What does the coronavirus mean for your wedding?
Weddings can be stressful enough to organise without having to worry about the coronavirus that is now affecting people in the UK.
Following the government’s announcement requesting that people don’t leave the house and to avoid gatherings of more than 2 people, I wanted to create this helpful, positive post about what this means for your wedding day. I want to put your mind at ease and show that, despite it being an awful situation, you shouldn’t let it form a black cloud over your head.
There is a plan of action that you can create to ensure that your day still goes ahead at a time and a place that is safe for you, your guests and your suppliers.
Do I need to postpone my wedding?
On the 23rd March, Boris Johnson announced that the UK would be going into a 3-week lockdown. This means that you can only leave the house to buy essential supplies, exercise once per day or go to work as a key worker. Gatherings of more than 2 people are not allowed.
This means that any weddings scheduled for the next 3 weeks won’t be going ahead.
During this time, it’s very important that you stay up to date with news from around the UK and keep in regular contact with your suppliers. It’s likely that many of your suppliers have got in touch with you already to say that they’re closing business temporarily.
If you can avoid postponing, then you should.
If your wedding is due to take place in a couple of month’s time, have a think about what actions you could take to protect your guests from contracting an illness. You could put mini hand sanitisers on the table as favours, or leave signs around the venue reminding guests to wash their hands frequently. Guests should also be reminded to avoid hugging, kissing or shaking hands when greeting people. For this reason, it may be best to forgo the reception line!
If you’re worried about certain elderly or unwell guests attending, the Church of England is looking into ways your guests can be a part of your day without physically being there. The service could be streamed on Skype or you could have it recorded and send a copy to guests that were unable to attend. Save them a piece of wedding cake, too, so they can experience some aspects of the day.
You should avoid cancelling the whole day
You will just lose any money you’ve spent on the day so far and it will only upset you further. Instead, by moving the date, you’ll have the wedding to look forward to in the future and you won’t lose your deposits. If you do want to cancel, the Church of England have announced that they will be refunding couples.
Finally, it’s very important to check your wedding insurance policy documents. This could outline that, in extreme circumstances, you may be able to claim the majority of your money back if the wedding doesn’t go ahead due to venue closure or illness of you or a close family member.
If you have to postpone because your wedding is happening in the next few weeks or just because you would prefer to, there are some things you should look into.
How to postpone your wedding
If you wish to postpone your big day, then there are some things you will need to think about. You can follow the steps below to ensure that you can still have the wedding of your dreams in a few months’ time.
First, you should find a date that your venue can do in the future. Try to avoid rescheduling for a short time in the future, such as 4 months, as it’s unknown how long this virus may be around for. You could book for the same date a couple of years in the future, or pick a date next Spring or Summer.
Then, contact all of your suppliers. This includes photographers, videographers, florists, cake makers, registrars, caterer, DJ, etc. The more notice they have, the better.
Call each of them individually to let them know the situation. It’s likely that they will be extremely understanding and more than happy to help you in any way they can.
If you’ve been able to rebook your venue in the future, let the suppliers know the new date and ask if they can do it. In most cases, suppliers know of other professionals that can help out. For instance, I would be able to supply brides with a list of wedding photographers that I have worked with in the past.
Once you’ve spoken to your suppliers, it’s time to speak to your guests. Where possible, you should phone them to fill them in. If you have a new date secured, let them know what it is and that new invitations will be going out in the future. If you don’t yet have a new wedding date, tell them that you’ll keep them in the loop and will announce it as soon as you know.
Try not to get too upset at the situation. As awful as it may seem, there are a lot of other couples in a similar situation. Wouldn’t you rather get married at a time when this situation isn’t hanging over your head? At a time when you wouldn’t be worrying about guests getting ill or being unable to make it? A wedding is about a love a couple share, and that love will still be there in a year or two’s time.
Remember why you’re getting married and that this celebration WILL go ahead. When it does, it will still be the day you’ve always dreamed of.
