Tips & Advice for Wedding Planning and Postponing during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Scott and I recently celebrated our 1 year wedding anniversary, and we were just thinking how if we were set to get married this year (2020), we would have had to postpone/cancel our original wedding date as it fell on a date this year in which shelter-in-place and lockdown orders were in affect all over the world.

I couldn’t help but feel for the brides and couples that had their weddings scheduled for this year but had to come to grips with making drastic changes. I know that it would be absolutely heart-wrenching, I remember how stressed and overwhelmed I was having to plan period, so I can’t even imagine if I was faced with today’s issues. A blogger friend, Melanee had a spectacular destination planned for Italy, and quickly had to postpone their wedding - read all about her story here (which was also published on Brides!).

Thankfully, many wedding websites have quickly pulled together and published resources to help brides and couples deal with the unprecedented situation. I’ve had two friends postpone their April weddings, and with the rate that we’re going, I’m weary about how scheduled summer weddings will play out. One of the April weddings I was to attend was in Australia, this was extremely tough for me as their country was still about 1.5 weeks behind on the coronavirus spread and the awareness on needing to stay home. About two weeks from the wedding date, I had received a text from the bride’s mom pleading not to cancel, and within 24 hours of receiving that text I had seen on the news that Australia’s prime minister had tested positive, and a mandatory 14-day isolation was required for ALL visitors/incoming residents. That period was longer than our entire trip and meant that Scott and I would be flying to Australia to then quarantine in our hotel room for the duration of our trip, so it didn’t make sense and our hands were tied - we had to cancel our trip. Thankfully, the bride and her family quickly realized they would have to postpone and their venue was able to accommodate a new date in 2021. This is a great guide for if you find yourself in a similar situation.

As I work in event planning and management, I had to quickly deal with conference cancellations, some completely non-refundable, some changing their policies to try to recoup for losses. I’ve spent the last 3 weeks following up and tracking down various vendors and people to at least get answers on funds I would or would not receive back; credit that I could apply to future events; or if a conference was transitioning to a digital environment in which I’d have to switch my focus and work on obtaining deliverables for those virtual conferences. I’ve had no guide or method on how to face the wake of mass event cancellations, so I’m just learning as I go, but was happy to see the following wedding websites offer an abundance of help and answering a lot of questions for those planning their weddings (updated 4/6/2020):

The Knot

The Knot’s COVID-19 Wedding Help
How to Postpone Your Wedding Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic - A guide on the steps to take when postponing your wedding due to COVID-19.
Questions About How Coronavirus Could Affect Your Wedding? - Got a question about how to navigate? Check out the Knot News’ expert-sourced answers to all your queries - updating regularly.
Exactly How to Shift Your Wedding Timeline Due to COVID-19 - For couples with wedding dates in 2020, we did the math for you. Here's exactly what to know and do if you'd planned to get married in April, May, June and beyond.
Bridal Salons Answer All of Your COVID-Related Wedding Dress Concerns - You've got questions about your wedding gown and shopping amid COVID-19, and thanks to bridal boutiques, The Knot has got all the answers just for you. Also look at - Wedding Dress Shopping is Possible During COVID-19
How to Manage Your Registry If You Postpone Your Wedding - Asking for wedding gifts might feel a bit strange right now, but trust us — you're not alone. The Knot is answering all those tricky registry-related FAQs.
What Wedding Planners Are Telling Couples to Do - The Knot tapped top planners and vendors to find out exactly what they’re currently advising couples to do in light of the coronavirus outbreak.
Social Distancing While Planning a Wedding - How to tackle dress shopping, vendor relationships, and more. The good news? You can actually get a lot done.
Everything to Know About "Change-the-Date" Wedding Cards - Like a more flexible sibling of the save-the-date.
Wedding Dates to Avoid in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 - You've made the tough decision to postpone, but to when exactly? Here's a handy cheat sheet of holidays and other dates to be mindful of in the coming years.
It's OK to Be Sad About Having to Postpone Your Wedding - Know that what you and your partner are feeling is valid, and your feelings shouldn't be discounted. It's best to face those feelings head on, so here's how to do that.