I’m going to assume no one had Worldwide Pandemic on your radar for worst case scenario wedding planning hiccups. When I first heard about the virus I personally didn’t take it too seriously. I was actually pregnant with my first son during H1N1 (10 years ago) and I barely remember hearing about it or knowing it was a threat (especially to someone pregnant) and that is coming from who is hypersensitive to news about illnesses/disease. So how H1N1 didn’t throw me through a anxiety attack I have no idea. But my thought is it wasn’t broadcasted like COVID is. So as COVID-19 seeped into social media more and more it obviously caught my attention. Then in about a week the news started lighting up. The NCAA March Madness is cancelled, NHL cancelled, Schools are cancelled, MLB is cancelled (including spring training) I would be lying if a brief feeling of panic started in my gut, “Wait Wait Wait now, No Brewers” ?! NO SCHOOL?!? x cand then my sensible and realistic side kicked in and told me “Look- if they are canceling Major League baseball and the NCAA tournament- the world is losing billions of dollars” and I just know they wouldn’t do that without an extremely serious reason. And I think at that point I knew this was a “thing” and our world was about to change.
At My Home
At first it was OK the kids are home 24/7 and I am being tossed into an At Home lesson plan, not something I would personally sign up for but I can handle it. Then came the Safer at Home restrictions, the weekend prior I was at the Movies with the kids and we went to Dicks Sporting Goods to get our new baseball gear for the upcoming season and now stores are closed? no restaurants? Still somehow I took this all pretty calmly (which I surprised myself even) probably because I pride myself in online shopping so my life didn’t change that drastically. But I thought this would be a week or two worth and now we’re looking at a month and the Safer at Home orders being extended and things just got very very real here. Follow along on Instagram/ Stories for a look inside our day to day at home. We have been making the very best of our days. We have a daily schedule (ever changing) with school time, exercise time, outdoor time, creative time (crafts/ legos) and plenty of movies and Ipad time. I started the quarantine clean and already cleaned out 2 closets.
Other things I am doing during Safer at Home orders:
Updated my website
Blogging!
Engaging on social media w/ fellow small business owners
Zoom meetings
Checking in with my grandma and grandpa
Ordering take out from local small restaurants
Watching all the movies
Teaching Dax where his nose, eyes, ears and mouth are
Taking walks and bike rides
Trying to relearn simple things that can make me happy.
2020 Wedding Season
My fear set in about my dear wedding couples after the Safer at Home ordered was placed. What is happening to wedding season? How are my couples feelings? I sent out a message to everyone immediately to check in. Every single one of my couples has taken a reasonable approach and said they were “waiting this out” which I felt the same, we didn’t know what was happening, how long would this be. I wouldn’t postpone my wedding without just reason that is for sure. I feel like it happened in one day, the emails came in, checking reschedule and cancellation procedures. Looking for new dates. Looking for new venues, vendors. I cannot imagine. My heart is with all my couples and I have sent you all virtual hugs! Just know that whatever the date, your wedding will be amazing and you will have your moment in a safer time and without the Covid-19 cloud hanging over your day. Sharing some engagement photos from my sweet couple Aila and Noah who have been affected by COVID 19 and have delayed their wedding to October.
So far I have not had one single cancellation. Thank you couples! You are single handedly supporting small businesses! I can’t wait to work with you and make your wedding memorable. When we can all finally come together there will be nothing else like it!
Here are a few things that I found to really help my couples during this time:
A wedding planner- couples working with a legitimate planning company have a huge support system and I have been contacted by wedding planners to look at r/s dates and create a plan for the couple, and saving the couple a lot of stress. This is an amazing support couples!
Know your wedding vendors cancellation policy- So important!
If your set on getting married this year, be flexible with your date and consider a weekday event
Reschedule, Don’t Cancel on your vendors (plus money savings on deposits!)
Breathe. No one knew this would happen. We are all in this together. It will be Ok.
2020 couples, times are uncertain and overwhelming but I am here and
we can find a solution and it will be amazing!
2021 Couples
COVID-19 is affecting you in the way hat 2020 couples are postponing to next year and taking up prime dates.
Consider a wedding planner, now that we know how amazing it would be to have one during a crisis.
Check with venues, wedding planners and photographers first for available dates.
After you book your 3 top vendors, you can relax again
Check in on your 2020 wedding planning friends
We are all in this together. Here are things you can do as humans to help: small businesses
Reschedule Don’t Cancel on your vendors
Find a charity that helps with PPE for health care workers or food to those in need
Follow uplifting and positive people on Instagram
Comment/ like and engage on posts your wedding professionals are posting to give them a social media boost.
Share and tag photos on social media from your photographer
Schedule future sessions or buy a gift certificate.
Leave positive reviews
Word of mouth referrals are amazing!
Send positive vibes into the universe
Prepare.
There are endless advice and articles right now on planning during COVID-19 here are just a few I had found and read through and found it was sound advice.