5 Questions You're Asking When Planning a COVID-19 Wedding

5 Questions You're Asking When Planning a COVID-19 Wedding

Photo Credit: Bakerture Photo & Video

Planning a 2020 wedding right now is crazy hard! This COVID-19 Pandemic blindsided all of us. You probably have a million questions and concerns running through your head and you’re looking for answers. Well, let us help you! We interviewed Schilling Wedding Planning with the top 5 questions couples should be asking if you’re planning a wedding during this COVID-19 Pandemic.

---

Question One: My wedding is several months out, should I wait to reschedule my wedding until I am forced to by the venue or my state?

Absolutely do not wait. Vendor’s schedules are filling up for the following year (some even into 2022) rapidly due to mandatory social distancing and stay-at-home orders for this year. Some states, like Virginia, where we operate out of, have predicted not being able to operate “normally” again for another two years. While we keep our fingers crossed for us and our bride’s sakes that this prediction will not be the case, it is better to be more prepared now than have to scramble at the last second and risk not having all of your vendors be available for your future date.

---

Question Two: I have to postpone my wedding due to the pandemic, but not all of my vendors are available on the same date in the future. What should I do?

If it, unfortunately, comes down to rescheduling your wedding day and not all of your vendors are available to work together on a date in the near future, it all boils down to your priorities. You and your fiancé have to narrow down what the most important aspects of your day are to you.

For example, Photography may be more important to some couples because it captures the unique memories of the day for them to relive over and over again. Catering may be the most important to some because they would like the food to be the most memorable aspect to their guests. Maybe the atmosphere is the most important aspect of your wedding day, and you chose to focus on the venue, florals, and/or DJ. Whatever the two of you decide is the most valuable to you, is how you recreate your rescheduled wedding day. Choose the vendor that you value the most, and schedule the rest around them.

---

Question Three: If my fiancé and I decide to hold out on postponing, what should we be doing to prepare in the event that we are forced to move our date?

Make sure to keep an open line of communication with your vendor team. They are your biggest resource. Keep checking in with them on their availability in the coming months to decide when is a good time to postpone. See if they have a cancellation or rescheduling clause in their contracts, talk with them about what they are doing in their business due to the virus. They will also be able to give you tips and guide you on your next decisions. After all, they are working to make sure your day is as perfect as you envisioned it.

If you have a planner, great! If not, get one. They will be there to guide you on navigating cancellation policies, organizing and working with your vendors, keeping up to date on the mandatory orders being placed on gatherings by your state or the CDC, etc. You’re going through enough stress while planning a wedding- during a pandemic no less, let them take a little bit of the burden off your shoulders. 

---

Question Four: My fiancé and I have our wedding scheduled for the Fall of 2020. We anticipate the situation with the virus to ease up a bit by then. What should we consider when keeping our wedding date?

First and foremost, be prepared to be flexible. With the situation surrounding COVID-19 changing rapidly on the daily, nothing is set in stone. As mentioned previously in this guide, have an open line of communication with your vendor team as to what the back-up plan should be. Have a date in the back of your mind as your Plan B, if necessary. Keep an eye on the recommendations of your state and the CDC and make your decision months in advance to avoid scheduling conflicts with your vendors. 

Assuming your date is not affected, be prepared for a smaller guest count that does not include high-risk populations. Even if restrictions are lifted, the chances are that the recommendations for high-risk populations will be different than for those in good health. Consider doing a live stream such as Facebook, Instagram Live, and/or Zoom for loved ones that are not able to attend. If you need assistance with a live stream set up, please be sure to let Bakerture Photo & Video know and we’ll be happy to help!

---

Question Five: What are vendors doing to ease the stress on couples planning their weddings during the pandemic?

Many vendors are changing their cancellation and rescheduling policies to accommodate the virus. Changes could be in the form of waving rescheduling fees or adjusting payment schedules for people affected by employment issues due to the virus. Make sure you discuss what changes your vendors are making to their policies due to the virus.

Some vendors are completely changing their operations to accommodate social distancing. For example, some bridal salons are sending gowns to the homes of prospective brides rather than having them come into the stores to try on their dresses. Virtual walkthroughs of venues and video consultations have become the new norm. Other vendors are offering elopement packages that follow social distancing guidelines for couples that just cannot wait to celebrate their love.

---

The pandemic is hard enough. Let your vendors work for you to keep your day as special and safe as possible, all while easing some of your stress. 

Written by Macy Schilling, Owner of Schilling Wedding Planning in conjunction with Bakerture Photo & Video.