Covid Wedding Tips: Rescheduling Your Wedding

Articles, Covid-19, Planning & Advice

Covid has hit weddings hard! Lots of couples have had to reschedule their wedding plans, and it’s hard to know where to begin with such a huge task on your hands. We’ve enlisted the help of some fantastic wedding suppliers so they can tell us what to do with all things Covid wedding related! They’ve given us some amazing wedding planning tips, practical things you can do while rescheduling, and how to keep the atmosphere romantic during a socially distanced wedding!

For some incredibly helpful Covid wedding planning tips, take a peek below…

 

Glamour Algarve Weddings | View Profile

What are your top 3 tips for planning a wedding now during Covid?

First, have a plan, either B, C or D. With us, we will do the impossible to accommodate the date in case it needs to be postponed! Second, keep your planning running as if Covid doesn’t exist. This will avoid demotivation. Third, if you need to reduce the number of people attending your big day, don’t be sad. The most important ones are yourselves, and with no doubts your family and friends will understand.

How will you plan a wedding to incorporate the social distancing rules whilst maintaining the romanticism of a wedding?

Tricky one. We believe that as long as family and friends are together on the day, they will understand that social distance is important. One of the secrets, music can’t be too loud, this would avoid people being closer so they can hear one another.

What are your top tips for rescheduling a wedding?

Do it as soon as possible. A plan B doesn’t release a plan A. I’m sure with a good and professional wedding planner, all details will be kept as they were discussed originally.

 

Lapela Photography

 

Bashly Events | View Profile

What are your top 3 tips for planning a wedding now during Covid?

BREATHE: With everything going on, it is perfectly normal to feel angry, anxious and possibly grief for missing out on the original date. However, the most important thing is that you will be married. Plans may need to be tweaked but your wedding day will be beautiful and it is important that you and your partner are calm and take deep breaths throughout the process so you can enjoy your day when it comes.

STAY OPTIMISTIC: Since the wedding will happen then the planning should not stop. Whether you hire a planner or DIY, you should continue planning and stay optimistic. You have got this and you need all the positive energy you can get. It will all work out and be perfectly beautiful.

INFORM YOUR GUESTS: Keep your guests up to date on changes as they arise, especially with the guest list being shortened and if the dates have changed. Your friends and family will be happy with your lifetime of happiness so keep them informed as you go through your plans.

How will you plan a wedding to incorporate the social distancing rules whilst maintaining the romanticism of a wedding?

Fewer guests means more intimacy which will automatically create a romantic atmosphere.

 

Yemi Photos

Italian Wedding Luxury | View Profile

What are your top 3 tips for planning a wedding now during Covid?

We can provide for top quality venues, safety organisation procedures, the opportunity of enjoying the event with respect to the distances and Italian rules.

How will you plan a wedding to incorporate the social distancing rules whilst maintaining the romanticism of a wedding?

Romanticism can always be granted. Distances are necessary for the ceremony, are useful in the layout of the tables at the restaurant and during the buffet service. A location with wide areas and well-prepared staff can easily help us in maintaining the right atmosphere even in difficulties. I am going to plan 2 different weddings in large locations next August and September, but I have already checked these aspects. I am sure I won’t have any problem keeping the romantic feeling of the wedding.

What are your top tips for rescheduling a wedding?

Rescheduling a wedding means taking more time to plan each detail. The Bride and Groom can decide to change things that they didn’t like but accepted for lack of time. Try to find a better date (in case they need to change). Starting and keeping a strong friendship with your wedding planner!

Gary Nunn Photography

 

Sonho a Dois Algarve Weddings | View Profile

What are your top 3 tips for planning a wedding now during Covid?

Based on the current measures in place in Portugal now and considering the venue, the number of guests is one to be taken into consideration as well as choosing venues that have outdoor spaces. And being able to understand that for the moment some things do need to be moderated (the hugging, the kissing, the being very close, if you are not part of the same family).

How will you plan a wedding to incorporate the social distancing rules whilst maintaining the romanticism of a wedding?

The most important thing is really the emotion of those involved – the couple, their families and friends. Whilst the emotional part needs to be somehow contained, there is always still room to display affection – have more people speaking during the speeches about the couple, telling stories involving the two of them or just one that other people may not know (and not just talking about the traditional speeches).

What are your top tips for rescheduling a wedding?

