5 Tips for Your Upcoming Wedding during COVID-19: A Guide from Nicole

I know, the blog post many other vendors are avoiding, and the one I certainly wish I didn’t have to write. I hope you are all doing okay out there, as I know this is a difficult time to be thinking about the uncertainties surrounding a day you’ve been planning so long. You are all on my mind, daily, and there is nothing I want more than to be there to document the day you’ve been dreaming of hosting for months, if not years. I am here for you!

I know things are hectic right now for you, adjusting to a strange new normal practically overnight is not an easy thing for many of us. I’m always here to talk via phone or email, should you need, so please reach out if you need a friendly ear in the wedding industry. I would LOVE to talk with you.

While unfortunately I can’t make miracles happen and make this all go away right now, what I can do is offer some tips to help you navigate this uncertain time with as much grace as possible. Remember, we are all in this together!

1. It’s okay to feel upset. Whether you need to postpone your wedding date, change your guest list, or just wait and see where things take us in the next few weeks, it’s okay to be upset. I’m right here with you. Photographing weddings for you is my dream job, and I’m grieving right alongside you right now. Be sure to lean on your partner, your family, your wedding party, and even your vendors right now!

2. Set up a wedding website. If you haven’t already, now is a great time to set up a wedding website to keep guests informed on any potential changes. You can utilize this rather than sending out new save the date cards, if necessary, and communicate with your guests!

   Recommended Websites:

   • Minted’s Digital Wedding Address Collection Tool

   • Minted’s Wedding Websites

   • Joy Wedding Websites

   • Zola Wedding Website & Registry

   • The Knot Wedding Websites

   • Basic Invite Wedding Websites

3. If you need to pick a new date, it’s imperative to check with the following people prior to selecting the date:

   • Your partner (kind of important, right?)

   • Your immediate family members

   • Your wedding party

   • Your vendors*

     *As one of your vendors, I cannot stress this enough. We so want to work with you on your new wedding day. We are invested in you and want the absolute best for you, and of course to be there for you! Most vendors are currently moving couples to new dates, pending availability and transferring previously applied payments to the new date. You can view my calendar here. Consider a Friday or a Sunday date. They are growing in popularity and most guests will completely understand!

4. Keep in mind that your wedding vendors are small businesses that are all GREATLY impacted by the affects of COVID-19. I know talking about money at a time like this is awkward. If you are able to make payments on time, or even make a small, unexpected early payment for a wedding happening in late summer or fall, it is so incredibly helpful for us. Most of us have our finances planned out according to scheduled payments and if those aren’t coming in, our bills to sustain our businesses (and ourselves) are unable to be paid. I have heard from friends in the industry that are struggling to pay utilities, property taxes, employees, and more. Keeping your invoices paid even in a time of uncertainty allows businesses to still be in business for you, if your wedding does need to be postponed to a date next year. If you would like to make a payment toward your invoice, you can reach out to me at any time and place a payment online for any amount, even if it’s $25!

5. You can do this. Take a deep breath, and remember to breath right now. With some flexibility and grace (and maybe a little creativity), you can still have the wedding day you always dreamed of. Or maybe your dream will look different as you start to think about what is really important right now. This is an unprecedented situation that none of us could have predicted, so take some time right now. Think about how you want to proceed, and talk with your loved ones (and your vendors… hint, hint) about your priorities.
   

   Please remember that while things are stressful now, there will be a light at the end of the tunnel. Experiencing this is going to make celebrations that do get to happen later this year, that much more meaningful. We are all craving connection and quality time with our family members right now, and I can’t wait to see what unfolds during wedding season this year. It will be emotional and it will be beautiful when it does happen.

   We will get through this, together.