3 Tips To Help You Manage Your Wedding Expectations During COVID-19

With the CDC issuing guidelines advising against large gatherings of 50 or more people, many couples have found their hopes for a trip down the aisle being dashed. Experts estimate that over half of Americans have postponed their weddings, and thousands of others have canceled or put their wedding planning on hold indefinitely. The uncertainty surrounding the pandemic and global shutdown that has resulted from it has certainly made it difficult for brides and grooms to be to plan the wedding of their dreams. From picking the perfect date and budgeting for its costs during this pandemic to making sure your plans are not affected by the coronavirus, here are a few tips to help you if you happen to be planning your big day in the midst of it all.

Have A Plan B - For EverythingIf there is one wedding planning lesson to be learned from the current situation, it is the importance of backup plans. With constant moving parts and no solid deadline for a return to normalcy, your wedding plans need to be adaptable as well. This means having a backup hall or local florist on standby in case your chosen vendors cannot reopen in time. When organizing your ideal ceremony during the epidemic, remember to be flexible with your chosen wedding dates. One tip that can help is tuning into local notices, newspapers and announcements of reopening dates for local businesses in your area. Using these dates, you can plan your wedding date to match. You are also less likely to contend with logistical issues like those other businesses are contending with during Covid-19. This means fewer chances of delivery delays or non-fulfillment of the contract. As a bonus, small local businesses could use the support during the pandemic.

Make Sure Your Contacts Will Still be Honored If You Choose To PostponeIf you have decided to postpone your wedding, you are not alone. According to a survey by Wedding Report, 27 percent of couples have chosen to postpone their big day until 2021, and 26 percent have opted for dates later on in 2020. Of those who have chosen to postpone and are midway through the planning process, many risk losing their deposits and are wondering whether their agreed contracts with wedding vendors will still be honored - whenever their wedding day comes. Your best bet is to approach your vendor and have a direct conversation with them. Many wedding vendors and planning companies have been hard hit. This means they, like every other business, will be looking for ways to keep their business afloat. They are much more likely to work with you on setting and booking in a new date for when lockdown has been lifted. Having a polite and honest conversation with them can get you much further than waving contracts and citing legal terms.

You May Want To Start Thinking Of Wedding Insurance If You Haven't YetWhile many experts recommend couples securing wedding insurance when planning a wedding, very few do. Wedding insurance protects your investments in the event of certain unforeseen events such as Covid-19 and can be an extremely worthwhile safeguard when planning a wedding with so many uncertainties surrounding it. After all, the average cost of a wedding was $33,900 in 2019 - a pretty hefty price. For instance, if you are planning a wedding abroad later this year, there is still a chance that the borders and flights will be limited when your date approaches. Alternatively, your intended venue may close prematurely due to bankruptcy or staff shortages, both stemming from the pandemic.

Therefore, if you haven't already, it is time to get yourself some wedding insurance. Couples can now use their homeowner insurance company or choose to go with one of the many online firms like eWed Insurance or WedSafe. The policies are also customizable, so you and your partner can choose the protection for aspects you think are unknown, such as property damage or vendor no shows.

Regardless of where you are in the wedding planning process, it is also important that you continue to focus on the positives. These difficult times will pass, and soon you will be able to celebrate your union with your loved ones. Until then, you can manage your wedding expectations and adjust your plans so that your money, time and hope is not completely wasted.