The wedding industry (and the people getting married) have had it rough this year.
The 78 billion-dollar industry has been hit hard by cancellations. The Knot surveyed 470 couples who were planning to get married—96% are moving the wedding date, and 65% of those will have their weddings later in the year. The remaining 35% have no plans or will postpone until some time in 2021.
For smaller owners which depend on the wedding industry: even planners and florists, for example, business has gone to practically zero since March.
All these cancellations have really shown the extent of the impact of the pandemic on not just the industry, but the couples getting married. Faced with such an unexpected event that’s impacted and disrupted virtually every aspect of daily life, what’s there to do for a couple?
Safety First
Focus on your priorities and remember why you should change your plans: because your friends and family are important to you, and you want them to share one of the most memorable experiences in your life. So shouldn’t their safety take priority over a ceremony or a venue deposit?
With that in mind, let’s look at your options:
Postpone the Wedding
There’s no shame in it—you can’t be blamed for not being able to plan around an unprecedented health crisis that’s affected every country in the world! That being said, you can still keep things fun (and in theme) with the wedding industry’s sign of the times: Change the Date cards.
Depending on the terms of your contract with your vendors, you may be able to get a full or partial refund. Consider postponing instead of canceling, though—their business has been hurt by the pandemic, as well, and they need support as much as you do. Before bringing any lawyers into the conversation, talk to them about rescheduling, or making changes to the plans.
This is going to be especially important if you decide to:
Push through but with DIY and Social Distancing
The CDC has released guidelines for events and gatherings during the pandemic. In it, they recommend, among other things:
- Smaller outdoor gatherings (being in enclosed spaces with many people can encourage viral spread)
- People from different households should remain at least 6 feet apart
- Everyone must wear cloth face coverings
- Don’t share things like food, drink, glasses, eating utensils
- Invite only guests from the same area, to discourage people from traveling long distances and exposing others (or being exposed to) infection.
It would also be a good idea to DIY what you can: getting more vendors puts you (and the vendor and guests) at risk. Consider going simple.
Invitations. DIY invitations sent over mail (or even better, email) can be done through platforms like Greetings Island, which lets you create cards from a range of templates. You can download and have these printed or send them online. Alternatively, you can look at sites like Canva, which makes designing very easy and template-based.
Venue. Look for open-air venues (hint: you may want to check behind your house). Backyard weddings have become de rigueur in the time of COVID, with Instagram and Pinterest-worthy weddings inspiring more couples.
Decor. It’s the little details that, put together, will make your wedding memorable. Putting down colored doilies or getting flowers online arranged and delivered to you on sites like ftd.com can add some designed elements to your ceremony.
Food. Food vendors, thankfully, have largely been able to adapt to “the new normal” by going online, or doing deliveries/pickups. This includes wedding cakes and food (you can get some elegant disposable tableware online as well). For wine, some online sellers can provide a variety of bottles—order some in advance to get some tasting notes in!
Go Virtual. More and more couples have decided to go intimate by doing their weddings with streaming video. You can always opt for social media streaming like Facebook or Instagram, but there are also options like DaCast or Livestream.com. This gives people who live farther away from the chance to participate on your big day.
Reflection: What Really Matters
What really matters is that you’ll officially tie the knot! And marriage is all about being able to face challenges together. If your relationship can weather a global health crisis, then together you can take on anything that married life can throw at you!
Meta title: Should You Still Have a Wedding During the Pandemic?
Meta description: The pandemic has put so many weddings on hold and disrupted so many plans. What are your options for adapting to this new reality? Here are a few ideas.
