Wedding Planning During COVID-19
Wedding planning in itself can sometimes be an overwhelming experience for couples. Add a global pandemic to the equation, and there’s a whole new level of stress. During such an uncertain time, when even our government is unable to provide clear and reliable guidelines for the future, we know how hard it is to make informed decisions and how heart-breaking it is to face the possibility or reality of postponing your wedding. We chatted with a handful of the top wedding professionals in our area to answer the most common COVID-related questions our couples are asking, provide you with realistic expectations for your own wedding plans, offer insight into how coronavirus has impacted each vendor personally, and to give advice on how to maintain a positive mindset through it all.
SMALL BUSINESS REALITIES
What has been the hardest adjustment for you as a small business during this pandemic, and what realities do you face for the future?
St. Marys Golf & Country Club (Venue): There is a laundry list of challenges that this crisis has posed for our family business - adjusting to daily policy changes from the government, far more procedures and far less staff, loss of revenue, sincere disappointment with every event we postpone - to name just a few. With salaried staff, a brick-and-mortar establishment and 160 acres of land to maintain, there are overhead costs that we simply cannot eliminate during a time when our revenue base is drastically-impacted - and this is especially difficult for a seasonal business that has already lost the first half of its primary revenue base (May-October). However, one of the greatest challenges has been managing everyone’s differing emotions and expectations, and making decisions that take everyone’s best interests into account - from our couples, to our golf members, to our staff. We are so grateful for all of our couples who are understanding that there is no textbook for dealing with this unprecedented situation, and who believe that we are doing our best for them. Our number one goal is to ensure the careers of our cherished team and the promise of amazing celebrations for our clients when the time permits.
Above & Beyond Event Design & Decor (Event Designer): I miss meeting with clients, the hugs, the excitement we share together. It’s just not the same. With having to move many 2020 events into 2021, we will not be able to take on our regular volume of new business, so this will greatly affect our business development, our bottom line, attaining staff post-pandemic, having the finances to cover overhead throughout this difficult time and also through our slow season. Most companies in this industry rely on six to seven key months of business to carry us through to the next peak season, and the reality is that some are just not going to make it.
Lyric Flowers (Florist): The hardest adjustments for us have been laying off staff, closing our doors to the public, sourcing flowers differently, and the decrease in revenue. We’ve also had to adjust to a new reality of providing virtual consultations, in order to stay engaged with current and future couples.
Shawn Van Daele Photography (Photographer): The unprecedented loss of (potentially) an entire wedding season, including 100% loss of revenue – and watching all the beautiful spring magnolias and cherry blossoms come and go, without being able to take advantage of them in engagement or wedding photos! Trying to navigate all the changes, as well as buffering the roller coaster of emotions - it's all been very overwhelming. There's such uncertainty in the air about the coming months, and a realization that the ripple effect of this will last for years in our industry. Looking into 2021, there’s also concerns of over-working and exhaustion, where in the past we would only ever do two weddings in a row, and now we are looking at taking on triples.
DJ Alpha Productions (DJ): The complete ban on all public and private events changes everything, and we are hesitant to book events for the near future with the fear of having to reschedule. It's hard to know exactly when this will be over, and what an event will look like. The uncertainty is one of the hardest parts.
Enduring Promises (Blair Mercer, Officiant): Figuring out my future availability has been an adjustment. After meeting with a couple and agreeing to be a part of their wedding day, we want to be available for their postponed date. And we are so disappointed if it doesn't work out. We want to ensure that couples feel supported through the changing details of their contracts, so if it doesn’t work with me personally, we have five other very qualified Enduring Promises Officiants in the area that I can entrust any couple with.
The Cake Box (Baker): We have had to reschedule over 150 weddings, so planning and moving the dates for next year is the most challenging adjustment. We are shifting towards a different business model for this year, with an eye toward the 2021 wedding season
Providing exceptional event design and styling for couples in Huron Perth and surrounding communities, Above & Beyond Event Design delivers peace of mind to each and every one of their clients. From the pre-planning stages of a wedding through to the day of, Kim Foster (Founder & Creative Director) and her detailed team are committed to offering artful designs that focus on value and quality, and that compliment each couple’s unique vision. With a signature style and sincere passion for their clients, they have solidified their place as one of the most sought-after event designers in Southwestern Ontario.
