So You Had to Move Your Wedding Because of COVID-19

They say the first year of marriage is the hardest. However, for some of you, you haven’t even had the chance to experience the first year of your marriage yet and you are already facing some of the toughest days you will experience together. But there are wedding resources to make year one will be a piece of cake in comparison to 2020!

I think we can all agree the last couple weeks have been more than rough. The worldwide spread of the COVID-19 has affected almost everyone in one way or another. People are laid off, working from home, mourning the loss of their senior year of high school or college, and being forced to visit their elderly family members through windows. Gatherings such as birthday parties and bridal showers are being done via video chat, and funerals are being limited to 10 guests or less.

The wedding industry is also directly affected by this pandemic. Couples everywhere are facing heartbreaking choices they never thought would be called into question. As a venue coordinator, this has been one of the hardest and most frustrating months of my career. I have taken an innumerable amount of phone calls from very worried brides and grooms. No college course in the world could have prepared me for this situation but being in such a strong community of wedding vendors has gotten me through it. Postponing your wedding doesn’t have to be stress-filled and agonizing… There are so many resources and vendors that are here to help you!

 

Helpful Resources

Your venue coordinators

• • Abby, Bella, and I are always available if you need advice or peace of mind. We want to make this process as easy for you as possible. No bride or groom should have to make these tough choices on their own. We are here to help!

Your vendors

• • Photographers, wedding planners, bakeries, florists, and DJ’s are all being directly affected by COVID-19 as well. They are all amazing people you can go to when you need some guidance and reassurance. We can’t stress enough how important it is to keep them in the loop through the entire process of changing your date.

Nazareth Hall’s Preferred Vendors Guide

• • If you are in need of a new vendor due to limited availability of your new wedding date, this is a great reference! Our Preferred Vendors Guide lists vendors in the area that we highly recommend! If you have all the vendors you need for your new date but would like a second opinion from another trusted source, we recommend reaching out to one of the coordinators in the booklet: http://publications.hubbardcompany.com/books/vcrw/.

Helpful businesses, websites & blog posts:

• • Wedding Wire – https://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-ideas/covid19-help
  • The Knot – https://www.theknot.com/content/postpone-wedding-guidelines
  • Luckybird Photography – https://luckybirdphoto.com/lessons-learned-from-coronavirus-as-a-wedding-photographer/
  • Luckybird Photography – https://luckybirdphoto.com/i-think-you-should-postpone-your-april-or-may-2020-wedding-heres-why/
  • Your Perfect Day – https://yourperfectdayllc.com/, YourPerfectDayLLC@gmail.com
  • Bee for the Day – https://beefortheday.com/, QueenB@BeefortheDay.com

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I have to postpone a second time?

• • We will be more than willing to work with you on rescheduling if you feel it is necessary. Payments made towards your wedding will carry over to the new date as well.

Are June/July weddings currently being postponed?

• • As of now, it is completely up to you whether you would like to postpone your June or July wedding. You also have the option to look into “back-up” dates if postponing is something you think you may need to do but would rather not take action right away. For June and July events, we recommend waiting as long as possible to send out the invites. If you have already sent them out, update your guests regarding the status through your wedding website, social media, emails…etc!

Should I consider postponing my wedding date even if my guests are all local to the area?

• • To be honest, yes- you should consider it. Especially if you have a May wedding. If a large reception is what you had imagined and dreamed of, most likely the majority of guests will choose not to come and take the risk. Even if just one of your guests has recently left the country or traveled to a highly populated area, they could have contracted the virus without knowing it. This would potentially cause a spread to all of your guests in the crowded reception. That being said, if you decide to continue with the reception, Nazareth Hall will do everything in our power to make that happen!

Are Fall weddings going to be postponed?

• • We are extremely hopeful that we will see the end of this virus soon. There have been breakthroughs in many states and scientists are constantly learning new information regarding the virus. As of now, we do not have any reason to believe your Fall wedding will be postponed. However, if you feel it is in your best interest to move your date, we will support this decision! We encourage you to stay informed and follow the CDC recommendations to rid this virus sooner than later!

What will happen with my initial deposit and room rental deposit if I decide to postpone?

• • If you choose to postpone your wedding, your deposits will carry over to your new date. However, if you choose to cancel, your initial deposit and your room rental deposit will not be refunded as this is completely out of our control.

Will you be contacting me to reschedule if I am required to?

• • We are working diligently to communicate with those directly impacted by the orders. We will do our best to keep you updated, however at this time we ask that you also keep your eye on the daily updates by the Governor as they are always changing. The office always welcomes calls and emails if you have any questions or would like us to update you!

Will there be a limit to the number of guests at my wedding?

• • Nazareth Hall will only limit the number of attendees if mandated by a higher power.

 

Turning This Negative Situation Positive!

Update your registry. Use this downtime to think of additional items you may need or want to add!

Postponing your wedding gives you a little more time to save money. Whether that is for the wedding, honeymoon fund, or for your house!

Contact your photographer for a creative engagement photoshoot. I recently saw a couple on Facebook who did something like this! They posed in masks with hand sanitizer and bottles of corona to announce their new 2021 wedding date!

Send out virtual or paper “Change the Date” cards. Contact your local graphic designer to see if they have any pre-made designs or can make you a custom card! You could even send out something humorous! On Facebook there was a couple who send out Corona beer themed cards to announce the postponement of their wedding due to COVID-19. There are so many creative ways to go about this!

Throw a virtual bridal shower or bachelorette party until you can do the real thing! Grab a margarita to-go from your favorite Mexican restaurant and enjoy your virtual fiesta!

 

I’d like this blog to be a place you can go for advice, resources, and ideas. Because, in this stressful time full of uncertainty, I hope this can be a great reference to you.

Also, wash your hands.

Katie