Are you curious what the frequently asked questions are during COVID-19? Well, below I have provided a few that I found through research on my own and that I have listed and answered 🙂 if you have any additional questions feel free to reach out and ask!

Couples with weddings in 2020

• Should I postpone? Or should I cancel?

  Unless there are extreme and extenuating circumstances that make it hard, or impossible, to go through with the wedding.. the wisest option would be to postpone! The reason why is because canceling does two things, 1) it means that you will most likely be losing your deposits with your vendors and 2) it requires that for the new wedding date chosen, you will need to make another deposit to reserve the new date at (usually) a newer/higher price point. It’s pretty normal for vendors to raise their prices each year, and canceling would mean that you lose the deposit you made for the original date, and you would now have to pay the new deposit at the new price.

• Can I get my deposits back?

  Though it may be hard to hear that you could lose your deposit, for 99% of the vendors out there, they are not holding to that to be unethical, rude, cruel or anything of that sort. I am pretty much positive they all are empathetic with you in your situation because we are all in the same boat. But the fact of the matter is, a contract was signed and an agreement was made that even in the most rare and crazy circumstances, the deposit is non-refundable.

  If you’ve ever wondered why that is, it’s because as small businesses, 1) the deposit is in place because by reserving your requested date, wedding vendors are losing out on any other business for that day – because it’s reserved for you! (If you don’t know, it’s pretty normal for wedding vendors to have to turn away 3-8 inquiries that come in for your date – especially popular ones. The amount turned away differs on every vendor of course, but it’s normal for at least 2-3 to be turned away)

  And 2) the deposit acts as a variety of things: aside from the normal payments for taxes and expenses and surviving each month (aka, a paycheck) that payment also covers all of the work that is done prior to the wedding. For some vendors, that could be minimal, and so they may be more inclined to refund the deposit because they didn’t do much, if anything, leading up to your day. But for others, they have a system in place where they are consistently working, doing research, upgrading gear, practicing their craft to be better for your day, checking in, sending referrals, offering advice, emailing resources, giving gifts, doing an engagement session, editing that session, scouting locations, and ultimately just providing value to you in the days leading up to your wedding. And so because work has been done, refunding the deposit would be like any other job saying they need that money back from days, weeks, or months of income you received during that time, even though you still worked.

  The last thing I want to say here is, every vendor is different and so your situation may be different from someone else’s – in general, small businesses are getting hit really hard (just like everyone else) right now because we are losing work/income to provide for our necessities, and there is little to no financial help from the government despite what they say they will do. Some vendors will readily refund the deposit if they are able to, and others may not be able to – but ultimately, there is no obligation on their end to refund because of the contract that was put in place and signed by all parties. As hard as it is, these circumstances are exactly why wedding vendors have contracts in place.

• How far out should I postpone?

  If your wedding was in the spring (April/May) if you are able to postpone to a date in the fall/winter, that would totally be okay! But there is nothing wrong with postponing until 2021 either. The hardest part about all of this is the fact that we have no idea what the future holds or when this will “truly” end. There are definitely dates given by the government/CDC for “tentative” quarantine/stay at home end times, but as we’ve already seen, those have been prolonged as well. If your wedding is smaller, with not a lot of “bells and whistles” or things of that nature, it could be safe to postpone till fall, but have a back up date for 2021 that could work if this does extend through the fall.

• What if we postponed to fall and then things are still bad then? Postpone again?

  As much as it sucks, we do have to remain flexible and roll with however this thing plays out as. Obviously, I am SO hopeful and confident that by fall things will slowly be getting back to normal, but if it does extend to then, it might be good to start discussing the process of postponing indefinitely. Even when this virus lifts, it’s going to take time for people to start feeling confident and comfortable with going out, socializing in groups, and traveling.
  It all comes down to communication and what is going to be best for you guys!

• My wedding is in June, should I be worried? Is there any news for June?

  As of now, I think it’s pretty universal that most wedding vendors are receiving postponements for couples around 6-8 weeks out, so this advice applies to any couples whose weddings are approaching in the next few months. I didn’t have a ton of weddings booked in June because that was the month of our honeymoon (now canceled), but I would say it’s pretty smart to start discussing what plan B (or C!) would look like if it came to that! I wouldn’t change plans just yet, but if the quarantine continues through May, it is probably smart to postpone – just because again, even if it does lift, not everyone is going to be comfortable going out into the public and socializing right away.

