There isn’t much we can do when a global pandemic sweeps through. Taking weeks and months off of the calendar is not what any of us anticipated. We went into 2020 with so many BIG dreams and BIG goals and all of that seems to be screeching to a halt for the time being. This virus makes no exceptions to the people it impacts and if you’re in the wedding industry or you’re a bride, you are impacted, no doubt.

Before I give you some tips on how to combat this storm, let me just say, I am so sorry this is happening to you. I am sorry you are faced with impossible decisions and even more emotional trauma grieving the loss of your wedding as you had hoped and planned. It is completely normal to be upset and grieve this so girl, feel all the feels! But most importantly, I want you all to remain healthy, stay safe at home, and know that you’re going to have a wedding and…I’ll have still have a job when this crazy situation becomes tamed.

Hold on, this is temporary.

In the last two weeks, I have made some difficult decisions and called the shots for so many couples. It’s been a war room of phone calls, emails, checking calendars, pacing the office while determining the next steps. It’s something that most of us have had to rise as leaders in ways unimaginable. Whatever camp you’re in, below are the 5 tips I want to share to help give some guidance in this time in the world that feels incredibly overwhelming for small business and couples.

1.) MAKE A BACKUP PLAN

Like all good plans, there is a Plan A and a Plan B. In my life and with my clients there are often plan C, D, E, F, G. This is no different. if you are having a wedding in the summer, you should be looking into your contingency plan options. This doesn’t mean you have to cancel or postpone now, just have a plan. Know what direction you’re going if you have to change your date. Having a plan gives peace of mind and reassurance that your wedding is still going to happen.

2.) COMMUNICATE

CRW is a group of individuals that chooses a high level of communication and this pandemic calls us to even more clear communication. The best way to make a seamless experience for your wedding to transition to a potential new date is to COMMUNICATE clearly with all vendors, give date options and be clear of the direction; keeping vendors in the loop on where the plan is headed.

An example I say is, “We are putting a contingency plan into place for [INSERT DATE] and we have two date options with the venue should we need to move the event [INSERT DATES HERE]. Please let me know if you have availability on either or both of those dates and continue to reserve the original wedding date until further notice. Should you have availability on the date options, please soft hold them in your calendar. We should know in the next 48 hours which direction we will be going and I will be sure to keep you in the loop.”

This gives everyone a chance to know what’s going on. As a planner, I look at myself as a war-time general. Meaning, my job is to get us all on the same page as a team. The experience of a good postponement operation relies solely on clear communication.

3.) STAY FOCUSED

Don’t let this pandemic derail your plans and excitement. The beautiful thing about a party is there is space to continue planning. With our clients, we are continuing to work towards securing vendors and designing the big day. But instead, we are requesting a force majeure clause into each contract. Which, if you are working with good vendors, you will already have that in your contract but it is helpful to read over before signing. We also want to make sure the vendors that we are booking have soft holds on the alternative dates as well as the original date of the event.

Does it sound complicated yet? It’s not, simply just a communication game!

4.) REMEMBER THIS IS TEMPORARY

I want you to hear this. This pandemic is temporary. No matter what the news says, nothing lasts forever. Take advantage of the slow pace perhaps that you are experiencing. Learn to make bread, keep your routines, insert a mid-day bike ride. All the things I have partaken in the last two weeks!

At the end of all of this, you are going to have a wedding. Whether that be on the date you chose months ago or the date you have to move the event towards. We are all in this together and we will get through these social distancing moments, these postponements well. If you are a client of mine, you have heard me say this over and over again — “it’s going to be OKAY. We are going to continue moving forward with a contingency plan.”

5.) TAKE A DEEP BREATH

As you are reading this, I want you to PAUSE at the end of this sentence. Have you paused yet? Good. I want you to take one deep breath in and one deep breath out. Call me if you need some help working through this with a professional contingency planner to get you to a spot in the process that you feel less anxious. If you are feeling completely overwhelmed with the decisions right now, try taking a lap around the block, drink lots of water, and continue to bless your body with all the healthy foods you can. In this time of unknowns, focus on what you can control and that is making sure you are not getting sick on top of all of this.

Our deepest hope and prayers go out to you as you navigate this storm but just think how sweet it’s going to be to walk down the aisle to your sweetie after all of this is over. It’s going to be EPIC.

with so much love, CRW

A How-to Guide To COVID-19, Weddings, Postponements, and Cancellations