We know you have so many questions and worries. We put together a Rescheduling Guide for our April & May 2020 Couples….then we realized this could help so many other Couples as well. Here are our suggestions on how to go about rescheduling, if you need it.
Step 1: Gather all of your vendor contracts in one place. We love using Google Drive for this. Read through and highlight the rescheduling sections of your contracts so that you are up to date. If you have a wedding planner or coordinator make sure they have a copy of your contracts and/or share your Google Drive folder with them.
Step 2: Contact your venue(s). Venues are being inundated with calls and emails in regards to rescheduling. They are doing their best to take each case on a first come first serve basis. Email (for written proof if needed) your venue(s) to get an understanding of what dates they currently have available and if they are holding dates for potential rescheduling. I strongly recommend that you inquire about and consider NON-Saturday options if you are wanting to have your wedding in 2020.
Step 3: Contact your vendors. For ease I suggest you send your vendors 1 email, CCing all of them, with the Subject being “Your Last Names Rescheduling”. The more we can consolidate emails to vendors the better. Let them know you are rescheduling (or considering it) and that you are looking for their upcoming availability. We love Google Sheets for this. Put all of the Dates your venue has offered you on one axis and the vendor categories on the other axis. All of the Vendors can fill in their individual columns and you can align their availability quickly.
Google Sheets Example (ask each vendor to put an “X” on the dates they are available): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1SBvA8H5Uz1sLhpJTPdf3IgtZle_0N-DpjIzhJeuH3K0/edit?usp=sharing
Step 4: Pick a date and notify your vendors IN WRITING that you have chosen a new date. If that vendor is not available, you will likely not get your deposit back. In that case, you can take that up with that specific vendor, but please note the majority of your vendors are small businesses and they are under great financial stress during this uncertain time (as I know are you!).
Step 5: Have a glass of wine…haha, but really make sure you are taking care of yourself and your relationship. This is a stressful time for us all. You and your fiance need to have time together where the wedding is not discussed. Take care of your relationship first and your wedding second.
Also, here is a great article from one of my old professors at Northwestern on how to keep your relationship strong if you are both stuck at home together for an extended period of time: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/loving-bravely/202003/under-one-roof-home-together-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic
Sending you lots of love and good health,
Maggie Heely, Owner
Weekend Wedding Warrior