Top Wedding FAQs Couples are Asking About COVID-19 (Part 2)

December 22, 2020

Is it worth it to even book a DJ with social distancing expectations?

What is a celebration without any upbeat music? Don’t let the pandemic take away the essence of the celebration of your marriage. But be wary of the safety protocols.

I feel so bad about downsizing. How can I still involve those who don't make the cut?

There are two ways to go about this. One, you can make life-size cutouts of your friends that you can take pictures with later in your photoshoot. Or you can choose to do a livestream of your wedding ceremony for your friends and extended family who could not attend. The latter option is gaining quite the popularity during the pandemic and we suggest that you ride with this trend for now as the pandemic is still progressing.

Early 2021 wedding planned, should we be contacting the venue to see about postponing now?

For your peace of mind, absolutely! Contact your vendors as soon as you have decided to postpone or even if you are still hesitant in moving forward with the celebration you should also inform your vendors. This is to ensure that they all have a courtesy hold for you on your backup date so that you have a rollover option in case your wedding date does not work out for you.

How to "uninvite" guests due to COVID size restrictions?

It can be very awkward telling your guests that they are no longer invited to your wedding, however this is no normal circumstance. When it comes to downsizing your guest count for your wedding, people are really understanding right now - and maybe they are still afraid to go out due to the pandemic. But we think that the ‘right' way to do it is to have you, the couple, call your guests individually and let them know that, unfortunately, you're going to have to downsize for these reasons and that you're sorry. You can still explore other options such as live streaming in private groups of conference calls so that people who can’t be there physically can still celebrate with you.

How do I tell people we are postponing if we don't have a new date yet?

We think that when it comes down to postponing your wedding, communication is key. This is true for your guests and for your wedding vendors. Keep all of them up-to-date with any changes you’ve made to your wedding plans by using online resources, mail, and social media.

What if not ALL of my vendors are available for my new date?

For most wedding vendors (especially the popular and big ones) have a lot of personnel which means that they can send in a new team to work on your wedding. For some vendors who do not have extra hands, they will always have someone they can recommend that is on par with the service they are capable of giving. These recommended vendors are someone they really trust and should satisfy whatever you need for your wedding.

What are some ways I can still celebrate my original wedding date?

One of the best ways you can celebrate your original wedding date is by getting dressed up, hire a wedding photographer, and have a photoshoot session with them. It doesn’t matter where you do the photoshoot as long as you celebrate somehow.

Do we need to send new save-the-dates and invitations if our wedding has been postponed?

This is quite a complicated question to answer and it depends on a lot of scenarios, but if you have already sent your invitations and your guests have already received them, then don’t be pressured in sending out new save-the-dates. Sending one invitation is enough, just announce the new date afterwards.

How do we make sure our in-laws feel included in our small elopement?

The essence of having an elopement is for you to be alone with your partner, to have the most intimate and genuine ceremony, and to also get away from everyone else to just focus on yourself. So a conference call with your family will be counterproductive to what you are trying to achieve - but if you are fine with this then it can be a great way for them to feel included in your elopement. Another sweet thing to do is to make a personal video right after the ceremony so they can feel your emotions and share the moment with you.

My friend canceled her wedding and is eloping now instead. I'm the maid of honor—how can I help and can I still do a bachelorette still?

Of course you can still help and still do a bachelorette party. You just have to be creative and resourceful. And one of the best ways of throwing a bachelorette party during this time is a virtual one - this will really surprise your best friend. Make it really cute: send out invites to your friends, choose a similar theme to their elopement, have everyone dress up, and have a signature cocktail.

Are all of the weekend wedding dates basically gone for 2020 and 2021 now?

We do not think that all the weekend dates for 2020 up to 2021 are already fully booked. Some brides have opted to cancel or postpone their weddings freeing up some weekends on the calendar.

Can my florist still send me my original wedding flowers if I'm getting married at home now?

This is a very easy request that you can discuss with your wedding florist. But you should realize that the floral arrangement may look different in your home compared to how it would look in the original wedding venue.

Will floral wholesalers have any flowers to provide once the pandemic is all over?

The only reason you can’t seem to find that many flowers right now is because there isn’t much of a demand for flowers. The pandemic has affected everyone all the way down to the ones growing the flowers. But once this pandemic passes and the wedding season kicks in, you will see an abundance of flowers once again and they will look prettier than ever!

What if we postponed till fall of next year and then things are still bad then? Do we have to postpone again?

At this point in time, all we can really do is hope that this pandemic will go away and resolve itself very soon. And if things aren’t looking very good on your rescheduled date then don’t be held back by this pandemic - but you ‘ll have to make a few changes for it to be feasible. You've waited this long to celebrate your love, you shouldn’t continue to keep on waiting. Hire a great wedding planner if you don't already have one who can be an advocate and stick by your side.

How do you suggest handling relatives that insist on postponing our wedding?

Approach the subject with empathy and clear communication. Understand where they are coming from. Why do they want you to postpone? Is their reason financially related? Are they not able to travel? Is your wedding location too far for them?

How will we know if we need to postpone our wedding?

Weddings are getting postponed left and right. As couples are still hesitant and afraid of going out to celebrate their weddings. Ultimately, it is your choice whether you would want to postpone or not. But there are guidelines and factors that need to be addressed. You can follow the guidelines the CDC has given to keep everyone safe in your wedding - if you choose not to postpone your wedding.

What's a great alternative to doing a big reception?

You can do an elopement or an intimate wedding in a garden or anywhere outdoor. Then throw a big reception after the pandemic is over.

Any advice for a bride who wants to DIY her own bouquet?

If you are thinking of making your own bridal bouquet, the best advice we can give you is to keep it simple, personal, and elegant. Stick with your theme and your color scheme for your bouquet. Do not be indecisive and use too many flowers, instead pick one or two flowers and add a little green to keep it very basic.

We postponed the wedding and the florist still hasn’t got back to me with new dates. What should we do?

As with any vendor right now, your wedding florist is busy trying to reorganize, reschedule, and entertain other couples who have also postponed their weddings. If it’s only been a couple of days, just be patient your florist will eventually communicate with you.

How can we continue with the wedding planning when things are closed?

Start communicating with your potential vendors - either through email, Instagram, facebook, twitter, or any platform you can use - and virtually plan and explain your ideas with them so they can also show you what they can offer. Then you can set meetings and appointments for when the lockdown lifts so you can meet in person and set everything in motion.

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Posted in Wedding Planning Tips