POSTPONEMENT DECISIONS
For 2020 couples who are looking to postpone their weddings, how do you recommend they go about choosing a new date, and what considerations should they make beforehand?
St. Marys Golf & Country Club (Venue): This is a fluid situation, and as such, the general consensus across the wedding industry is that, although nerve-racking, making drastic decisions earlier than two months ahead of the original date is likely premature. By the eight-week mark, there is more certainty that current government mandates will still apply on your wedding date. The exception is for couples who are planning their weddings internationally, and thus, have to consider travel for themselves or majority of their guests. Once you make the postponement decision, there’s no going backwards, even if the government lifts social gatherings bans two weeks later. As the hosts of the wedding, venues are generally the first place couples turn to for answers, and as such, we have communicated specific postponement guidelines and time frames to our couples in relation to their current wedding date. Our team has been working closely with each couple eight weeks in advance of their wedding, and postponing to a date later this year or to a date in 2021 as similar to their current date as possible. By comparison, there are venues at our level (100+ weddings per year) that are completely cancelling spring and summer weddings (or the full season, for that matter) or moving them to 2022. We had 2021 bookings in our calendar prior to the pandemic; however, as a courtesy to our 2020 couples, we have now stalled any new bookings for 2021 within our peak months, to leave as many dates open as possible.
Lyric Flowers (Florist): The best way to choose a new date when looking to postpone is to start by contacting the venue and seeing what dates they will offer you. Most venues will offer the couple a selection of two or three dates as close to their original date in the following year. The St. Marys Golf & Country Club, in particular, has done an amazing job of not only contacting the couples, but also reaching out to vendors involved to make sure they are able to accommodate new date options, which makes it easier on the couple.
Above & Beyond Event Design & Decor (Event Designer): We recommend that clients first work with the venue to come up with a few alternate dates. As we are normally able to handle multiple events per weekend, we have a little more flexibility with our schedule. Once the venue has given date options, I would recommend connecting with your other vendors to offer these dates and see which ones work best for all involved. There may be a few of your vendors that are not able to work with the new date; however, we have found that it usually works out for the majority of your key vendors and we will assist in helping find the right replacement vendors if need be.
Shawn Van Daele Photography (Photographer): Keep an open mind that everyone is in this together – other couples, vendors, and even guests. Be open to alternatives other than Saturdays, look into the off-season (winter weddings are gorgeous!), and be flexible and understanding. Start with a list of available dates from your venue, then work down through your key vendors to narrow down a date that works across the board. If possible, we're asking our couples to give us a handful of dates that they're considering and putting soft holds on them. As other couples inquire about the same date, we are checking back with the original couple to confirm if it's still on the table as a potential date for their reschedule – it's a juggling act for sure!
Enduring Promises (Blair Mercer, Officiant): We really appreciate when couples keep us in the loop about their possible change of plans, whether they are looking to possibly postpone or have a list of date options ready to go. I love it when I can be involved on the problem-solving side of things. I would also suggest that couples prioritize their wedding day special features and vendors, and connect with them about their availability in that order. We all wish for couples to still have their dream wedding day, but the reality is, not every detail carries the same weight.
With floral designs rooted in quality, value and service, and over 20 years of experience working with floral, Lyric Flowers is known for taking the ideas of their clients and transforming this inspiration into stunning and unique arrangements. Servicing St. Marys, Stratford, Waterloo, London and beyond, owners Lanny Hoare and Jay Harrison are committed to creating designs for each wedding that are as unique as the couple themselves, and never duplicating a design. They have been recognized by the Canadian Wedding Industry Awards, and featured in Weddingbells and The Wedding Ring publications.
PRESERVING THE PLAN
When couples have postponed their wedding to a different season, how do you ensure their vision is maintained?
