Jen Huang

Besides your S. O., the most important people you can count on to navigate these uncertain waters are your superheroes (aka, your wedding vendors). Trust us, they want to do everything they can to make this process easier and less stressful for you. So many vendors are bending over backwards to give you guidance, emotional support, find new dates that work for you and your guests, and are generously compromising and changing their policies to make your dream wedding a reality. Lean on them, ask them for support… just keep in mind how much they’re going through right now as well, they’re feeling it just as much – so please be kind, patient and understanding.

Our goal is to answer as many questions you have with regard to postponing your date and all the confusing logistics that come with doing so. And for that, we reached out to our amazing LBB members to give you their expert opinion and advice during this incredibly difficult and uncertain time.

Should I postpone my wedding?

"Unfortunately, any couple whose wedding was planned for sometime in the next 3 months needs to postpone and reschedule the wedding for a later date. As much as weddings matter, people matter more. And it's our social responsibility to make sure we’re keeping not just our loved ones safe, but the community at large. Couples will still get to celebrate and that is still so important, but right now it's more important that we think about the greater good and keeping others safe."

"As hard as it might feel, please postpone. It will ultimately save you undue stress by trying to “make it work” - since everything is changing so rapidly, it will bring you peace of mind in knowing your date has been postponed to later in the year. Also, as hard as it might feel, still plan something for you and your partner on your originally scheduled date. Cook a really special meal at home, get dressed up for it, drink champagne, take & share lots of selfies and photos. Still take the time to celebrate, but in a way that makes sense given the current state." - Krista Marie Photography, San Francisco Bay Area

"Any weddings planned for the next 3 months need to get postponed unless it's a local elopement (with just the two of you). But even any weddings beyond 3 months need to start thinking about postponement. Any weddings that require people to travel (especially international destination weddings) should consider postponement or adjusting locations. Any weddings over 50 guests will want to start thinking about postponing or downsizing. But beyond the type of wedding you're having, it's important to also assess how you feel. Your level of comfort and fear (for yourself and your guests) will play a big factor in your decision to postpone. If you want your wedding to be 100% safe, you're going to have to postpone until things have calmed down and you're no longer putting people in danger."

Where do I begin if I need to postpone?

"Begin the process of rescheduling as soon as possible. All of your vendors may not be available on the same future date, but choose your top 4 or 5 and see if you can get them to align. The remaining will fall into place and the community is working together to assist with referrals whenever possible." - Premier Planning Services, Inc., Minnesota

"Stay positive and do your best to stay calm, this unfortunate situation is beyond your control. If you are forced to reschedule know this is for the best interest of you, your family and friends. Postpone rather than cancel, you can still have the wedding of your dreams and your vendors will make that happen."

While this situation is very challenging, don't panic. Trust your vendor team and know that we are all doing everything we can to help you reschedule and still have the amazing wedding that you've been dreaming of. And stay focused on the end result. When all is said and done, you will get through this married, which is really the entire reason you are planning your wedding in the first place." - Pure Luxe Bride, Charleston, SC

What are some things vendors are doing to help couples who are thinking about postponing?

"We have offered date changes with no change fees, to any available date in the remaining 2020 year as well as any in 2021."

"We have been affected by 2 postponements, 1 full cancellation and 3 pending postponements. These are very tough conversations to have with our brides, we feel for you! Being the advocate and trusted partner of these couples is what we pride ourselves in the most during such an uncertain time. We've been able to successfully place "holds" on new dates should the couple decide to postpone as the event draws near and have had success in transferring all contracts to the new dates. We are beyond grateful for our vendor team for working with us swiftly to put our client's minds at ease." - Pure Luxe Bride, Charleston, SC

"We have several weddings that we are working to reschedule. We are trying to do as much of the legwork and vendor communications as possible to alleviate the stress on our couples."

"We have 14 events from now til the end of May. We are thankful to say that almost all of our brides are postponing. We are currently waiving any change fees - and moving retainers over to the new dates. We are asking for a bit of flexibility as brides consider new dates as many of the "in season Saturdays" are already taken. This is just an unprecedented time in our industry and it seems as though everyone from our couples to the vendors are handling it with as much grace and kindness as possible. We are all in this together." - Cody & Tiffany from Hunter Ryan Photography, Naples, FL

"All my events and weddings are getting postponed to the fall at the earliest or to next year. It's a stressful time for everyone. And because we just don't know what will happen, the uncertainty is difficult to deal with. There is a lot we can't control, but what we can control is how we want to move forward. There are always solutions and we're working towards creating and coming up with the best ones for our clients."