Written on Friday 24th April 2020.
My heart goes out to all you engaged couples at this time, and to my supplier friends running small businesses. I wish you all good health and happiness to get through this! Here’s hoping 2021 is a crazy amazing year for us all…
In case you hadn’t heard
The UK was put into lockdown on 24th March 2020 (announced on 23rd March) and the Coronavirus Act was published on 3rd March – this Act will be in place for at least six months, bringing us to end September 2020. The lockdown rules are required by law to be reviewed at least every three weeks so this unfortunately leaves us all with continued uncertainty when looking towards the future. On the 16th April the government announced the results of its first review of the lockdown, and extended it for another three weeks. We are due the new review announcement by 7th May.
For safety and medical advice, please look at the government and NHS websites to avoid any ‘fake news’ and misinformation.
Advice for 2020 brides and grooms
There's a lot to think about when planning a wedding at the best of times. If you’re planning your wedding now, during the coronavirus outbreak, then you’ve suddenly got even more on your plate... To give you all a little support, I thought I would offer some advice that I hope you find useful.
Let yourself feel
It’s okay to get upset, be angry and cry about the situation. It’s a very stressful time for us all, so give yourself permission to feel what you’re feeling.
Communicate
If you want to know the options you have available, then get in touch with your wedding suppliers to find out their policies, flexibility and remaining availability. It’s important that you check your contracts to see where you stand regarding cancellation fees, payment schedules, or postponements. Be open and honest about what you’re thinking, and we’ll all do our best to support you through this!
Consider postponement
If you’re unsure whether you'll need to postpone your wedding then the best thing to do is to make contingency plans, and don’t rush any decisions.
With the current uncertainty about when weddings will be able to safely go ahead again, if playing the waiting game is too much for you, then I recommend postponing your wedding for a few months or moving it to 2021 if you’re able to. This will save you stress and gives you space to look after yourselves. However, I know that unfortunately this isn’t an option for everyone, so you just have to make the right decision for you and your guests.
It is impossible to know when weddings can go ahead again, or what restrictions will remain in place and for how long. I strongly suspect there will still be social distancing measures for the next few months judging by the latest government press conferences but the main thing to be aware of is that it’s likely you will need to make some adjustments to the wedding you’ve planned so far if you’re getting married in 2020 - be prepared for compromise.
Remember that this situation will end, we will get through this, and nothing can stop you from getting married to the one you love… in time.
Planning in isolation
Although it may seem like you have very few options at this time, if you’re getting married later in 2020 or in 2021 then you can still be wedding planning in lockdown, and you can definitely still be excited about your special day! Here are a few wedmin items you can check off your list in isolation:
Make shortlists
If you haven’t found all of your suppliers yet, then you have time do your research and make shortlists of the people you want to contact.
Talk to your suppliers
You can still continue to have your consultations and chats with your suppliers over the phone or via video chat. This way you can feel like your plans are still moving forward and remind yourself that you’re not planning this wedding alone.
Write your vows and speeches
Now you have plenty of time to sit down and dig deep for those special, personal words you want to share on your special day. This could be a great time to reflect on how great your relationship is and how lucky you are to have each other.
Work on your seating plan
This is always a big job and can take time… so even if you haven’t received all of your RSVPs yet, you can make a start which will help you later down the line.
Work on your wedding styling
If you’ve been looking at Pinterest and dreaming of a fabulously styled wedding day, now is your chance to work out how to get that look and even do some DIY décor! Even if you just create mood boards of the things you’d like to have on the day, you can work on how to achieve that look later on with your suppliers.
Create a to-do list
Not everyone enjoys making lists, but if you do, then making a checklist for all the tasks that need doing before your wedding could save you some panic later on! I always think that structure helps with stress so having an idealised timeline for getting things done might be really useful for you to have.
Plan the hen-do / bachelor party
You now have the time to think about what you really want to do to celebrate your upcoming marriage. Call your friends and family to come up with some fun ideas for your pre-wedding parties, or even throw some parties via video chat!
Plan the honeymoon
Dreaming of a lovely get-away could be a great pick-me-up. Take your time looking into destinations and things to do to make the most out of the trip. Make a checklist of things you need to book once travel is safe again.
Can I help you?
If I can be of any help during this difficult time, then drop me an email and I’ll see what I can do for you. I do offer wedding planning booster sessions where you have the chance to talk through any troubles and issues you’re having with me to see if we can find a solution together – find out more about this here. Stay safe everyone.