St. Marys Golf & Country Club (Venue): This is most applicable for couples who are aiming to keep their wedding in 2020. Some of our spring couples (May and June) moved their bookings to available dates in the fall, which meant changing their wedding season and possibly which day of the week it would fall on. There are only so many Saturdays available in a year, and almost all of our peak Saturdays were already full - so these couples embraced a flexible mindset. In saying that, whether couples are changing their wedding season or year, we are essentially picking up their full wedding plan and dropping it down on a new date. Our ceremonies are all outdoor during peak months (May-October), so if we end up with inclement weather on their wedding, we would switch to the indoor backup plan regardless of if it’s a spring, summer or fall date. If couples are postponing from a peak to an off-season date (i.e. winter), their ceremony will move indoors to our clubhouse fireplace, and our team is helping these couples to translate their existing decor plan for the new setting. When shifting weddings to next year, in an effort to maintain the couple’s overall plan, we have kept weddings in the same season thus far, and have been supporting our couples in aligning all of their key vendors for the new date. In the rare instance that there are certain vendors who are unable to accommodate a date change, we suggest considering the magnitude of the vendor category (i.e. who is harder to replace and which replacements will change your vision the most), and know that we have a full list of incredible preferred vendors who are able to fill any gaps.
Shawn Van Daele Photography (Photographer): We always go through a series of super fun, extremely thorough questionnaires with every couple, to ensure we know them, their vision, their style and even their favourite movie, song and TV show inside and out. Regardless of the season, we represent who they are in the moments we capture, and in the style we shoot with. I'm proud to say we've exceeded the expectations of many couples on the rainiest, windiest, and ugliest of weather days. I don't believe it has as much to do with the season you're married in, or the weather on your wedding day as much as it does about having fun throughout the process!
Lyric Flowers (Florist): To ensure the floral vision is truly maintained when moving weddings from one season to another, couples must understand that certain floral varieties available on their original date may or may not be available on their new date. In this case, we will gladly offer an alternate floral solution that will still bring their vision to life and keep within the integrity of the design.
Above & Beyond Event Design & Decor (Event Designer): Being a design company, this is the easy part for us. Creating and modifying designs is where our skills and abilities really come into play. Since we have worked collectively with our clients on their wedding day vision, we know every element of the design. It is second nature for us to adjust this vision to compliment the season, ensuring that the overall design remains cohesive.
Enduring Promises (Blair Mercer, Officiant): Each Enduring Promises ceremony is as different as the couple that is getting married, no matter what season they are celebrating in. Our couples have access to an online ceremony portal where they customize every word and element that is experienced in their ceremony. This ensures that their vision is achieved and that it is memorable and unique. On our portal, we literally have dozens of creative special feature ideas that can work in any season.
DJ Alpha Productions (DJ): From our perspective, while we may not need to change things up too much in terms of what we offer, we do anticipate having conversations around the vibe of the music. If we are switching from a classy but casual summer wedding to a more formal winter gala vibe, we have cocktail and dinner playlists that can reflect that. We're happy to make suggestions that our clients may not have even thought of around music.
The Cake Box (Baker): We are committed to working with couples in changing their dessert selections with regards to design, colours and flavours that are representative of the different seasons.
A true artist at heart, having studied in Toronto at OCAD, Shawn Van Daele has been translating his passion for composition, colour, and documentary storytelling to the wedding photography world since 2007. He believes wedding photography should be real, raw, and magical - and that he and his couples should have a great time creating it all together. Although he’s based in London, Ontario, he’s available for travel, and his work has even gone viral, with his philanthropic endeavor, The Drawing Hope Project having been featured on The Today Show, ABC World News with Diane Sawyer, and MTV News.
COST CONSIDERATIONS
What additional costs should couples expect if they are postponing their wedding to a new date, and why is this the case?
