Going by the fluid situation in current times caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic, the wedding industry is taking a big hit. If your wedding day happens to fall amidst the coronavirus crisis, then, it is most likely to be postponed or canceled for now. As sad as it may sound, the CDC has officially recommended the cancellation of weddings in the United States for four weeks, or until mid-May.

It is naturally sad that when you and your bae should be hearing the wedding bells, you are being forced to go on lockdown together, or sadly, even apart. Thank goodness Skype and Google Duo are there for the couples making it work long-distance! When you should have been basking in the delicate spring and going for wedding cake hunting, you are finding yourself in the long aisles of Walmart, buying and stocking groceries.

But a postponed wedding is still a wedding and it definitely needs your equal amount of involvement. On the brighter side, you will find yourself with a lot of extra time for planning, and planning better than the last time. As the first line of advice, keep yourself updated with the changing guidelines and maintain an open conversation with your vendors and guests. As wedding planner Valentina Lombardi said, “The tip we give to our couples is to listen to the real situation from official government offices."

With a change of plans, there are so many things to replan, reconsider, and redo, all over again. It is important that you keep an eye out for the ultimate goal - your big day! No matter what, the virus can postpone or cancel your wedding temporarily, but, it cannot cancel the love. We have come up with the things that you can do with all the extra time you have for planning the special day.

Postpone and fix a date

Depending on where you live, the guidelines by your local government will change when it comes to any sort of gatherings in view of the coronavirus outbreak. Instead of canceling your wedding, we advise you to rather postpone it and fix a new date. As of now, there is a ban on gatherings of more than 50 people for the next four weeks. If your wedding falls on these dates, then, begin the postponement process without getting all worked up.

Lesser number of guests

Going by the unpredictability of the current Coronavirus situation, there are many reasons why your guest count is going to go down significantly. As the out-of-town guests will not be able to make it due to the suspended flights and tougher curbs on other kinds of transport. And with the current need of the hour being social distancing, your local guests may decide to skip attending an event with such a large group of strangers. As public health officials are emphasizing the importance of social distancing to slow down the pace of this pandemic outbreak, it is vital to follow this guideline. 

Newer plans

With a drop in the wedding guest count, there will be newer plans and reorganization for your wedding day. The factors that will need adjustment range from the floor plan and decor to the wedding timelines, will make sense to the new guest count. You can include your long-distance guests like your elderly grandparents or overseas BFFs with the help of video conferencing and make them a part of your big day celebrations.

Check with your wedding vendors

Check out with your vendors, and if they are willing to work on your new wedding date. Going by the scary situation that we are facing right now, we have to respect everyone’s decision to protect themselves while prioritizing their health. In the case of cancelations, ask for another member of their team or get suggestions from a different industry professional. If your vendors still decide to go on about this, then check for all the health strategies they are adopting as a measure to fight this situation. For example, check for sanitization procedures like washing their hands, wearing proper masks and gloves, disinfection of vehicles and equipment.

Get in touch with a planner

If you previously decided that you do not need a wedding planner, then maybe this is the time to reconsider it. As rescheduling your wedding date involves many things to start from scratch, a wedding planner is most likely to come up with an alternative ceremony plan in an instant. Pivoting a new plan with a changed schedule has the potential to tire and confuse you out, and reaching out to a professional wedding planner for consultation might be the need of the hour.

One step at a time

For starters, avoid feeling powerless and out of control at the moment. For couples, who have their wedding day scheduled for the upcoming fall or winter, need not feel rushed as the current situation is most likely to be looked up within a few months. The pandemic curve will flatten soon, and things would go back to being normal once again. Tracking the latest developments is vital when it comes to booking the vendors as the postponed spring and summer weddings will most likely take place in the fall or winter months. You can start making your wedding reservations, by sticking to your timeline, as there is a fair chance the wedding vendors might be overbooked.

While it’s easy to feel hopeless and sad in these times, always remember how every cloud has a silver lining, and its time you find yours. It’s okay to feel sad, and a wide range of emotions at the same time, but, do what it needs to be done to feel better. If the news is turning your mood off, switch it off. If the Dalgona coffee frenzy is getting to you, start social distancing from social media. In short, your mental health is of utmost importance now and take care of it!