Top Wedding FAQs Couples are Asking About COVID-19 (Part 3)

December 22, 2020

Should we be worried about our vendors going out of business if we cancel?

If you think about it, most of your wedding vendors are freelancers so most of them already work from home and can’t go ‘out of business’. They are able to provide the services you need no matter what. This is the silver lining of freelancing. But you should still be empathic of their situation where sales are constantly dropping.

Our venue is asking for extra payment for cancellation. Is this fair or negotiable?

This scenario is going to run differently for everybody, but it’s very important that you remember that your vendors really want to help you realize your dreams but they also need to protect their business - without their business they won’t be able to help you in the first place. And they are going to need your help with that. So even if they charge extra for cancellation, they are still at risk of losing thousands of dollars.

How long should we wait before rescheduling our wedding?

No one really knows what will happen in the future, but weddings in 2021 are looking more viable as we are progressing through the year. But you should also feel how things are progressing or ask your vendors if they can deliver on the new date you are thinking of. You certainly wouldn’t want to jump the gun only to regret rescheduling your wedding.

Is it possible to come up with a plan B before we're ready to decide on postponing?

Of course! In every wedding you should always have a backup plan. It doesn’t matter if you are planning a wedding during the pandemic or not. Always. Prepare. A. Plan B! Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Talk to your vendors about their availability, postponement and cancellation policies, any additional fees or downpayment and hopefully, you’ll pull through without having to cancel or move the date.

We moved our wedding from Summer to a different season—do we need to rethink colors?

The season of your wedding shouldn’t entirely dictate the color palette you choose. You should be able to choose whatever color palette you really want. However, if you really want to suit the color palette and the season, then it might not be too late to inform your vendors about the changes you are thinking about. If that’s not possible, then you can choose to add colors that will achieve the same feeling.

Your point of view on virtual weddings?

If you badly want to get married on a specific date, then by all means take advantage of the technology available. Then you can do a real-life, in-person celebration later when the circumstances allow.

What should I do if my dress is for spring but my wedding is postponed to winter?

Just as we’ve said for the color palette, the wedding dress shouldn’t be dictated exclusively by the season your wedding is going to take place. And if your wedding dress isn’t screaming ‘summer’ in the first place, then you can certainly use it for a winter wedding. Whether it’s a strapless satin style, it’s your call!

Do I still have time to find a wedding dress with all these stores closing?

Bridal boutiques and designers are dealing with the lockdown across the globe so the first thing you should do is to manage your expectations. Wedding vendors are always there to serve you, but they will tell you up front about an order they cannot fulfill (especially with the restrictions). But rest assured that every bridal store is different, so if you are anxious to shop, always stay up to date and keep on searching! Online websites also help you find your wedding dress and it’s very convenient and safe.

How long do alterations take?

On average, alterations can take anywhere from three to six weeks but it does depend on the dress and how drastic the changes are. You're just going to want to give yourself some breathing room here and if you're in a rush or a dire situation there will be some seamstresses that are working from home—you'll just have to do a little bit of research and due diligence on that.

Is there any chance wedding dress production could be delayed?

This is such an unpredictable time and patience and flexibility will help you get through it. I know businesses are doing their absolute best to deliver orders of great quality. If you are constantly worrying about delays, you can always contact your vendors through email or social media and ask for updates.

All of our wedding vendors want to or are willing to schedule for another date except our venue.

You and your partner have to decide what’s more important to you, the venue or the other vendors? There is no other way around it unless everyone is willing to compromise on a date that suits all of you.

We are in the middle of doing our legal paperwork for my wedding overseas, do I carry on?

We recommend that you postpone any overseas wedding until the middle of 2021, just because of the current state of the world in general right now.

If we postpone our wedding, do we need to pay our planner additional fees?

This is a very important question to be addressed right now. This mostly depends on that contract that you have with your planner. Some planners will base it on their pricing structure and how far the new date is. Plus, you probably aren’t the only couple who booked your planner, and other couples postponing their weddings are also a factor that comes into play. Consult with your planner and figure it out.

This is not exclusive for your planner but to other wedding vendors as well. Set up a meeting with each of your vendors to work it out and you might even get better deals.

Still holding out hope! Advice?

If you haven’t thought or haven’t begun planning a plan B, you should. This is just in case everything goes south, then you wouldn’t have to cram for a backup plan when that happens. Send emails to check for available dates to see if the vendors can also make the backup date work, then you’ll be in a much better position when you are forced to postpone.

Is it a bad idea or bad manners to ask for a lower price tag at our venue if we're still negotiating the contract?

You’d be surprised to know that it is in your best interest to pay the venue what they’ve asked for. The venue has arrived at that price based on a couple of factors and what they need to do to maintain their business. Plus, if you negotiate a lower price, terms might be different this time around. The last thing you want is for anything to be in jeopardy by the time your wedding comes around.

If we postponed our wedding, when is a good time to reschedule?

Now is the best time to reschedule! Everyday that goes by is the perfect time. Think about it, everybody else is also trying to book new dates for their weddings.

How should couples who’s weddings are still a few months away be adjusting the wedding planning?

For those brides planning weddings taking place during the fall season, you can continue planning as is. Let’s hope the pandemic goes away as early as march.

Our wedding planner doesn't agree with us postponing the wedding. What should we do?

It is your wedding, so it should be your decision. But if you are not yet fixed on the decision of postponing your wedding, you should have a backup date set up when you did your wedding planning.

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Posted in Wedding Planning Tips