St. Marys Golf & Country Club (Venue): From a venue and caterer perspective, we have been incredibly flexible with regards to postponement costs. If couples move their wedding to a date later in 2020, all pricing remains the same, and some are even taking advantage of lower food and beverage prices when selecting a Sunday-Friday date (in comparison to a Saturday). If couples move their wedding to a 2021 date (on their respective eight-week decision date), we are not charging date transfer fees - even though our venue pricing goes up year over year, and even though our planning team will now be providing normally chargeable time and services to these couples for an additional 12 months. When it comes to food and beverage, however, we incur increased costs year over year due to inflation, and as such, have been applying a fractional price increase to the couple’s 2020 per person food and beverage price (rather than charging them the full difference in price for 2020 versus 2021). This makes it fair for both the couple and our business. As well, in order to retain their services, we require couples to pay their first payment installment (due three months pre-wedding), before we move their wedding to the following year. Their next two payment deadlines are then shifted to 2021, in-line with their new date. Since these latter amounts total approximately 60% of their overall order with us, we are hugely benefiting the couple with an additional year to save the largest portion of their bill.
DJ Alpha Productions (DJ): We understand that some vendors may need to adjust booking rates, based on popularity of dates or due to a holiday (New Years Eve, for example). There may also be additional fees based on the amount of extra work a vendor will now have do – a wedding planner (or venue), for example, may now have an additional 12 months of work with a couple. Because of the nature of our business, other than on NYE, we’re able to charge a standard rate throughout the year.
The Cake Box (Baker): If the custom design aspects change, there may be an increase or decrease in cost depending on the design changes. For weddings that have already been booked in 2020 and are moving to a 2021 date, we are honoring the prices quoted, as long as there are no major changes in flavour or design.
Lyric Flowers (Florist): Often floral costs do increase slightly over the course of a year. However, at this time, we are doing our very best to ensure that wedding orders currently secured will not have to experience a price increase, and we are working close with our growers and suppliers to help maintain this.
Above & Beyond Event Design & Decor (Event Designer): If the design requires additional rentals or services that were not part of the original design, the cost of those elements would be added. However, the majority of couples that have rescheduled so far have incurred no additional costs to move their original date from 2020 to 2021.
With a wildy passionate crew of 21, DJ Alpha Productions not only plays weddings, but also nightclubs, radio mix shows, and openings for major recording artists - and they are single-handedly redefining the role of a wedding DJ. In collaboration with their clients, they work ahead of time to plan the music, and then on the day of, their expert DJs feed off the energy of the crowd to play and mix the perfect soundtrack for the night. Voted Canada’s #1 Most Popular DJ Service, owner Dave Galloway has one goal when it comes to his team providing music for weddings – get as many people dancing for as long as possible, and have everyone leaving saying “THAT was a party!”
POSTPONING OVER CANCELLING
When couples choose to cancel instead of postpone their wedding, what policies should they expect, and how does this decision impact vendors?
St. Marys Golf & Country Club (Venue): We’ve spent the last 12-18 months helping our clients put together an amazing plan for their weddings, which is a massive investment of time, energy, guidance, and administrative efforts. If the client decides to break their contract, and cancel their wedding, all of that time invested doesn’t just go away - services have been rendered. And this also creates a ripple effect for all vendors involved. Once we get to the postponement decision date, we provide our couples with the solution of moving their wedding to a new date - dates which we have now turned other business away from and held for our 2020 couples. This fulfills our end of the agreement, in continuing to host their wedding at our venue. If the client decides to cancel their booking instead, and not fulfill their part in the agreement, they are then forfeiting their initial booking deposit - which is commonplace across the industry. In fact, some vendors are even charging additional fees to couples for cancelling their bookings and breaking contracts. Ultimately, couples want us to consider their best interests when making decisions, but we also need them to consider our best interests as well.
