying the original plan. Talk with your vendors or with your own wedding planner if you have one, about the many possible problems that you can foresee in the near future. Make as many fallbacks as you can upon identifying said problems, and learn what you can do about it if in any case it does happen.
Consistent and regular updates should also be scheduled at least once a week. This is most important to weddings that have been postponed since the beginning of the crisis and have been postponing ever since.
Getting updates from your suppliers and updating them as well of your decisions, ought to be done by every couple experiencing the same problems. Whether you still want to keep postponing or if you want to cancel or maybe just elope, your suppliers ought to know about it lest you breach any terms of your contract. At the same time, be proactive in checking in on them and letting them know about any updates or changes in your area’s current situation.
Before You Cancel
Before you even decide to cancel, you absolutely have to know whether your vendors will charge you of cancellation fees or not. Upon learning this information, if they do charge you, decide whether cancelling is even an option on the table depending on how much the fees are going to be, if you can afford it, or would even want to pay for it.
However, if expenses are not a problem, then sit down with your partner and talk about it. Ask each other and discuss:
- What made you want to cancel?
- What are the most important things you want to happen at your wedding no matter what?
- On the other hand, what are the things that you might be okay not doing for the ceremony?
- Are there any parts of the wedding that you can modify to cater to a Coronavirus-friendly wedding instead?
- Will you be willing to marry without an extravagant celebration and alternatively go through your vows intimately?
- Afterwards, ask each other again: do you really want to cancel?
More and more couples have opted for an elopement or a very intimate wedding with minimal guests instead. Unconventional weddings have recently become a trend as a consequence of the pandemic and its restrictions to mass gatherings. However, just so couples can finally begin a life together as spouses, some have even proceeded with a virtual celebration with their guests instead. Alternatively, you can take it upon yourselves to do the work off from some of your suppliers like conducting your own photo shoot and have your wedding photo album printed, or crafting your own invitations if you have the eye for it.
Once you have come to an agreement, inform your family and guests about your decision. Whether just a few or more than a hundred, the people you invited to your wedding ought to know where this wedding will go since you are scheduling something in the far future and borrowing an uncertain part of their time. Lastly, let your vendors know about your decision and thoroughly make sure that there are no issues with your mutual obligations and terms to avoid miscommunications.
Upon Postponing
As previously mentioned, elaborate planning is your ultimate salvation in these trying times. Knowing when is the acceptable period of time for prolonging your wedding, or if it’s to just cancel, or if you can pursue other courses of action or alternatives is a must.
Postponing your wedding during this pandemic means a lot of things. Rescheduling so many appointments with your vendors, dragging your guests’ commitments for an extended period of uncertain time, cashing out more money without guarantee of it being used, and ultimately dedicating more of your time and effort without the assurance of it becoming fruitful.
Understanding these facts is a must before you even decide to postpone. Additionally, keep your eyes open to new and creative ideas for couples facing the same adversity as you. Having an open mind and adapting to what they now call the new normal might just be the way for you to finally say “I do”.