Be open-minded, patient and in spite of the hard decision of postponing, once a new date is chosen, then continue to be excited and looking forward to the new date.

 

Marco Torre Photography

 

Marbella Marriages | View Profile

What are your top 3 tips for planning a wedding now during Covid?

Secure your venue and key suppliers ASAP! All destination 2020 weddings in Southern Spain have already been rebooked for 2021. So, this on top of the general demand for 2021 weddings means that venues, villas, suppliers, etc are getting booked up very quickly!

Consider a weekday wedding. There are some great deals to be had when booking a weekday (Monday – Thursday) wedding. Many venues offer reduced (or no) venue hire fees / minimum spend requirements, while others offer extended open bar hours. There is much better availability for weekday dates in 2021, and the discounts could make a previously unaffordable venue possible!

Consider a countryside wedding. Southern Spain has some of the most beautiful countryside in Europe.  Celebrate your weddings in tranquil surroundings overlooking stunning natural parks and sprawling vineyards, away from the hustle and bustle of Marbella’s towns and beaches. We work with some truly spectacular private villas/cortijos and boutique hotels that you can hire for exclusive use. And even better…countryside venues tend not to have music restrictions so you will be free to party into the early hours! For 2021 there is also much better availability for countryside venues at the moment.

How will you plan a wedding to incorporate the social distancing rules whilst maintaining the romanticism of a wedding?

During the ‘new normal’ Marbella Marriages will be following the Spanish government’s guidelines for social distancing, but this doesn’t have to negatively impact your Big Day! Some of the measures that we will take when planning weddings next year are:

The weather in Spain during the wedding season is predictably hot, so most parts of the day (ceremony, canapes, dinner, reception) can be held outside where there is less risk of virus transmission.

We will ask the wedding couple to remind all guests that they should not travel to Spain or attend the wedding should they experience any Covid-19 symptoms beforehand.

All staff at the wedding venue will be wearing face masks and there will be plenty of hand sanitiser available around the venue for guests.

Chairs during the ceremony and dinner will be more spaced out that usual, e.g. 6 chairs to a round table rather than 10.

Should there still be a requirement for face masks to be worn by guests at the time of next year’s weddings, we are working with companies who are designing beautiful gift bags for weddings which include bespoke masks and mini hand sanitiser bottles, so that these items can become a collectable memory of the wedding day in the same way that photos do. The masks can be overlaid with white lace or custom printed/embroidered with the names of the couple, date of the wedding, etc.

What are your top tips for rescheduling a wedding?

Firstly, PLEASE DON’T WORRY, although it may appear to be complicated to reschedule your wedding, it is easier than it seems.

Your Wedding Planner is about to become your Guardian Angel! Let your Wedding Planner know that you want to reschedule your wedding and give them your new date (or choice of dates). Your Wedding Planner will then contact your venue, church and suppliers to cancel your original date and confirm their availability for your new date(s).

Once your new wedding date is confirmed, tell your guests the new date. You may have to send out new invitations, but this could be a good opportunity to revisit the design/theme if that provides inspiration for your new date!

Postpone your honeymoon. Most tour operators, hotels, airline companies, etc are sympathetic to the need for couples to postpone their holidays and would much rather help you to do this than cancel your trip and give you a refund.

Leave the rest of the details to your Wedding Planner and look forward to your new wedding date!

 

Your Wedding Moments

 

Weddings by Ann Leneghan | View Profile

What are your top 3 tips for planning a wedding now during Covid?

Stay positive. It’s perfectly natural and OK to be sad, angry and disappointed. These are normal reactions when you have spent so much time and energy preparing for your special day, but try to stay positive. We don’t use the word postpone, instead we say reschedule. It sounds more positive.   

Be decisive. It’s so hard to know whether to re-schedule or go ahead with your planned wedding date. You will have family and friends hounding you for answers and giving you all kinds of advice. Work with your Wedding Planner (if you have one) or the co-ordinator at your venue and listen to their advice. Whichever option you choose there will be no doubt some small changes, and let all your guests know your decision. And once you have made that decision you will feel a great sense of relief. And if you have decided to reschedule please mark the original date by having a nice meal together, dancing your first dance, have a champagne breakfast, get your hair and make-up done and dress up.

Remember that everything is workable. This time won’t last forever. Stay in touch with your vendors, reschedule rather than cancel, and look forward, with renewed excitement to your new wedding date.