Above & Beyond Event Design & Decor (Event Designer): It is important to note that COVID-19 is not forcing couples to cancel their wedding. It is forcing couples to postpone their wedding. If a couple decides to cancel their wedding all together, because of the pandemic, that is a choice that they are making. In turn, the couple is then cancelling the contract that we have entered into together. In our case, being a sought after design company, we only accept so many events per weekend – and the chances are that we would have turned away just as many events as we booked for a particular weekend. Cancelling is a choice that the couple is making despite the fact that they have the opportunity to postpone and reschedule to a later date. Non-refundable retainers are there for precisely this situation. We are all having to make tough decisions, and it’s important to remember that this crisis is no one’s fault and that each vendor must do what is best for their business. Under these circumstances, working together to find a mutually agreeable reschedule date is the ideal situation for everyone involved.
DJ Alpha Productions (DJ): With regards to the industry as a whole, couples should expect that their deposit is non-refundable. It is likely that your vendor turned away other clients after booking you for that date, and has likely already begun working with you. Depending on the contract, couples may also find that there are additional cancellation fees. These types of fees are not uncommon in the industry, and should be carefully reviewed prior to deciding to move forward with a cancellation.
Shawn Van Daele Photography (Photographer): Our typical 20% retainer is non-refundable; however, it is transferrable. So, should the couple want to use this retainer towards another shoot (of any kind) in the future, the credit is always there for them. Alternatively, couples are welcome to transfer the credit to a friend or family member who is getting married and wants to book with us. From a cash flow perspective on our end, it’s disappointing when an event is cancelled with short notice, as there's very little chance of rebooking and recouping our budgeted income for that date.
Lyric Flowers (Florist): When couples choose to outright cancel their wedding, all monies paid up until that point of cancellation are non-refundable (and normally non-transferrable). These policies are set in place to secure their date in our calendar and provide consultation services throughout the course of their planning.
The Cake Box (Baker): We are flexible and willing to move the deposit to a future date. For those couples who cancel the wedding, the deposit is normally non-refundable. However, given the circumstances we are offering to convert the deposit into a store credit toward any future purchase.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
When it comes to minimum orders, what flexibility are you offering to couples who are still planning to get married in 2020?
St. Marys Golf & Country Club (Venue): Our minimums relate to guest count, and vary by room and wedding date. For our couples who are still planning to get married in 2020, we are being flexible on their final guest count, knowing that most will expect less guests overall this year - whether this is due to social or travel restrictions, or simply because some guests won’t yet feel comfortable in crowds. Of course, both the venue and the client must be willing to work together in regards to what is a reasonable outcome. If a couple was anticipating 150-200 guests, and the government permits social gatherings of only 50 people by their wedding date, this would mean that neither the client’s vision or the venue’s regular level of operation would be maintained properly. Alternatively, if there’s a guest drop-off of 25-30% (in comparison to the normal 10-15% during the RSVP process), both the client and venue would be better serviced. For our couples who have moved their weddings to 2021, normal guest count requirements are applicable.
Enduring Promises (Blair Mercer, Officiant): For a wedding ceremony to be legal, there needs to be five people present – the couple, two witnesses who are over 18 years of age, and the officiant. Some of our couples have decided to have two wedding dates – the first being a legal signing ceremony on their original date, and the second being the full wedding celebration at a date when group minimums have changed.
Above & Beyond Event Design & Decor (Event Designer): Going back to the uncertainty of social gatherings, moving forward, we are willing to adjust to whatever the social gathering requirements are at that present time. This does not usually affect our overall design, but it does affect guest table, linen and centerpiece numbers. If you have your wedding planned for later in 2020, we recommend having a few guest lists prepared that have different group sizes, in case you (unfortunately) do need to cut some of your guests from the plan.
Shawn Van Daele Photography (Photographer): With all things considered right now (and always) – be flexible and make the best of things. Be open-minded about alternatives you may not have considered. Small, intimate weddings can be so much more memorable than big grandiose affairs with hundreds of guests. It's important through life to not hold onto things too tightly, including visions of how we think things should be. Being open to alternatives allows you to welcome in experiences you'd otherwise miss entirely, by being too strict with your expectations.
