COVID-19, Coronavirus, Global Pandemic, The Rona – whatever you call it, it’s here. COVID-19 has affected everyone’s lives differently from country to state to county. We are now just starting to reopen North Carolina in May 2020. This is great news for the wedding industry which came to a halt back in March. Many couples are moving forward with their rescheduled weddings while other couples are just starting their wedding planning. This is an exciting time but many couples are proceeding with caution. How can you plan for the future when you don’t know when life will return to normal?
We’ve asked our wedding pros for advice to share with couples who are planning weddings for 2020 and 2021. Weddings might look a little different but that doesn’t mean they are any less special. Take it from a local Raleigh couple who got married during quarantine. (Read their story here.)
Tips to Plan a Wedding during a Pandemic
How will weddings be different after COVID-19?
Number of guests
If couples plan to get married in the coming months, they need to be prepared to shrink the guest list. We are unsure what the restraints will be on large gatherings. Social distancing protocols may also need to be adhered to. The owner of I Do Weddings by Michele, Michele Workman, shared her thoughts with us. “I think couples will need to be very open minded if they plan to get married during this crazy time. They may not be able to have all the same amount of people they originally planned and there still may need to be a level of distancing that will need to be maintained during their day. We will probably see more outdoor weddings or smaller number of people in big spaces to maintain distance.”
Reschedule/Cancellation Policy
It is more imperative to make sure that a vendors reschedule/cancellation policy is fully understood. Nicole, owner and lead planner at Timeless Events, talked to us about topic. She, like many wedding professionals, revisited her contract and made some changes to it due to the impact of the pandemic. The stay at home order forced the wedding industry to come to a stand still. Here is her advice, “When reviewing contracts and asking questions, ask for a clause about rescheduling. Will they charge a reschedule fee? Does it have to be rescheduled within the same calendar year? If by law it needs to be postponed will they uphold the same day of the week?” This is important to know. Typically, a Saturday wedding will cost more than a wedding held on any other day of the week.
Virtual Consultations
Many wedding pros have adapted to virtual meetings due to social distancing from COVID-19. The Photos by Clay team gave us some insight into how they are conducting virtual consultations with clients. “There are tools out there (Zoom, Google Hangout, Go To Meeting, Facebook, and others) that makes having a virtual meeting very easy. We’re having virtual meetings all the time. It’s not the best, but it’s the best we can do right now and our couples don’t seem to mind it at all. In these meetings, we have a chance to answer any questions our couples have and also to learn about their story. We show them the albums included in their collections and are able to still have some fun and interact with them before their big day.”
Changing Seasons
Getting married in a different season means some changes will have to be made to make the event “make sense” for that time of year. This could mean changing the color of the bridesmaid dresses, using different flowers in the bouquet or changing the wedding favors. Laura, owner of Confectionate Cakes, talked to us about how changing the wedding season could affect the cake. “They may have to change the flavors that they were hoping to use because some ingredients may be very hard to find or they may not be available at all. One example would be for an original spring/summer featuring a fresh berry flavored cake or filling to a fall/winter cake using spiced flavors like cinnamon or nutmeg. A chocolate cake would also be a good substitute option. Another example would be switching from a Lemon Blueberry to a Sweet Potato Spice cake.”
Getting Picture Perfect
We spoke with our friends at Gladwell Orthodontics about how all of the wedding postponements and the stay at home order has affected wedding party members getting ready for the big day. “We offer virtual consults from the comfort of bride’s to be/bridal parties home. It is in essence a live face-time call with Dr. Gladwell. With so many weddings being pushed back, now is the perfect time for them to have a picture perfect smile for their big day! We also offer take home GLO Whitening kits where brides/bridal parties can whiten their teeth from the comfort of their home.”
We will once again be able to celebrate love. How we celebrate may look and feel different thanks to COVID-19 but working with professionals will ensure your day is picture perfect.
