If you are currently planning a wedding, or more likely, trying to plan a wedding, you’re probably facing many challenges stemming from the effects of COVID-19. Venues are being closed, vendors and catering companies are shutting down, and most things are extremely up in the air.
When planning a major event, some of the most important assets are communication, organization, and flexibility. In regard to weddings, this might involve communicating with catering business, planning the seating chart, or seeking your prime wedding spot. Some of the key points to prioritize when planning your wedding in the midst of a global pandemic are the guests, the date/venue, and the items to be purchase.
Communicating to your guests is very important, as they too had to make arrangements to celebrate you. Communicate modifications when they are set in stone- consider that this is a stressful time for many; it is poor etiquette to disregard those who were looking forward to your celebration.
Likely, your options include either either postponing or majorly modifying your wedding. This involves careful consideration of the when and where of the event. For instance, if your wedding was set to be international during 2020, you are likely going to be looking at the potential of postponing, as many areas have requested a limit on international travel. If you are still set on getting married during 2020, you should consider choosing a backup domestic option. If your location was a dealbreaker, stick to your guns and postpone the event.
If you have made the decision to continue with the original wedding date, it is important to consider that there will be definite modifications:
First, you should prepare for a different guest count; it is evident that many guests will be hesitant to attend a wedding whether for a fear of flying, hesitancy to attend a gathering, or due to other personal reasons. In addition, you are likely going to want to reduce guest number, due to the health recommendations during this time.
A good way to gage interest is to send a survey- through platforms like Survey Monkey or Typeform, it is easy to send a free survey in which you can asses guest interest. From there, you can make a new guest list. Consider to continue communicating with all initial guests, as they will still care about your celebration; easy ways to share your day with those who can’t be there are by live streaming certain parts of your day or making sure to capture all moments through video or camera!
A wedding might involve communicating with multiple parties about venues, food, outfits, and entertainment. This is the most important time to acknowledge the gift of technology- we are lucky to be living during a time in which we can hold large meetings from our living rooms. Use FaceTime and zoom to continue planning your day; you can now take tours over zoom, in which you can have multiple people attend, regardless of physical location. Services have gone virtual, so you can shop online and meet with your vendors and planners.
More than ever, it is now essential to communicate openly and frequently, think rationally about the logistics of the event, and embrace the technology at our fingertips. We cannot ignore all that is occurring in the world around us, but disregarding our lives is not the answer. Instead of us shutting down too, it is essential that we take action to avoid more chaos and panic.
Featured Image by Joel Paim on Pixels
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