With the most recent news of a nationwide lockdown, I’m sure there are many of you out there right now wondering how you’re going to plan your wedding. Whether you got engaged over the festive period or you’ve been trying to re-organise your postponed wedding from last year, we’ve put together our top tips to get you through this uncertain and difficult time.
Be realistic
First and fore-most my strongest advice to every couple planning their wedding right now is to be realistic. We are in the midst of a huge pandemic. Something that humankind has never experienced before and the reality of it is no one knows what comes next, including the government. No one can predict when things will return to ‘normal’. If you’re looking to plan a large wedding of 30 or more, choose a date for late 2021 to 2022. If you’re okay with having a smaller, more intimate wedding, the government have predicted things could resume from around Spring this year.
Check dates and make back-up dates
Speak to your local registry office and your suppliers to confirm your chosen date. Your local registrars should be able to provide information on how many guests you’ll be allowed and what dates are available throughout the year.
If you’re still unsure and are worried that your wedding might fall into a lockdown month, speak to your wedding team about the possibility of a backup date(s). Make sure everyone will be able to move your wedding if necessary and check for any fees that might apply.
Do I really need to postpone?…
Many couples last year were faced with an ultimatum: lower your number or guests or postpone your wedding day. While many chose to switch to a more hopeful date, we had lots of couples who chose to take the plunge and carry on with a smaller party. There’s always the option of doing the legal bit now, on your original date and celebrating with another party later down the line, once there’s a little more clarity on celebrations in the UK.
Go online with your guests
A fantastic idea for those of you who really don’t want to postpone, but really want your guests to be at your wedding is to host a virtual wedding. ‘e-there’ have thought up an amazing concept, allowing you to live stream your wedding to every person on your guest list who couldn’t be there in person. The e-there team will install their streaming devises into the venue, where your guests can see you say your vows from the comfort of their own sofa, with a glass of bubbly in hand.
Celebrating separately
Another idea for those of you who really want to keep your original date is to host your small wedding & celebrate with friends and family separately once restrictions begin to lift. As we’ve seen before, tiers seem to be lightened bit by bit. Once the restrictions have lifted enough to be able to socialise with another household – why not schedule small dinner parties for the allowed amount of people each guest at a time. This allows you to celebrate over and over again with all of your guests, and really get a chance to catch up with everyone! (this isn’t something that’s usually do-able at a big wedding, as there’s just never enough time to chat to every person at your wedding).
A change of date
IF you do decide that it’ll be best to postpone, we recommend following these steps to ensure a smooth transition process:
- Contact your registry office, venue and all suppliers immediately to confirm your new date
- Contact your guests as soon as your new date is confirmed to get new RSVPs
- Update your venue and suppliers of any changes to numbers
- Think about logistics of your new date. If you were planning a summer wedding and your new wedding date is in the winter, will you need to add anything to yours and your wedding parties’ attire? Jackets or coats? A change of shoe style? Take a minute to really think about all the little things you might need to change.
Use the extra time wisely
Lastly, if you have chosen to move your wedding, use the extra time to meticulously plan every detail of your wedding. Create playlists, make little tweaks where needed and use any extra budget you might have due to having more time to save to splurge on something that’s going to make you feel extra special.
Ready to start planning?…
Get in touch with our events team today to discuss options for your upcoming wedding. We’re becoming well seasoned in covid-safe weddings and can’t wait to help you plan one of the most memorable days in your life.
[email protected] | 01245 362210
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