2020 completely rocked the boat in every way imaginable. And it is going to take years for the dust to settle and for everyone to understand the true impact of the past 10+months of Pandemic-stricken, socially distanced living we’re all still experiencing. Wedding Planning won’t be the same after the Pandemic. In fact, I don’t think we’ll ever go back to the way things were, instead we’ll adjust to our ‘new normal’ that we’re figuring out one day at a time. Today I want to share with you my thoughts.

Weddings need to be re-imagined after the Pandemic

Because we’ve seen the impact of the loss of business from wedding vendors and loss of funds from clients planning a wedding. Some brides and grooms lost motivation to have a formal wedding and reception altogether and eloped. This does not mean that wedding vendors are excluded from the process, it just means the type of services required may look a little different. For example, instead of a cake that feeds 150 guests, the quantity may be decreased to 20 guests with a couple of faux cake tiers added in for volume.

Firm Guests Counts are more important than ever

The weddings I coordinated and planned in recent months looked very different from my last pre-pandemic wedding on March 7, 2020. Hands-down the biggest concern going forward will be the guest count. This is likely the number 1 reason (at least for me) why weddings won’t be the same after the pandemic. I had weddings for ‘firm’ guests counts ranging from 50-250 guests between July and December 2020. I always advise my clients to call any guest they have not heard from to determine a firm final headcount, and yet for each of these weddings, an additional 10-15% of the FIRM guest count still did not come to the wedding amid pandemic concerns and test positivity. Know your numbers to avoid budget creep at the end of your planning experience.

Negotiations are more important

Make sure you completely understand the terms of your venue. Schedule out your payments instead of paying 100% upfront. Many venues (and vendors) may be willing to negotiate new booking dates if you have to postpone your wedding to be safe, but a refund of any funds paid to date is not likely, so avoid paying all up front if possible because if a Pandemic changes your plans, those funds will be lost and aren’t currently protected by insurance policies.

Germs are not going to disappear

The way we look at germs are a big reason why weddings won’t be the same after the pandemic either. While hand sanitizer and gloves may be more of a requirement than a gesture at events right now, when everyone is vaccinated, the heightened sensitivity to sanitation is not going away. Keep your meal to a plated option whenever possible and require those serving food and drink to be gloved and masked. In the future, buffets may just become a thing of the past because of the increased exposure to germs from everyone who comes through the line.

Planners are a must

As a planner I shout to the mountain tops about why you need a planner. But think NOW, brides get it if they didn’t in the past. I can only imagine the anxiety and stress of couples planning weddings when everyone was required to stay home or large gatherings were banned. Having a planner helps you avoid making hasty decisions when the stakes are high during a situation such as a pandemic -we don’t just save you time and money…but sanity too.

If you want to know more about how I can help you avoid some of the pitfalls of planning during a Pandemic, drop me a line. I’m here for you during these uncertain times.