Before you proceed, just take a deep breath. Know that I’m here for you; your other vendors are here for you; and that we are going to make sure you get hitched!

This article is meant to prepare you or help you if necessary, not to scare you!

I know that the prospect of rescheduling or postponing your wedding day is stressful. BUT, it can be done! I know it feels overwhelming and things are changing by the day. There are a lot of unknowns at this time, and we will likely know more about the long-term impact of this health crisis soon.

If you have to reschedule or postpone your wedding, here is a step-by-step process to help you navigate it!

Tip 1

Reasons you may consider postponing your wedding

• What is the current policy on headcount?
• Would you be happy with a wedding day with that headcount?
• Are there elderly guests or guests with health conditions that would miss the wedding? Are they important to you?
• Are any guests traveling from afar that would have to miss the wedding?
• Would absent guests diminish your joy on your wedding day?
• Would you consider a small elopement right now and a larger celebration with everyone in the future?
• Can you livestream or record the event for those who can’t be there? (I can help with solutions for this)

Tip 2

Postpone not Cancel

If you are sensibly weighing the option of changing your wedding plans, we’d always strongly advise you to postpone rather than cancel your big day. Not only will this decision mean you won’t be losing money that you’d put down on deposits to secure your wedding team, but you’ll be keeping your amazing suppliers in business. It’s a very tough landscape out there right now, with postponements due to the Corona Virus meaning that much of the industry won’t see any income for months. And there’s no firm end in sight.

Also, consider being open to rescheduling your wedding to a weekday or ‘off-peak’ day – basically, Monday to Thursday. With the volume of weddings from the first half of 2020 now being moved to late 2020 and into 2021, it means that many businesses simply won’t be able to keep the doors open if all their weekends are taken and they can’t book in new couples.

Even as we type this, we acknowledge that the advice is changing daily and this is tricky for many. We completely recognize this isn’t a decision that you’re probably making voluntarily. You didn’t ask to be put in a position where you were forced to reschedule your wedding, so there may understandably be some resistance to this idea. But we wanted to share this with you, because we know for some venues and vendors, it’s the only thing they can offer right now in order to keep the lights on. We all need to be kind to each other and work together to find compromise that will mean you get to have the bid day you dreamed of!

Tip 3

Ways to notify your vendors

Keep an open mind and when considering a new date. You don’t want to reschedule your wedding for a second time. So you may want move your date to fall/winter or even next year.

• First and foremost reach out to your venue and ceremony location and have them give all the dates they have open for the months you’re looking to move your wedding to.
• Second, email all your vendors the new dates you’re considering.
• Once you hear back from your vendors, choose a date that works best with most of them.
• Now that you have secured your new date reach out to your guests.

Tip 4

Template – For Vendors

Postponing Template – TO SEND TO YOUR VENUE/VENDORS

Hi {VENUE/VENDOR NAME},

I hope this email finds you well, and that you and your loved ones are safe during this difficult time. Due to the current situation surrounding the coronavirus, we’re concerned about proceeding with our wedding and putting our guests and suppliers at risk. We’re sure this situation has put you under a lot of stress as we know it’s impacting many people right now and we are thinking of you & your business.

Due to the uncertainty of the next few weeks/months, we wanted to touch base to see what our options are when it comes to rescheduling our wedding with you.

(IF UNSURE OF FUTURE DATE PREFERENCE:) Is it possible to postpone the date and reschedule once we’ve had an opportunity to speak to some of our guests and vendors?

(IF YOU HAVE A PREFERENCE ON DATES:) We’d very much appreciate if you could please share your availability for the months of X, X and X, 2020/2021.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Kindest,
{NAME + NAME}

Tip 5

Ways to notify your guests

On the topic of communication, there are a few quick and easy ways of sending mass notifications to your guests. Here are a few suggestions:

• Create a group in facebook messenger to update your contacts, and ask them to DM you back privately should they have any questions. You can use this as a way to get quick RSVP’s from guests if you’re wanting to work out the best rescheduled date or if you want to confirm numbers.
• MailChimp has been typically used in the past for marketing or mass communication for businesses, however in this case also makes for an awesome tool to send one email, that can be personalized with names to your entire guest list, and you can make it look more pretty than your typical email. All you need to do is join MailChimp, follow the prompts, upload your guest’s emails and their first names and create a campaign. Remember to send yourself a quick test first.
• Canva can be used for basically anything graphic design related, plus it’s free which we absolutely love. It’s pretty intuitive – once you’ve joined, just select the type of design you’d like to create. If you’re posting a message to your guests via social media, we’d recommend using a square format or selecting ‘Instagram Post’ on the homepage after signing up. Once you’ve opened a blank design, you can select from templates on the left-hand side to find what you’re looking for. Fill in your info, download and send out.
• You could also use a wedding website and guest management tool to contact your guests.
• Of course, good old email is a quick and easy alternative. Just remember to use the BCC field for upr contact list so that your guests don’t start to receive any replies.

Tip 6

Template – For Guests

Postponing Template – TO SEND TO YOUR GUESTS

To our friends and family,

I hope this email finds you well, and that you and your loved ones are safe during this difficult time. We have been concerned about proceeding with our wedding and putting our loved ones at risk, due to the current situation surrounding the Coronavirus, so we’ve decided to postpone our big day.

Once this has all calmed down and life has returned to normal, we’ll be putting on the best wedding yet and we can’t wait to hug you all.

(OPTIONAL IF YOU DON’T HAVE A DATE YET:) We’re looking to reschedule the wedding and will let you know details once these have been confirmed.

(OPTIONAL IF YOU HAVE A NEW DATE:) We’ve rescheduled the date for XX of Month, Year. We hope this date works for you and that you can join us to celebrate safely then.

We hope you and your families are well, and we’re sending lots of love your way.
{NAME + NAME}

When things seem completely out of control, I hope this guide helps maintain a little control for your decision-making. At the end of the day, no matter what you’re going to be married! That’s what’s important. This is only one storm in a long, beautiful partnership. I promise I will do everything in my power to make this an incredible experience for you, no matter what happens or how you decide to tie the knot. If you need help at any time, please contact me! I am here for you