In a world without COVID-19, you would most likely be getting ready to attend summer weddings — finalizing vacation plans, buying wedding gifts, or packing suits or dresses. However, as the coronavirus pandemic progresses, the Centers for Disease Control are still encouraging Americans to continue social distancing measures that include postponing or canceling large gatherings. Unfortunately, that includes your summer weddings.
This can be devastating for anyone who has spent years planning the perfect wedding — not to mention the money and time spent on securing a venue and finding services that range from catering to floral arrangements and even getting the right wedding dress. These industries have been forced to temporarily close their doors during the Stay At Home orders.
But you’re not alone. Weddings all over the world are being rescheduled. The challenge is that the more weddings being pushed back, the longer many couples have to wait before they can tie the knot. Even those with insurance coverage are stuck because up until now, most contracts wouldn’t think to cover a global pandemic.
How Do You Reschedule Your Wedding During a Pandemic?
Rescheduling your wedding can cause a considerable amount of stress due to the many factors involved in planning a wedding. But if you do decide to reschedule, here are the first things you should do to make this process a smooth one.
Notify All Planners And Vendors
After confirming your decision to postpone your wedding, the most important first step is to contact your wedding planner and all vendors involved. Doing this quickly increases the chances that your wedding planner will be able to negotiate a new agreement with reduced costs between vendors. If you don’t have a wedding planner, you’ll need to handle this task yourself.
In order to properly prepare, take into consideration the amount of time in advance that you’ll need for notifying everyone. The longer you take to relay the message, the less that each party involved can do for you.
Your next move should be to come up with a new wedding date that accommodates all parties involved. Those couples that took quick action will have a better chance of selecting a date that works for everyone. Be patient when dealing with your wedding vendors because chances are they’re also trying to reschedule hundreds of other clients. If a vendor that you initially chose no longer works out, it’s time to start finding a replacement.
Communicate Openly and Honestly With Guests
Even without a secure date in place, you should contact your guests right away to let them know what’s going on and give them ample time to make arrangements based on travel, expenses, work, etc.
Keep in mind that your guests may be struggling as well. Depending on their circumstances, they may also be left in the dark about what the future holds when it comes to their jobs, health, and finances. Don’t be discouraged if you start to receive declined RSVPs. Try to be empathetic about how this situation is affecting everyone.
Recognize that the people who do show up to your wedding need to continue practicing social distancing. Consider an outside or tented venue to accommodate your party. Some necessary precautions you can take to ensure the safety of you and your guests include:
- Sanitization stations
- Temperature checks
- Spaced seating
Until the pandemic is over, postponing your wedding might not be the worst thing. Rescheduling your ceremony to a safer time gives your guests a better opportunity to be thankful and excited about celebrating with you!
You Can Still Get Married, Just Reschedule The Party
Sometimes selecting a wedding date can be a personal decision between you and your partner. Changing the date may feel wrong for couples who are determined to get married. Just remember that people in quarantine have found unique ways to celebrate special occasions. Here are some ways you can still have your wedding ceremony:
- Virtual celebrations through Zoom, Google Hangouts, etc.
- Small dinners with those you’re closely acquainted with
- Driveway celebrations with cars lined up down the street
Embrace the fact that what’s truly important is the happiness between you and your loved ones. Don’t let a pandemic take that feeling away from you.
Your party and honeymoon to Maui might just have to wait!
Schedule Your Outdoor Wedding in Central Jersey at Windows On The Water
When it comes time to reschedule your wedding, contact us at Windows on the Water, where our professional wedding planners have years of experience helping brides plan every detail to bring their vision of a dream wedding to life and can help you determine how best to proceed in these uncertain times. Our professional planners exceed the expectations you envisioned for your dream wedding and can help you plan the most perfect outdoor or tented wedding to comfortably hold up to 250 guests.
Book an appointment online or call us today at 609-208-9474. See why Windows on the Water is the picture-perfect wedding venue for you.