• How will I know if I need to postpone my wedding? How do I postpone?

  If your wedding day falls under the stay at home/quarantined timeframe suggested by the government/CDC, then you know you need to postpone (postpone meaning the big party & celebration.. you can still get married, but having all the guests and everything should be postponed).

  If you or your partner are immunocompromised, then you know you need to postpone (I think this goes for anyone who could be involved in your wedding too, like family/close friends).

  If you cannot financially afford to continue to plan your wedding because of job loss or income loss from COVID, then you know you’ll probably need to postpone.

  If there are any other extenuating circumstances that would put you, your marriage, or anyone involved, in harms way, then you know you need to postpone.

  The steps necessary to postpone involve starting to reach out to your vendors and guests. If you have an idea of what date you are postponing to, start asking your vendors if they are available for that date. Get your new date all settled in with vendors before updating your guests though, it would be a pain to tell them one thing, and then have to reach out to them all again to change it to something else!

• Should we re-invite guests who originally declined if we ended up going with a new date?

  Yes!! They might be able to make the new date – I would say you usually invite who you want to be there (at least, that should be the thought process) so you are naturally going to want them to be there, so yes, I think you should totally invite those who couldn’t go to the original date 🙂

• What if I don’t have a planner?

  You don’t need a planner to postpone your wedding or navigate this time, but it might be wise to consider utilizing one when it comes to moving forward (if financially you are able to do that). The reason why is because they will have a lot of insight into what would be best to do moving forward – especially one who has been in the industry for a while. As professional vendors, they have to be ready to trouble-shoot, anticipate unforeseen events, and navigate circumstances beyond our (or your) control. This is quite literally what they have prepared for throughout their entire careers. Having someone who can support you during this time can be extremely helpful! Especially because of the emotional toll this time can have on you both.

• What happens when my vendors aren’t available for my new date?

  Conversation time! Ultimately, no one can tell you what happens except them. Depending on their own situation and what was agreed to in the contract, you should be aware of the possibility of not getting your deposit back. However, with that being said, there is a way that they can still work with you. Even though they may not be able to be there physically to shoot your wedding, wedding photographers have plenty of connections to other wedding photographers and can have someone “step in” for the day (with a similar style and philosophy) to photograph it still, but then your original photographer would edit and deliver your images like normal. Even though it might be a bummer to not have the exact photographer there to physically shoot, the end result as far as editing would be the same because they would still edit your photos.

  Another option would be to have flexibility with the date. If it’s possible to reschedule to a Friday or Sunday (or even during the week) the likelihood of your photographer being available is higher. Totally understand that’s not necessarily possible, but it is an option if they aren’t available for your new date!

• How do I move forward?

  First thing I want to say here is… YOU GOT THIS! As sucky as this situation is, you WILL come out of this stronger and closer with your fiance. It’s okay to not be okay. It’s okay to cry and feel all the emotions you may be feeling, but my encouragement to you is: don’t stay in that spot! Try to stay as positive as you can and find what you can be grateful for with every twist and turn!

  • Vendors book fast! Even if you haven’t quite made a decision about what to do, keep your vendors updated on what you’re thinking!

  • Just remember that even if a cure were to be found, it will take time before we all feel confident enough to travel and socialize. Staying at home might be the new normal for a while, so don’t get discouraged!

  • Always remember to have fun no matter what!

  • Your wedding will still be special no matter what day it lands on. It’s special because of you and your partner – not because of a specific day. Nothing will make your marriage less special. NOTHING.

  • As I mentioned earlier, professional vendors have to be ready to remain flexible, anticipate unforeseen events, and navigate circumstances beyond our (or your) control. This is quite literally what we have prepared for throughout our entire careers. Rest assured that your vendors should have your backs! For my couples, I’ve got yours… 🙂

  • 2021 couples: because this year’s couples are rescheduling, it’s important to lock away your date with vendors SOONER rather than later. Your date might get snatched up!

  • 2021 couples: budgeting is always important, but understand the extra toll this virus could have on your bank accounts and plan accordingly!

  • And last but certainly not least: Keep smiling and don’t give up 🙂

Couples with weddings in 2021

• Should I be booking vendors now due to others postponing?

  Yes. In some ways, this situation does put some urgency to 2021 couples because dates are now being snatched up by not just other 2021 couples, but also those in 2020 who are rescheduling. Lock down your favorite vendors now 🙂

• Do I still send save the dates?

