WEDDINGS IN TIMES OF CORONAVIRUSES
"How this pandemic broke my wedding plans"
I had everything ready, guest confirmed, vendors paid, music, venue, dress, all packed up and ready to deliver to my wedding planner for my long-awaited day; the day I have been planning for a year and have I put dreams, money, and all my energy...
I heard of a virus prowling around China, after it had spread to Europe; I did not know that a pandemic would be unleashed and that this would lead to us not being able to leave even my house and where my first concern would be my health leaving everything else aside.
“Lourdes Wedding April 11th, 2020”
On the other hand...
I was very fortunate, my vendors and venue postponed my event, so that when this contingency passes we can have a date again.
"Amy Wedding April 25th, 2020"
But what happens when you aren't so lucky? When you don't have a wedding expert to support you and guide you?; Because some of your suppliers work without a contract and do not feel empathy with the situation that surrounds us all?
Find here 5 very important points that you can follow in case you are in a situation about to throw everything away and you will also find 5 more points of extra details that you can work on if you are just waiting for your new date for your event.
LIVING A NIGHTMARE
1.- I called my vendor and he says he cannot refund my money back.
Every vendor knows that if it is an alien situation, and as long as he or she can give you the service a refund does not apply; sometimes they have already invested that payment in paying their own suppliers (food, flowers or decoration) to get everything on time.
here the most sensible thing in this situation (which is nobody's fault) is that both reach the agreement and he respects your initial or full payment and he schedules you on a new date where it will be available.
If the supplier does not fulfill what was promised there are always reviews on social networks where you as a customer have an option to give your point of view and explain your situation, but of course it would be the last option since the ideal is always to reach a good agreement that benefits everyone.
2.- My family was going to travel for my wedding and the airline will not refund their money.
It is impossible not to feel responsible for situations that happen to your guests if it is something related to your wedding; however, we all know that it is an external situation and that it is not your fault or of your family. Be calm and see how to help them, some ideas are: calling the airline or checking if they bought their tickets with refund insurance.
At the moment the airlines have hundreds of calls a day from customers with the same request, be patient and see how to leave those tickets open for the new date of your event or a future vacation.
3.- I continued with my wedding plans but most of my guests canceled.
It was impossible for you to cancel everything and did you continue with your plans thinking that your guests would go to the wedding ? Unfortunately no matter how much control has been applied in this pandemic; The healthiest thing is to maintain a #socialdistance and avoid groups or events where more than 10 people are around. If you had an intimate event in mind you can still apply an #elopement; What is an elopement? It is when you get married in a "secret" way and suddenly. Most of the times it is in a place a bit far away; where only the judge, your fiancé, you and a photographer are present.There are hundreds of packages since they are so trendy. way and suddenly and regularly it is in a place a bit far away; where only the judge, your fiancé, you and a photographer are present.There are hundreds of packages since they are so trendy.
4.- One step away from canceling.
Are you disappointed, you don't want to know anything about your wedding and your dreamshave been broken?. Always remember that the most important thing is your health and of your loved ones, if you have the option to continue with your plans DO IT!
Don’t miss that opportunity to thank life after a pandemic by celebrating with the people you love the most. No one said that everything was easy, but it is not impossible either. If you do not know where to guide you and you do not see a way out or you find a way to speak with difficult suppliers, seek help from an expert, we are hundreds of wedding planners dealing with suppliers, salons, hotels, and solving problems in a fast and effective way, consult rates, review previous clients' comments and hire one, it is never too late to finish planning this event in an espectacular way!
5.- Take a deep breath!
This point, more than a situation, is my recommendation to you.
Analyze all the important points of the event that you are dealing with; and together with your fiancé review them in a positive way, as an example: My photographer tells me that he cannot refund the money back because he has already spent it and the next date that I am requesting is already booked from someone else.
Well, seeing the way to find a date when all your suppliers are available, for a wedding planner is an easy task but for someone who is not dedicated to this medium might be quite a puzzle. Request your vendors to provide you with their availability and arrange them on a day in which everyone can be available, in case one of them is not, see the option of saving that payment as a guarantee for a future photo shoot, a honeymoon trip (in case it is a hotel) or a family party in case is a venue or a DJ .
Remember that many suppliers are also receiving cancellations from other clients and you will have more suppliers available for your date, look for your option B, but most importantly always see the glass as full rather than empty and continue to handle these situations in a positive way. Cheer up!
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN
You already made sure of the date changed with all the vendors and your venue, but you can't stop thinking about what else you could do for that long-awaited day, well here are 5 important points that you can do for a month of social distancing.
1- Save money and hire that service that was out of your budget.
Before the contingency you had a budget according to the months of planning but you said no due to the expenses that were coming on you. For the moment, as you have everything ready and just waiting for your new date, you can keep saving and see the possibility of adding the pyrotechnics, the cocktail, or that dessert table that you wanted so much.
2.- Add the plus to your wedding that you wanted.
The time had come to you and because of work, children, or school you did not even get to rehearse that special dance with your fiancé ?, or you did not manage to finish those favors that you wanted to give to your guests ?, Well, this is the moment !; Take the reins and focus your purchases on Amazon or Etsy and start that project by respecting #socialdistance and investing your time in extra details for your wedding.
3.- Thank your guests for all the support.
I think that after not being able to touch, hug, and kiss our loved ones for everything that is happening, as soon as we can we won’t stop being thankful of everything that is around us, and not just the economic side, but most importantly our family and friends.
So you can do handwritten cards, photographs of you and your fiance with a message on the back or a detail with a sentimental value that no one throws away after receiving it.
4.- Plan your honeymoon in detail.
We all plan our wedding, but sometimes we blindly go to our honeymoon, research everything about the place you are going to and without forcing situations you can create a daily activity in which you and your partner are interested in learning or doing. If you go to the beach there are endless activities such as boat trips, parasailing, snorkeling, romantic sunset dinners and much more. Find those hidden places within that tourist site and see beyond what a brochure can give you.
5.- Stay fit during the contingency.
Do it! If you can't go running or go to the gym, make room at home and download videos or use YouTube and get in shape, it will be a great release of stress and also helps you stay ready for that dress you already have in the closet waiting for that long awaited day.
Remember that we cannot control everything that happens around us; but we can still have faith and always be positive that better times will come.
Nothing is more important than our health and the people around us, take care of yourself and take care of them. And when the time comes to have your wedding, enjoy it twice as much!; because after all the stress, sadness and despair, that moment will come and you will have the most important people in your life to celebrate it with.
See you next month with more topics of interest!
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See you next time!!
Xo!