Hmmm… where to start. It seems as though our entire world has somehow been turned upside down. If someone would have told us two month ago that the world would be on lockdown for an undefined amount of time – no one would have believed them. If you have been putting off postponing your wedding because it seems too overwhelming maybe these key steps will help you get started:
- Consult with key decision makers: whoever is financially involved and your wedding planner. If you don’t have one yet consider getting one at this time. They will be immensely helpful in helping to navigate thru this situation.
- Contact guests ASAP- even before you have a new date solidified. Text, call or email is fine. Just be sure to give them as much notice as possible.
- Talk to wedding VIPs – Parents, members of the wedding party and close friends and family to run potential new dates by them. Stay informed of trusted news sources and flight / travel bans etc.
- Read over all contracts– Read venue and vendor contracts so you understand the terms for postponement and cancellation. Some contracts won’t share any additional fees for postponement. If you have to cancel you may loose your deosit, so be sure to read every contract before making a decision and contacting vendors.
- Contact your venue– If you have a wedding coordinator they should be able to help you with this and help you negotiate contracts. Have a list of new dates ready and have them check their availability. Try not to prolong doing this because dates will fill up quickly. Not only with the venue but with other vendors too.
- Reach out to your vendors– Like the venue, if a vendor isn’t available for the new date, it’ll be up to you whether you want to rethink a new date or find a new vendor.
- Contact hotels that you may have room blocks with – read over your contract and reach out to them for a new date. If they can’t accommodate the new date consider finding another hotel.
- Update contracts – when it comes time to update previously signed contracts request in writing a contract addendum or other guarantee for the new date. Try not to cancel. Sometimes you can work with an associate from the vendor if they are not available. Cancellations are never easy for anyone can can cost the vendor income and loss of deposits.
- Send date-change cards to all the guests -if your more than six weeks out for the new date, we recommend mailing physical date change cards. If your less than 6 weeks Paperless Post has great virtual options. Either way sending their reply to your website will save everyone time. Sending out emails or texts (in addition to date change cards) to guests to make sure they have the new date is a safe way to make sure nothing gets lost and that people are informed quickly of your new date.
- Update your website– This is crucial so that everyone is kept in the loop.
- Contact your bridal shop or seamstress– inform them of the new date and make and adjustments on timing.
- Update all appointments to reflect new date for hair and makeup trial, rehearsal dinner, hair color, waxing, mani/pedi etc.
- Stay Positive – Weddings can already be stressful so having to reschedule the entire thing can be overwhelming. Once you are over the sadness choose to just move on. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and take it step by step.