  I totally think you can. But ultimately this is up to you! If the expense doesn’t make sense right now, there’s nothing wrong with not sending them. But if you do, I would definitely just acknowledge what’s going on and keep it light-hearted. Say something like, “Save our date! (hopefully nothing changes)” or, if you’d rather keep it simple. Just put a little note at the bottom that says, “We are hopeful nothing changes during this time, but we are staying flexible and hope you can too!” or something similar.

• Should I still plan my wedding?

  Yes!! Don’t let this virus make you think you can’t be excited or can’t plan your wedding. Stay excited and spread that joy 🙂 this world needs it!

• Is it worth booking vendors if the deposit is non-refundable?

  This is a fact that was around even without the virus. Yes, things are different because of it, but we never know when something unimaginable can happen – the deposit isn’t non-refundable because of the virus, it’s always been that way. But I don’t think that fact should stop you from moving forward, because deposits are a normal part of planning a wedding (if you’re using vendors) and there are totally ways you and your vendors can work through things if for some reason you can’t have your wedding on the original day! There are other options 🙂

• Can I just elope instead of planning a wedding?

  Absolutely! If that’s something you and your fiance feel is the best decision for you – GO FOR IT! The only thing to note there is that technically, all wedding industry vendors are considered non-essential workers. So you may run into some vendors who are not willing to be there for your elopement because they feel convicted that operating their business goes against what the CDC/government is asking of us. Or, you might run into some vendors who are not willing to show up because they don’t want to possibly expose themselves/their families because of health reasons. It’s just important to be aware of the all of the factors that could still play into your day even if you elope. Ultimately, like I said, that’s a conversation to have with your vendors, but be open handed – don’t expect a certain outcome from them, and be willing to listen and empathize. We’re all in this together!

• Should I be worried about my vendors going out of business?

  So the nice (but also extremely hard) thing about owning your own business, is that you can’t technically go out of business in the traditional sense of the word. Yes, we can lose income and go bankrupt, but because we own and operate the business, our doors don’t close unless we choose to/say so. And usually, we love our businesses so much that we would rather get a second job to make it work than “go bankrupt.” Most businesses owners will do whatever it takes to make sure they DON’T go out of businesses. Ultimately, if the contract has already been signed, they have promised to show up for you regardless what happens. But if you’re really worried, this is another great opportunity to just have a conversation with them about it!

• Is there any chance wedding dress production could be delayed?

  I think there is definitely a fair chance that wedding dress production could be delayed. That’s definitely not to cause panic or fear, but because of how unexpected this circumstance is, it’s starting to affect businesses in ways we could never have imagined! It’s important to reach out to your wedding dress boutique/designer and find out what the latest info is on your dress and what your options are if your dress is delayed!

• My wedding was on a Saturday and we had to postpone. Some of our vendors are only allowing new weekday weddings, no refunds. Help!

  It’s important to remember that things are going to be changing from how we all initially thought! I think we are going to see a lot of 2020 couples choose to have a weekday wedding – 1) for the cost, because it’s usually a good chunk cheaper to have a weekday wedding but 2) in order to accommodate vendors, family, friends, and their own plans as a couple, having your wedding on a weekday could actually really help out with that! I would suggest embracing that idea, as much as it’s not ideal. Weigh your options of really pushing for a weekend wedding verses a weekday wedding, and see if it’s really worth that extra stress!

• Will I have to pay my planner more if I postpone my wedding?

  This is entirely between you and your wedding planner! Look over the contract you signed with them and see if they have any clauses that talk about this. But if they don’t, that’s a conversation you need to have with them! As I mentioned earlier, it usually all depends on what is going to be happening in the timeframe between now and your new date. If you are hoping for a complete re-do or makeover from the original plans because of the season change (i.e. if you planned a spring wedding but are now planning a winter/fall wedding and what your decorations/florals to reflect that change) then it’s safe to say they might want to talk about what compensation is going to look like during that time because they are still doing their job and fulfilling what they promised to you under a certain price point. If there is little to no change in what you want to do, then they may or may not have a position on that – but ultimately, talk with them! They are the only ones that can give you answers that fit your situation with them 🙂

A lot of these questions were taken from this link and put into my own words, but check it out (you will see some overlap) for what questions you should be asking your vendors and any other questions you may have! There are 70+ on that site.