Boy, oh boy, what a rough few weeks it’s been, huh? Emotions are running high for everyone- from couples getting married this season having to postpone or cancel weddings at the last minute and couples getting married within the next few months who are unsure of what actions to take (if any), to vendors juggling rescheduled dates while at the same time trying to keep their business financially afloat… well, it’s been a real battle.

It’s Day #10 of Social Distancing for me and I feel like I’m only just wrapping my head around what’s going on, how it affects my current and future weddings, and how I’d best like to proceed with my business procedures in a way that best helps my couples. So here’s what I’d love to share with you:

You’re not alone. This will pass. And you’ve still got ya boo.

• 

But it’s still ok to be sad, disappointed, anxious…all those things.

In the meantime, if you don’t have an amazing wedding planner that you can reach out to to discuss next steps (like Elite Wedding Planning, Canvas Weddings, or Emily Baldwin Events, to name a few), here are a few thoughts I’ve compiled for you to consider:

If You’re Getting Married between Now until June 30th

• If you have not already postponed or cancelled your wedding, now would be a good time to reach out to your venue (if you haven’t already) to discuss possible reschedule dates if the state-wide social bans continue. Ask the venue what kind of advanced notice they need and when you need to make a rescheduling decision by. Most of 2020 Saturdays (peak weekend day) will be booked, so consider off-peak week days like Thursdays, Sundays or any other midweek day. Choosing an off-peak day will make it more likely that you’ll be able to get all your vendors on board without having to change too much.
• Make a decision with your partner and those closest to you about what dates would work best and categorize the dates by which is your preferred. Ex: “These are the 5 dates available, but X and I would really love to make it happen on Y or Z from this list if it’s possible”.
• Reach out to your vendors with the list of possible dates, your preferred ones at the top. Keep in mind that each vendor will have their own procedures regarding rebooking since each vendor may have different bottom lines and business needs- some may require a new retainer/deposit paid (to secure their team members are available or that they can place a new order such as flowers) while others may give a discount for a Monday through Thursday rescheduled date. For me personally, I have put a freeze on prices for 2020 for my couples in need so they can reschedule to a new 2020 date while having their original price locked in (discount, hollahhh). If you’re planning to reschedule for 2021, midweek availability is definitely an option at your current rate; otherwise weekends are available at market cost.
• Once you hear back from your vendors about what date works best, make it official with your venue, followed by contacting your guests next.
• Most importantly, take a deep breath- after all, you’re still getting to marry the love of your life!

If You’re Getting Married From July 1st to December 31st

It’s not necessarily time yet to contact your venue- a lot can change within the coming weeks. However, it IS a good time to start considering what you’re willing to do. Here are a few questions you may want to consider:

• Am I willing to have my wedding in a season I wasn’t initially planning for?
• Am I willing to have my wedding midweek or an off-peak weekend day?
• Is it absolutely imperative to have the same vendors I initially chose? And which vendors am I unwilling to part with?
• Do I want to downsize my wedding, keep it the same size or elope instead?
• Do I want to have my ceremony on one day and my reception later on?

Getting an idea now of what you’d like to do will really help get things in motion if and when you need to.

If You’re Getting Married in 2021 and Haven’t Booked Your Date Yet

Remember that a lot of weddings this year may be rescheduling for 2021 which means….dates are going to get slim real quick. If you’re in a position to keep moving forward with planning financially, don’t hesitate to reach out! I know this can be tricky when you can’t tour venues right now and make your date official, but if you have a day and venue in mind already, I’d be more than happy to take a smaller retainer for the date until you can make things official. 🙂

IN SUMMARYYYYY

I’m here to talk things out with you and support you, whenever you want. Video chat, text, e-mail- I’ll reply in a jiff.

In the meantime, as I mentioned, it’s totally ok to grieve and be sad. This situation is unprecedented and we are all doing our best trying to process it and move forward with some kind of a plan, so a little bit of patience and grace with vendors and clients goes a long way.

I’m here for you, guys! If you’ve got a queston, reach out:

E: hello@herenorth.com