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6 Tips to Help Wedding Planning During this crazy time

Trying to plan your wedding amid the coronavirus pandemic? Here are 6 tips for negotiating these uncertain times as a bridal couple.  

Across the world, brides and grooms have been given no choice but to put their wedding days on hold as governments enforce restrictions on social gatherings. While it’s undoubtedly disappointing for couples who have spent the last few months planning their dream wedding day, the decision is understandable in terms of keeping everyone safe and saving lives. 

But if you are trying to plan your wedding, how do you move forward when the future feels so uncertain? In this article, we’ll share with you some of our top tips for responding to the current crisis as a bride or groom and ensuring you aren’t financially (or emotionally) drained when your big day does eventually arrive. 

1. Keep things in perspective

Yes, it’s incredibly frustrating that your wedding can’t go ahead as planned. But with the entire world in the same boat and most people confined to isolation, remember that you are not alone. Once the social distancing restrictions are lifted, you are going to be able to celebrate your special day and everyone’s likely to be even more excited about it after months of no parties. 

So try to keep things positive and in perspective. You now have a little more time to plan your wedding and make it absolutely perfect, particularly if you’re taking time off work and need something to fill your days. Most importantly, you have your health and your loved ones around you, which is what really matters. 

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2. Communicate with your vendors

All of your wedding vendors are in the same boat and completely understand what you’re going through. They want to do whatever they can to work with brides and grooms at the moment and most will be flexible when it comes to rebooking. So reach out to them to discuss booking a date later in 2020 or 2021, depending on when you are thinking about rescheduling.

Each vendor may be handling paid deposits differently, so talk with them directly about what will happen if you have to postpone your wedding date. If your wedding date is nine months away or more, they might be willing to return the deposits in full. However, if your wedding is only in a couple of months and work has already been done by the vendor, you might (unfortunately) have to bear some of the costs.

In the current climate, most vendors will be noting the flexibility of postponing dates into their contracts. So if you’re yet to make a final decision about your florist/DJ/wedding photographer, check with them first about what their policy is.

3. Hire a wedding planner

Wedding planners can be invaluable in negotiating all the tricky logistics of executing an incredible day and if there ever was a time to hire one, it’s now! They’re experts in handling things when they go a little awry and will take charge of rebooking vendors and finding new ones if some aren’t available on your rescheduled date.

If you already have a contract with a wedding planner, the additional planning requirements may be outside of what was already agreed, so check in with them regarding this. You wouldn’t expect to plan two events for the price of one, so don’t be surprised if additional fees are required.

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4. Scrutinize your wedding insurance policy

If you’ve taken out wedding insurance (or are considering doing so), carefully read the fine print to see if cancelation due to the COVID-19 pandemic is covered. Many contracts don’t cover for a force majeure, so don’t be surprised if your insurance won’t payout.

Couples still shopping for wedding insurance should do their research, but remember, the broader the range of situations that are covered, the more expensive the policy is probably going to be. With the global situation right now, some wedding insurance providers may state upfront whether you will be covered for cancelations if the current pandemic drags on into next year.

5. Start shopping online for your wedding dress

With many bricks and mortar stores now closed (including bridal boutiques), you may be forced to go online to find your wedding dress. If you’re having it custom-made, carefully check what the lead times for manufacture currently are, with some dressmakers and garment factories not working at all.

The good news? With so much time to browse designs and find silhouettes you love, you’re less likely to impulse buy and make a purchase you regret later.

6. Move forward with a positive outlook

It’s incredibly difficult to be planning your wedding at the moment with all of the uncertainty in the world. So rather than trying to control things you can’t, commit to what is most important.  Be safe in the knowledge that in the future, you’re going to marry the love of your life….you might just have to wait a little longer than you initially expected.

After you’ve negotiated with your vendors and accept the situation you are in, turn your attention to looking after yourself. Planning a wedding is always going to involve some level of stress and be highly emotional. So do what you can to counter that – meditate, find a new hobby, and move your body so that you are physically and mentally able to tackle the ups and downs that may lie ahead.

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