If you’re thinking about rescheduling because of COVID-19, a family or personal health emergency, or just because, I promise this can be a stress free process if you communicate with your vendors before you make any concrete decisions.
I’ve postponed more than a handful of weddings in just a few short weeks, so I’ve been through this, and I am here to help.
Here are the steps you should take to reschedule with the least amount of stress (and financial consequences) possible!
Keep in mind that all of your vendors likely have cancelation/postponement clauses in their contracts to protect them from loss of work. Reference your contracts before you reach out to your vendors so that these clauses are fresh in your mind and you won’t have any surprises!
Alrighty, here we go!
Did you hire a planner? Because they’ll really come in handy here! Your planner can help with communication between your vendors & get everyone on the same page. Call them first & ask for a hand with communication.
Don’t have a planner? That’s all good, and why I’m writing this blog post! I’m here to help! :)
Reach out to your venue! Explain your situation and ask for a list of available dates during the times you’re hoping to reschedule for. Remember, be flexible! Most weddings are booked 1-2 years in advance, so their available dates will likely be limited. That’s okay.
Fridays & Sundays are slower days for weddings, so be open to those dates! I know that everyone says Saturdays are better because “more guests can be there,” but I strongly disagree.
Anyone who truly cares about you will take off of work and move their plans around for your wedding, no questions asked. <3
Reach out to your photographer & videographer! Photo & video are likely your next highest ticket items for your wedding, so you’ll want to get in touch with them as soon as possible!
Ask your photographer & videographer what days they have available and cross-reference them with your venue’s availability.
Depending on your vendor’s contract, there may be a rescheduling fee applied to change your date. This fee covers services already rendered, and loss of work on your date. It’s not fun for businesses to apply these fees, but they have to be protected & stay afloat somehow.
Many photographers (myself included) are waving rescheduling fees because of the virus. So transferring your wedding is easy. Once a new date is agreed upon, all monies paid will be transferred to the new date and that's that!
If your photographer or videographer is not available on the date you choose, they will likely substitute another professional to take their place. These are called “associates” and will perform at the same standard as your original pick. If you’re nervous, ask to see the associate’s portfolio!
If you choose to schedule your wedding for a date that your photographer or videographer is not available for and you decline their associate, you will likely lose your deposit, or all monies paid (depending on the contract you signed). So bottom line, communicate with your highest paid vendors first and make sure they’re available for your date so you don’t lose out.
Most vendors will bend over backwards for you, especially in times like these. So if you have any concerns, set up a phone call or facetime and talk it all out. Your vendors are all on your side & are here to help! <3
Pick your top two or three dates that your venue & photographers/videographers have available! Keep in mind, again, that Fridays & Sundays will likely be the easiest for ALL of your vendors because they are slower days for weddings. Sometimes these days are cheaper, too!
Run these dates by your catering company & DJ! Caterers & DJs are often more flexible because many of them have employees or work in teams, and so they can have someone else fill your wedding’s obligations, similar to how a photographer would have an associate.
Vendors have back-up plans. Your wedding plans will not crash & burn, I promise. <3
Announce your new date to all of your vendors! The easiest way I’ve seen this done is by sending an email with all of your vendors CC’d. This way you can reach out to everyone at once and they will reach back out to you with what steps they’ll need you to take from there!
Vendors like florists, bakers, rental companies, etc. often do more than one wedding per day, so again, they’ll have a little bit more flexibility and will work with you to make it work! If it doesn’t work out with them, they’ll tell you what their cancelling policies are.
Obviously your original vendors were your first choice for a reason, but remember there are hundreds of other vendors out there that will help you put everything together just as perfectly as you have always planned it to be. <3
Please reach out to me if you need vendor recommendations, or just someone to help walk you through the logistics of this process! For real, don’t hesitate. I’m here to help and what the heck else am I doing?! Watching way too much Netflix & stressing about how you must feel? YUP! Really, I want to help. I’m here for ya! <3
xoxo,
Leigh Anne