The Coronavirus pandemic is changing every day, it is a worry for us all, but if you’re due to get married in 2020 you’ll be well aware that social gatherings have been banned, and that specifically includes weddings.
We’ve put together some steps you can take that will help you in this heart-breaking time:
1. Keep Up to Date
Considering how quickly developments and advice change it is imperative that you keep up to date with the latest news, visit the www.gov.uk website regularly and for travel advice, check the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website.
2. Contact your Venue
If you’re getting married in the UK within the next few months, communication is key. You need to check your contract and then talk to your venue, or your wedding planner if you have one and they’re organising the day. At the moment, the UK Government has banned social gatherings – and weddings come into that category. Obviously, the safety of you and your guests must come first.
Options to discuss include whether you can postpone (make sure you have a date in mind and check it’s available). Ask if there are any penalties for changing the date. It might be that provided the change of date happens in this financial year, your venue will change the date for free, but after the tax year there might be an additional charge.
If you are able to postpone, get every detail of the change confirmed in writing.
If cancellation is the only available option, find out what the financial implications are.
If your wedding is in autumn or winter 2020, stay in touch with your venue but remember that their priority at the moment will be helping couples whose weddings are coming up in the next few months. For weddings later in the year, they’ll probably be adopting a wait-and-see policy but try to find out what the deadlines would be for changing your wedding plans if the disruption were to continue.
The same advice applies if you’ve booked a destination wedding. Currently, many countries have travel restrictions in place, and these are changing on a daily basis.
3. Check your Wedding Insurance
Several major companies are not currently accepting new applications for wedding insurance. If you’re right at the start of your planning process, it may be wise to avoid any significant bookings until you’re able to take out insurance, or until you find a company that is selling new policies.
If you already have a policy and your company isn’t taking new applications, don’t worry, your policy still stands.
However, it’s time to check the fine print carefully, because cancellation cover varies from policy to policy. It’ll also depend on the UK situation at the time you cancel, and what has been officially banned. Remember, this doesn’t apply should you manage to postpone. If you’re postponing the wedding, and the venue and suppliers agree, in essence there shouldn’t be anything to claim.
4. Sort Out the Ceremony
Whether you’re having a civil or religious ceremony, now is the time to contact your celebrant to discuss options.
If you’re having a civil ceremony and you cancel, postpone or move to a different venue, you will need to give notice again, so talk to your local register office.
5. Contact your Suppliers
When you’re thinking about changing your wedding date, make a list of every supplier you’ll need to contact such as Cake maker, florist, photographer, videographer, hair and make-up, entertainer, caterer, DJ etc.
Before you get in touch, check your contract carefully to find out what the situation is with deposits already paid and those that are due. It’s best to approach each conversation as calmly as possible. Your suppliers are also in a very difficult situation, and you want to find a solution that’s mutually beneficial.
if you’re still in the early stages of planning and haven’t made any firm bookings, ask potential suppliers if they might consider holding the date for you until an agreed deadline, while you wait to see how the situation develops. They may say no, as that isn’t ideal for them financially, but you can always ask.
6. Keep your Guests Updated
Keep in contact with guests, and if you are postponing, let them know as soon as possible.
If you’re getting married in 2020 and have already sent the save the dates, it’s worth looking into setting up a wedding website where you can post updates about your plans, rather than having to keep contacting everyone with new information every time something changes.
7. Keep in Touch with your Bridal Boutique
Many wedding dresses are made in China, so it’s understandable if you’re concerned about disruption. If you’ve ordered your dress from a boutique, get in touch to find out whether there is likely to be any hold-up. It’s highly unlikely that this is the case, but you do need to check.
If you have fittings booked in the summer, you should also talk to your boutique about whether these can go ahead or whether these need to be postponed.
8. Hen and Stag Do’s
If you have a spring or summer hen and stag booked, you’ll be facing the same issues as you are with the wedding – postponement or cancellation. If you’ve booked through a company, check their cancellation policy. If you’ve booked accommodation and/or flights separately, check with the individual providers and with your travel insurance. And let your friends and family know as soon as possible once you’ve decided how to proceed.
9. Travel Information and Insurance
This applies to both destination weddings and honeymoons. More and more companies are cancelling flights, so keep checking with your airline. As mentioned, the UK Foreign Office is advising against all but essential travel globally for the next 30 days, and is asking all UK residents currently abroad to return where possible – keep updated at www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
10; Show yourself Some Self-Care
Obviously you will be upset and disappointed if your wedding can’t go ahead as planned, but once you’ve managed to put a back-up plan in place, take some time for yourself. Don’t forget that you’re not cancelling for ever – this is a postponement, and one day you will be married to the love of your life.
