Does anyone else feel like there is so much going on in the world right now, you just don’t even know where to start in life moving forward? With 3 insane situations hitting us all at once: a global pandemic, the start of a possible recession, and daily protests it can be hard to know what to do or say.
While we are in no way experts in pandemics, we are watching the news like everyone else and seeing yet another spike in COVID-19 cases and deaths. (Just today, July 1, 2020, Dane County has rolled back gathering sizes.) For those who have made the hard decision to postpone your 2020 wedding into 2021, or if you are contemplating pushing your wedding back we have compiled some thoughts on how things will likely play out with your wedding vendors.
All the photos in this blog post are from Mackenzie and Dan’s Aug. 2019 wedding. All photos are by the awesome: Anda Marie Photography
Postponing Your 2020 Wedding: What Should You Expect From Your Wedding Vendors?
If you’ve decided that it’s best to postpone your 2020 wedding to 2021, you’re probably finding out that it’s not an easy process. It can be overwhelming, not only emotionally, but the logistics of moving can be intricate and way more detailed than you expected.
Having spent over a decade planning Madison weddings, we’re here to give you our best advice on where to start with your wedding vendors.
Check Your Contracts
You have to start with the basics and see what each vendor has in their contract about rescheduling. That being said, who could have known we would be dealing with a full-scale pandemic this year?
While most vendors have carefully written contracts vetted by lawyers, there may be situations that just don’t apply. Take notes on what you don’t understand and call or email your vendors to clarify.
Your Vendors May be Dealing with Summer Clients Right Now
When the realization came that weddings were going to change this summer in Madison, vendors were flooded with calls and emails, and very few of us had any idea what was to come.
Add to that, your vendors may be dealing with laying off staff, filing for unemployment, and having kids at home that are not in school. If your wedding is later in the year, we’re all still in a bit of a holding pattern. Many vendors are currently dealing with clients who are still planning on having a wedding this year and helping them redesign their wedding to fit state guidelines.
If you have definitely decided that you want to postpone until next year, then let your vendors know as soon as possible so you can pick dates that work for everyone. Then, be patient as they put out the fires for summer clients now.
Be prepared to sign a new contract or a change order
Most vendors we have been working with are NOT charging a change fee for clients moving into 2021 however, there may be some that do. For those not charging a fee, they ARE requiring couples to sign an amended contract. (This protects you and them!)
Nearly all wedding vendors are adding a few new clauses to their contracts, such as if product costs go up for than X percent between now and the wedding pricing adjustments will be made. (Example if there are issues importing flowers because of pandemic restriction, new flowers may need to be selected or the costs of the flowers may be higher.)
Many professionals will have clauses for masks, health restrictions, and general protection for themselves and their staff. A year ago if you told me that we would be contemplating guests or vendors wearing masks to a wedding, I would have thought you were crazy. Now, this is a very real debate!
Support Your Vendors Through 2020
This is a tough time to be a wedding vendor. Imagine if suddenly your entire income for the year was cut in half, or even more. And imagine there was no system in place to provide unemployment for you. That’s precisely what many are dealing with.
If you can support them in any other way, every little bit helps. Buy cookies from your cake baker. Order birthday flowers from your florist. Schedule an engagement session with your photographer. They will love you for it, and provide you with an even more outstanding wedding experience when your day comes!
If you have a wedding planner, they can help you through many of these scenarios, and also help coordinate with your vendors. This is when you really want to lean on the experts to make sure nothing is overlooked.
If you need more specific advice on how to postpone your 2020 wedding into 2021, we would be happy to schedule a no-obligation consultation to see if we can help you. Just get in contact and let’s chat more about what you need help with.