How will you plan a wedding to incorporate the social distancing rules whilst maintaining the romanticism of a wedding?

As I am based on Lanzarote, our restrictions for weddings differ slightly to Ireland, however there are still social distance restrictions. All our venues have put in place the protocol of cleaning, disinfection etc required under the Health Authorities guidelines. Currently we are allowed 150 pax outside and 75% capacity of the interior rooms. We are also blessed here with good weather so the use of open spaces are more available to us. We are preparing “mock” set up for ceremonies and receptions of all the options to send to our couples so they have a visual idea of how things will look on their day. We will issue all couples and guests, prior to arrival to the venue, with a detailed “Do’s and Don’ts” advising of all the requirements. There is no getting away from the rules and a socially distanced wedding is not everyone’s idea of a perfect day, but it still can be romantic. Even under these different circumstances weddings are beautiful occasions to celebrate. Probably with fewer guests there is a more intimate atmosphere. We can create more intimate seating plans, different food stations, within guidelines and entertainment. With smaller weddings couples may have additional budgets too.

What are your top tips for rescheduling a wedding?

If you have a wedding planner she/he will do all this for you. Weddings take a lot of time to plan on everyone’s part, so the sooner you let everyone know the better. And don’t be afraid to ask for help from your Bridesmaids, Best Man etc. Have a chat with your closest family and friends and let them know of your plans to reschedule.  Be mindful of dates that may clash with your proposed new date. Communions, Confirmations, Exams, Sporting Fixtures, other family weddings etc. Have at least 3 new dates in mind in order of preference and contact your venue and all of your suppliers. Here I recommend that the couple prepare an Excel spreadsheet listing all their suppliers down the left hand side, with the 3 dates along the top, and then hope to find the one common date when everyone you had booked for your original date is available. However please be prepared to be disappointed as your vendors/suppliers may already be booked. If this is the case you may need to re-think on which supplier is more important. I would suggest that the Venue, Photographer, Band, would be in the first 3 of preferences, so be prepared to compromise and work together.

 

Ruben Acosta

 

Sun Weddings Portugal | View Profile

What are your top 3 tips for planning a wedding now during Covid?

It is a very strange time at the moment, but remember you are not alone. While none of us know what the future holds, we do know that everyone needs something positive and happy to look forward to. Planning your wedding during these uncertain times might feel like the last thing you want to do, you are probably stuck between wanting to be so excited but also a little hesitant about booking anything because of all this uncertainty. I totally understand the roller coaster of emotions that couples are going through right now. But your wedding plans do not need to come to a halt.

My top tips are:

Stay Positive – Book your wedding date and plan for it happening on that day.

Try not to worry about things that are out of your control.

Also, have a backup plan and second date ready if you do have to postpone.

Remember your big day will happen even if you have to reschedule it, so please do not worry and enjoy the build-up to your special day. For a destination wedding, it may seem biased but book a wedding planner! This takes away so much stress for you especially with everything that is happening right now. Wedding planners work with trusted suppliers and it is our job is to take all the burden off you. We are here to make sure you make the right decisions, stay within your budget and create your dream day. Don’t hold out on booking too long. With so many weddings rescheduled for 2021, lots of venues and vendors do not have dates available. So even though you might feel like holding out on booking if you hold out too long there will be nothing available for you. So remember your wedding day is one of the most important days in your life, so do not let worry and stress overshadow your planning.

How will you plan a wedding to incorporate the social distancing rules whilst maintaining the romanticism of a wedding?

I find that a lot of destination weddings are smaller, so we are lucky when it comes to social distancing. We also have the weather so the majority of our weddings are outdoors where there are no restrictions depending on the space and as long as tables are 2 metres apart.

What are your top tips for rescheduling a wedding?

If you are in two minds about rescheduling and holding out as long as possible my biggest piece of advice is to have a second date provisionally held. With so many weddings changing to 2021, you want to make sure your venue is available for you next year. Also, ask your vendors to hold the date for you too. All the vendors I work with out here have been amazing at holding dates and trying to accommodate my couples to the best of their ability. If you are worried about your wedding not happening this year and you are not enjoying the build-up because of this then don’t hold out any more and move the date. All my couples said to me the minute they rescheduled their wedding they felt brilliant and are now excited about their new date. Let your guests know as soon as you decide especially for a destination wedding, so they have as much time as possible to change their plans.

 

James Andrew Photography