Planning or re-planning a wedding for the rest of 2020 into 2021…
As we are only a month or so into this mess, I am already seeing that the fallout from this on weddings is going to exponential. Booking your wedding date this fall and next year is going to be a bit complicated. Especially the longer these mandates continue. Courtesy of the COVID-19, thousands of weddings have been canceled, postponed or rescheduled. This means everyone is trying to do this while competing for the dates that you and your special someone are looking for as well. Scheduling a wedding is not always an easy process as is, now add the fact many people now competing for the same dates, many vendors are going to be already booked, or possibly booked for a pending client. 2020 was a big year for weddings. The repeating numbers are always attractive for people when selecting dates. 2020 (before COV-19), has been a record booking year for many vendors. Many vendors were booked with very few available Saturdays before 2019 ended. So here, we say, take a moment, take action, do not just react.
Even if this all blows over in the next 30 days, there is a real possibility that it will not be business as usual once the bans begin to lift. They are not going to remove everything at one time. Think about that, if they remove everything at one time any existing infections that are still out there will just continue to spread and start the process all over again. So, there is no way that they’re going to be able to just open everything back up again without consequences.
That means, even if some aspect of normal returns by the end of April, then in May you’re still going to be very hit and miss and what events can occur. I know for the most part everybody is on a “Let’s wait and see” mentality. I would like to tell you to do yourself a favor, and not to have that mentality. I would like to tell you to think ahead and take action. I think for now, if your wedding is in April, May, or early June, just postpone it. You will appreciate the heartache that you’re saving yourself by doing it now instead of later.
There are things you can do to help make things easier, for yourself and others. In all reality, so many people, events, and industries were displaced by this world epidemic. Thousands of engaged couples and even more vendors are scrambling to accommodate the changes we have all been forced to make.
So what can you do?
1. Check with all your vendors. Send them an email. Give them at least 24 hours to return your email. I would say give them 2 full days. Most vendors’ emails are full right now with panicking brides and grooms, and phones are ringing too. they want to ensure you are taken care of, it is just not as easy as you pick a date and we can make it happen. Especially considering current events.
2. Whether you are booking your wedding for the first time, or you were affected by the bans and mandates, shoot for a Friday or Sunday Wedding. As I mentioned before, many people are booked already on a Saturday this year. 2021 is going to also be a challenge.
3. Pick a later month. Most vendors in our area (Cleveland, Ohio), and in our area in the states have a seasonal span with weddings. Slow months typically range from November to April. This does not apply to all of them, but it applies to a very large majority. Truth is that most vendors would be excited to fill in those slower months.
4. If you do not want a winter wedding, then if possible, push it out to next year. I would say however, there are many people with that same mindset. So, you do not want to wait to start booking your venue. If you have other preferred vendors, I will also suggest booking them ASAP. Many of those weddings scheduled for April, May, and June of 2020 will be pushed out until next year as well. In most cases, the same month it was supposed to be done this year. You will still be competing for dates.
5. If your planning for a 2021 wedding. Get it started. Do not wait to book your vendors!
Essentially, the wedding industry is going to be trying to put an extra season of weddings, inside another wedding season. It will get harder and harder the longer you wait. Don’t wait, get your deposits/retainers in. Then you can sit back and relax as you plan your wedding.
Jerry Sabol, Owner
J Sabol Entertainment, LLC
SPECIAL NOTE:
WEDDINGS ARE STILL EXEMPT. That does include receptions. However, keep in mind, that most businesses have or will shut down. Truth is, they don’t want to be responsible for spreading this any further. They do have to think about their business. If they are still doing business as usual, and their facility becomes an outbreak center point, they would suffer major bad press for operating and not taking precautions. It would essentially put them out of business. I am sure you as a client are important to them, but at the end of the day, end of the year, end of the next 5 years, they must consider their livelihood and be able to continue operating.
At approx.: 10:10 in
See my findings on what courts are doing what for marriage licenses here.