Enduring Promises is a trusted group of award-winning, highly-trained, licensed wedding Officiants who are committed to assisting their clients create an engaging wedding ceremony that incorporates the couple’s beliefs and values, celebrates the unique partnership of the couple, and is a reflection of each unique personality. Focusing on prompt and regular communications from the first meeting to the wedding day, through to the filing of the Marriage Certificate application, the goal of their team is to reduce the couple’s stress, and see marriages succeed and continue to flourish beyond the wedding day.
NEW BOOKINGS
For newly-engaged couples who are looking to book a 2021 date, what advice would you offer to them to ensure they make the most of their wedding planning experience?
St. Marys Golf & Country Club (Venue): The reality is that this crisis has changed the wedding industry, and there is potential that vendors will be combining two years of service in one. With many couples postponing to next year, dates are filling fast. As well, some venues (like SMGCC) are currently only offering new couples either off-season dates or select date options in peak months - until all impacted 2020 couples have been accommodated. We are recommending that couples who want to book now for 2021 be flexible on their choice of date or room - or that they be patient in waiting until all postponements have been made and we can confirm any remaining dates. This might contradict what other vendor categories recommend, but choosing the venue is often the first step in wedding planning, and also the top of your ‘Big 5’ must-have list (Venue/Caterer, Photographer, Decorator, Florist, Music). For that reason, many couples have been deciding to select a 2022 date, giving them ALL the time to plan, and ensuring that they get their dream date and vendor team.
Lyric Flowers (Florist): As many 2020 weddings are having to postpone into 2021, we are trying to ensure those couples are fully able to move their date, as their plans have been hit hardest by this pandemic. However, we are still advising new couples to contact their desired vendors as soon as possible, as we are looking forward to working with them and bringing their floral vision to a beautiful reality.
DJ Alpha Productions (DJ): I would suggest couples move forward with confidence, both in booking a date next year as well as working with their venue. As unlikely as it seems, should anything similar to this pandemic happen in the future that would require couples to change their date, venues like SMGCC are professional and easy to work with when shifting plans. As mentioned before, couples should act quickly with the dates that are available to them, and begin booking their other vendors, who all have calendars that are filling up fast.
Shawn Van Daele Photography (Photographer): Don't delay on booking your vendors! As most 2020 couples are rebooking into 2021, available dates are getting to be very few and far between. If you have key vendors you've had your eye on, book them now, even if you don't have all the details ironed out. We welcome couples to book an absolute basic package just to lock in their date, and then as their wedding planning develops and they have a better grasp on what they want or need, we can change their coverage to a package that suits them best.
Enduring Promises (Blair Mercer, Officiant): Perhaps consider pre-marriage counselling from a local expert. Your wedding is just the beginning of an exciting future together. Many people would agree that a good beginning promises a good ending, that if you start off on a good note, you will reap the benefits in the end, and that well begun is half done.
An award-winning bakery that specializes in custom desserts for any occasion – including cakes, cupcakes, cake pops, cookies, and macarons – The Cake Box is a top bakery for bridal couples seeking a unique and trendy wedding cake or sweets table. First completing her Masters of Cake Decoration and Confectionary Arts in Toronto and studying with internationally-recognized sugar artists in New York City, owner Yvonne Zensner now leads a passionate team of 10 who bring each client’s vision to life. Yvonne has personally designed cakes for couples all over Canada, the United States, Britain, Norway and Sweden, and her cakes have been published by Canada AM, Life Network, Weddingbells Magazine, and WedLuxe.
POSITIVITY BREEDS POSITIVITY
Do you have any final words of advice to offer 2020 couples?
Vendor: First of all, allow yourself to experience whatever emotions you are feeling - disappointment, anger, frustration, loss - and then release those emotions. This situation, although incredibly crappy, is not in anyone’s control, so it’s better to accept the facts and focus instead on what is in your control. Second of all, trust your vendors. The consequences of this crisis are incredibly trying on small businesses as well, and believe it when we say that we want you to have the wedding of your dreams as much as you do. Be flexible, allow your vendors time to react, understand their position, and know that we are all humans trying to do the best that we can. And most importantly, remind yourself to enjoy the journey. Don’t throw all of your beautiful plans away to reach the destination faster. This is just a pause, and if you have to wait one extra year to have your wedding, it will be here before you know it and feel even more incredible than you could have imagined!
