1. Check to see if events are being rescheduled near your venue
See when events in the city you’re having your wedding have been rescheduled to. Check the city’s visitor bureau to get an idea.
2. Research your local ordinances
For couples who have opted for a smaller wedding in 2021 and are having the event in their backyard, take a look at your local ordinances. Different counties have their own set of rules and regulations, and some counties might be more relaxed or strict than others when it comes to loud music, gatherings and more. If you know your local ordinances, and then are able to move around those ordinances within different counties, that can also be really helpful. With that comes safety tips. Those counties will recommend what the minimum and maximum safety tips are, which will help you navigate your wedding day itself.
3. Ask your vendors for referrals
One of the big things couples are experiencing after they’ve postponed their weddings is having to pick out new vendors. So, ask vendors if they have any friends or people they know that they can refer you to. If you’re looking for a photographer ask your original photographer if they have any referrals.
4. Ask your vendors about their deposit policy — and negotiate
Planning a wedding is stressful, and one of the things that can be daunting for couples to do is putting deposits down for a wedding that may or may not happen next year amid the ongoing pandemic. Ask what the deposit, postponement, cancellation and refund policies are for all your vendors. Some vendors are agreeing to smaller deposit amounts because they also understand the uncertainty of planning a wedding during these times.
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5. Read over contracts with your vendors
Thoroughly read contracts for each of your vendors, and make sure all dates match on each contract to avoid any mix-ups from happening. Read all the addendums that are in the contracts because sometimes there’s things that you might not really want to agree to. “Once you sign on that dotted line, you’re locked in.
6. Safety first! Sanitizing stations, matching masks and more
Now more than ever, it’s so important to stay safe. Ask guests to wear masks at next year’s wedding celebrations, and have hand sanitizing stations made available for them throughout the venue. One way to make this stylish is to custom-make hand sanitizing bottles that fit with your decorations and even custom-make face masks for your guests. This is the time that we’re living in right now, so you got to make the best of it. Have a COVID compliance officer who will do a quick assessment of guests and perform temperature checks before they enter the event.
7. Ask your guests to take COVID tests
While it may feel strange to ask guests to take COVID tests before attending your wedding, it’s not an odd question to ask. Don’t feel funny about asking your guests to get COVID tested. You want your wedding to be enjoyable and the best way for it to be enjoyable is to know that everyone is healthy.
8. Think of new ways to serve food
How to serve food in a safe but celebratory way is one of the things at the top of wedding planners and caterers’ lists. With buffet and family-style meals in limbo, some caterers use covers for food that go with the decor, individualized hors d’oeuvres and pre-made drinks where there are less hands on the food or drinks that are being picked up.
9. Create smaller guest lists in case you need to scale down
Although couples are considering smaller weddings with a limited guest list these days, it can be tough for couples whose cultures celebrate the occasion with people beyond their immediate families. So, if the time comes that your wedding needs to shift to a smaller event, prepare smaller guest lists. Come up with 25, 50, 75, 100 person guest lists.
10. Take a deep breath
While this time can be stressful, take a deep breath. Don’t get yourself crazy about what you originally thought your day was going to look like. Enjoy the engagement portion, which a lot of people don’t get to do because they get right into wedding planning.
