Last week we shared our tips and advice on How to Postpone Your Wedding Due to Coronavirus. From the emotional impact, to the legality of contracts and vendor agreements to how to communicate with your guests, there’s a ton of great info in that post that you should definitely check out if you are stuck in this tough situation. We’ve got your back.
Today, we’re going to share 10 reasons why you should postpone your wedding, instead of just cancelling. We rounded up some seriously sage advice from industry experts to help you with this very difficult decision:
1.) You’ve already done some (if not all) of the legwork.
“The good news is that you’ve put in nearly all the legwork. You’ve found your vendors; you’ve picked everything out. And while you’re stuck at home, you can get in touch with everyone to put a pause button on everything, only to hopefully resume with business as usual, even if it is in 6 months or further down the road. Keep in mind that the toughest part may be coordinating everyone’s free dates to reschedule, Doodle is amazing for collecting availabilities. Hey! You could still maybe get that spring or summer wedding you were dreaming of… just 2021 style! And you’ll have even more time to make sure every little thing is exactly how you want it. We often tell our brides, the more time the better in preparing for a wedding anyway!” – Janie Lemons, Lemons Events
2.) You’ll have something to look forward to
“One of the strongest reasons to postpone instead of cancel is that when all the craziness subsides, you’ll have something to look forward to and celebrate! Plus, most venues and vendors will honor deposits for up to a year. In the near future when the dust has settled, gathering friends and family in celebration of something joyful will be more important than ever before. Work with your family, venue and vendors – and of course, CDC guidelines – to find a postponement date for your special day. In the rearview mirror of life, you will hopefully all-but forget about the Covid-19 pandemic, but you will never forget your wedding day, even if it’s a bit later than you had planned. Your wedding day, first and foremost, is a celebration of your future as a couple. But a wonderful ancillary effect of having your wedding is that it will support communities and small businesses – destination locales, venues, hotels, restaurants, caterers, florists, rental companies. By having a wedding, you are beginning the next phase of your life thoughtfully, purposefully and altruistically by supporting an entire ecosystem of enterprising businesses that will, hopefully, continue to thrive.” — Elizabeth Payne, Social Events Sales Manager, MacArthur Place
HoneyFitz Events/Next Exit Photography
3.) You will support small businesses.
Most of your vendors are independent business owners. Couples are greatly affected by this pandemic, but so is the industry at large. We want to #saveevents and help our fellow humans during this time. Postponing is one way to do this.” — Jenna Miller, Creative Director, Here Comes the Guide
4.) Canceling could hurt you financially.
Before you make the decision to cancel your wedding, consider the financial hit you may take. Read the fine print in your contracts for policies on nonrefundable deposits, retainers, or cancelation fees. This is money that could potentially be applied to a new date instead of lost entirely.” — Jenna Miller, Creative Director, Here Comes the Guide
5.) You can save more now, so you can splurge on some of the things you might not have been able to before
“No matter what day it is, you are still going to get married. It is best to always postpone, even if it’s for another year. If you have a planner by outside, this is the time they shine. This is what we were made for, navigating through all the hiccups of planning a wedding. Staying calm and putting a plan b wedding date into place will get you through this uncertain time. Come up with 5 postponement dates, send them out to your vendors, gather the majority, choose a date and ask your vendors if they can put a soft hold on their plan b wedding date until x date. The decision date should be within 2/3 weeks and when that day comes, either put your plan b wedding date into place or move forward with their original wedding date. If you do postpone, take this time to enjoy being a finance for a little bit longer. This period is so short, but now you just got a little extension. Take a trip (when you can) enjoy the moment and save a little bit more and splurge on something special for your new wedding date! If you don’t have a planner and need help with your plan b, reach out to a local planner and they can jump right in to help with the postponement!” – Erica Trombetti, Infinite Events
Weddings by Susan Dunne/ Anya Kernes Photography
6.) The whole wedding industry is in the same boat, and many vendors will work with you on extensions
“Plans can change, especially at a time like this. We know it, and so do wedding planners, venues, and anyone else working in our industry right now. Cancelling may be your first thought, but it may not be the best thought. Postponing your wedding will allow you to put a hold on all of the work and planning you’ve done. At Generation Tux, you can postpone your suit or tuxedo rentals to a temporary date now, then update to the new confirmed date later with no extra charge. We’re here to help you figure it out at Generation Tux.” – Matt Ramirez, Senior VP of Marketing at Generation Tux
7.) It will impact your friends and family
“Canceling a wedding not only impacts the couple, it impacts families and friends who love them. When it is safe to travel and congregate again, everyone is going to look forward to reuniting at the wedding and will be even more excited to be together.” – Liz Ware, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Mission Point
8.) You can’t replace a big celebration
“Postponing your wedding instead of cancelling entirely will support the vendors that have already worked so hard with you to make your event perfect. It also ensures that the time and money you’ve already invested is still going towards that final big day. If you don’t want to wait any longer to tie the knot, consider having a “wedding” with just the two of you now, and then celebrating with a big reception later this year or in 2021.” – Richard Lim, Bloominous
Infinite Events / Zac Wolf Photography
9.) You deserve it.
“We are recommending all of our spring Brides to reschedule rather than cancel. Life will {hopefully soon} go back to normal and you deserve to experience and enjoy all the special details you originally planned for your wedding day! Be sure to understand the rescheduling terms of each of your vendors and select a future date that will allow you to transfer your deposits. At Something Borrowed Blooms, we offer our Brides stress-free wedding flower reschedules with NO limitations, restrictions or fees. Our premium rent and return florals arrive directly to Brides three days before the event date and can be ordered in as little as 10 business days in advance!” – Lauren Bercier, Co-Founder, Something Borrowed Blooms
10.) Because if this has taught us anything, it’s moments of love that really matter.
“Now is more important than ever to bond with clients in a personal way. A wedding day is so important and emotional for couples, while it may not be possible to host right now, I would always recommend finding a new date to celebrate love and life with family and friends. During rough times, couples are reminded the real value and importance of life and why they organized a wedding in the first place – the love they share. Postponing a wedding during this time can even make the celebration more special as the feelings couples share will only strengthen during this challenging time.” – Mareike Spillner, Events & Weddings Manager at Eden Roc Cap Cana