Above & Beyond Event Design & Decor (Event Designer): We are so thankful to our amazing clients for their patience, grace, kind words, and support throughout these unusual times. The most important thing to remember is that treating others with kindness and grace during a difficult time is really important. We are so excited to create your vision for you. Remember this pandemic is not a permanent disruption to our celebrations, and we will be celebrating with you all very soon. We just need to move forward with grace, care and respect for each other, and we will be on the other side of this in no time! We can’t wait!
The Cake Box (Baker): Stay safe, stay happy and know that we are willing to work with you!
DJ Alpha Productions (DJ): While these are uncertain times, and it's become a cliche to say "we're all in this together", when it comes to your wedding - we absolutely are. Your venue and vendors can't wait to get back to normal and do what we love! While changing your wedding date right now is the last thing you want to be thinking of, one day it will simply become part your perfect wedding story. See you on the dance floor!
Shawn Van Daele Photography (Photographer): Don't lose sight of the fact that the wedding celebration, the party, the fun - is secondary to the fact that you're marrying the love of your life. Have fun through the process, even if you're being forced to reschedule or postpone – or even cancel – your wedding. Oftentimes, what we perceive as delays and trouble is just the universe's way of rerouting us to better things we couldn't have anticipated or planned for. Be patient – with vendors, with strangers, and with yourself. At the end of the day, we are all just people doing our best to keep our heads above water and smiles on our faces – and yours.
ADDITIONAL TIPS
Informing Guests: With the help of your immediate family and friends, gather the emails of all of your guests so that you can easily communicate updates and changes with everyone. As well, platforms like Wedding Wire and Minted provide templates for you to build your own wedding website. Here you can add notices, RSVP options, and even links to helpful travel information.
Dress Options: With many bridal boutiques now resuming in-person appointments, brides can feel more confident getting their dress details all sorted out. For brides that have already ordered, boutiques like Lavender Bridal are confirming that they have not experienced any major shipping delays, thanks to relationships with reputable designers. For brides who have yet to order their dress for a date later this year, they should keep in mind that it normally takes six to eight months for a dress to arrive, but sometimes there are rush options available. In this case, the best option may be to buy off the rack and alter as necessary (i.e. sample sizes), or to purchase online from sources like BHLDN. Most seamstresses are prioritizing brides by calendar date, with the goal of getting all brides into their dream dresses on time.
Marriage License: Ontario marriage licenses expire after 90 days, so it’s not something you can cross off your to-do list until much closer to your wedding date – even under normal circumstances. Enduring Promises Officiant, Blair Mercer, notes that local town halls are changing their policies daily as bans are lifted. He recommends that couples connect with any of the town halls in their area, on a weekly basis, to determine who is available to issue marriage licenses. Some municipalities, such as St. Thomas, are already taking appointments, and assuming couples bring the required documentation with them, they will have their license in hand that same day.
Travel Plans: If majority of your guests will be traveling across borders, that in itself may determine your postponement decision. However, if only a select few will be traveling internationally, you may have to consider relying on technology (FaceTime or Skype) to involve them in your day, so that the show can go on. When it comes to your honeymoon, don’t give up on late summer or fall plans just yet. Research your trip cancellation or insurance coverage options, should plans have to change.
Buy Local: If you were planning to order your guest favours online and are now faced with increased shipping delays or costs, consider supporting local shops. Many businesses, like Rheo Thompson, are providing curbside pickup and even local drop-off, for added convenience. And who doesn’t love a mint smoothie?
If your wedding plans have been impacted by COVID-19, we see you, and we wholeheartedly feel for you. Your day will soon come, and when it does, everyone - including your vendor team, family and friends - will be there with bells and whistles on, ready to celebrate.
In the meantime, we’ll be counting down the days until we can welcome all of you back again!
Sincerely, Team SMGCC