For many brides and grooms, the last few months have been filled with excitement as they planned their ideal wedding. However, with the current COVID-19 situation, public officials are asking venues across Canada to close temporarily to help prevent the spread forcing many weddings & events to postpone.
Couples once filled with excitement are now worried and are receiving conflicting advice. We have seen many discussions on blogs and community forums where individuals are offering advice and their opinion; however, it is just that – opinion. In order to fully understand your rights, always refer to your contract and work with your venue and other vendors.
As we all navigate this unique situation, we would like to offer the following.
BE PATIENT
Postponing a wedding affects many, many people including family, friends, and vendors. As you work with your venue, remember that they execute anywhere between 1 to 5 weddings per Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Many couples are affected, and we need to work together. Be patient and remember, the way you start the conversation is the way you are going to be treated.
BE FLEXIBLE
When it comes time to pick a new date, pick a month instead and present this to the venue. By selecting a whole month, this shows the venue you are flexible and willing to work with them. Once you have available dates from the venue, pick 2 and email your individual vendors to confirm their availability.
REMEMBER WHY YOU’RE DOING THIS
When you find yourself getting frustrated or upset, remember why you’re doing this. You chose to get married because you wanted to marry your partner surrounded by the people you love the most. There may be a few bumps in the road, but the destination is worth it.
A QUICK GUIDE ON HOW TO POSTPONE YOUR WEDDING OR SPECIAL EVENT
- Check Your wedding Insurance Your first call should be to your Wedding Insurance provider to explore what options are available to you.
- Call the Venue Get in touch with your venue to discuss what dates are available. Keep in mind that due to the popularity of summer weddings, Saturdays & Sundays are most likely filled. This leaves options during the week, Monday to Friday for a replacement date.
- Contact Your Vendors Once you’ve narrowed the date down to 2 possibilities, contact your vendors immediately.
- Confirm the Date Once you have chosen your new date, confirm with the venue immediately. They will send you a new contract. Take the time to review the fine print.
- Don’t Delegate Your Postponement to Someone Else Due to the unique situation, we highly suggest the bride or groom deal directly with all vendors. Do not delegate this process to your Wedding Planner, family member, etc. as this can lead to confusion.
WHAT IF I NEED TO CANCEL?
We highly recommend postponing rather than cancelling your event as you are most likely to lose your deposit and possibly even be liable for the full contract amount. Remember, this was an unforeseen circumstance, and no one is to blame. Work with your venue as they too try to navigate the postponements at this time. If you are one of the few permitted to move your date to 2021, please know that more than likely there will be a small increase in price as you are moving to a new year.
We hope everyone stays healthy and safe during this time.