It’s safe to say no one expected to be wedding planning during the Coronavirus pandemic. If you’re finding yourself in this situation, try to remain calm and allow yourself some grace to process all your emotions. While the situation is causing a lot of changes, it’s important to realize you still have options. Here are some things to think about!

– What Can You Do? –

Postpone the Wedding

If your wedding date falls within the CDC recommended 8-week time frame (to mid-May) of wedding cancellations, you are probably unsure of what will happen next. It’s best to start reaching out to vendors, venues and guests to discuss days for postponing.

Keep in mind that changing the date may cause you to lose out on vendors you already have since they may be booked for a new date. To counteract this, reach out to your vendors to see what dates they have available before officially choosing a new one. This way you can see if any vendor availability matches up!

If you’re postponing, it’d be beneficial to get in contact with a wedding planner if you don’t already have one. With day-to-day Coronavirus updates, it can get overwhelming for one person to take on re-planning an event. Having someone helping you through this period can alleviate some of that stress.

 

Opt for a Zoom Ceremony

One way to carry on with the wedding and keep all the guests involved is to livestream the event. Livestreaming can allow everyone to be a part of your big day without risk of spreading the virus. The ceremony can go on as planned, and you can begin arranging for a postponed reception. This way, you don’t have to deal with the uncertainty of when you’re getting married, but you can still have a day devoted to you and your love while celebrating with friends and families – over Facetime of course.

 

Carry On with an Elopement

Unfortunately, no wedding can continue on totally unscathed. If you can’t bear the idea of postponing the wedding or switching to a livestream, you can move forward with an elopement.

If you decide to elope with immediate family or only a few close friends, you’ll still want to practice social distancing at this time. It’s a great idea to set up a sanitation station and revise food options, as self-serve food should be refrained from to reduce spreading the virus. For more tips on social gatherings, check out the CDC’s guidelines.

 

If You’re In the Process of Planning

For those of you free of the eight-week restriction and still in the process of planning your wedding, there are still many things to keep in mind. With so many couples having to reschedule their weddings, prime 2021 dates are quickly filling up for many vendors. If you’re worried about your date being taken, reach out and book your favorite vendors as soon as possible!

As everything changes daily, it can add more stress and uncertainty to an already overwhelming time. This is a hard time for everyone and know that you aren’t alone. If you’re looking for more direction when it comes to COVID-19 and planning, I created this 25-page guide to help you through: The Ultimate COVID-19 Wedding Planning Guide. It’s packed with more advice, email templates for your vendors and guests, and what I’m doing to help during these times.