Lindsay Hackney

Have any of your overall design plans changed since moving your wedding date?

I really don't think so! I know that moving from a spring to fall wedding could pose a new set of design plans, but my color scheme should work well for fall as well. It's possible that due to seasonality, our flowers will change slightly, but overall I feel lucky that this design plan should still work. We are doing a tented wedding, so we will have to incorporate heating in the tent for dinner and perhaps bundle up a bit during the dancing.

How has it been trying to find a new date that works? Have your vendors been flexible?

I would say it's been challenging to find a date that lines up with all of our vendors only because there are so many and it's late in the year to be booking a wedding. Our venue is booked for weekends in 2020, and our other vendors are as well. We decided to look into Mondays in September, as Mondays are not too popular for weddings :) but we will make it work! We have a spreadsheet of all of our vendors and they are weighing in on dates they can make it work. Our wedding is in Maine, and all of our vendors are in the New England area with the exception of our videographers, so that does make it a bit easier to coordinate. I know shortly we will land on a new date.

How have you been feeling throughout this whole process? I know it must be so stressful and frustrating, has anything good come out of this experience than you can share to brides who might be going through the same thing?

At first I was very sad and frustrated. I felt that all the hard work that we had put into our wedding with planning and logistics was lost. I was disappointed that my bachelorette trip to Austin was also canceled. It just felt like everything was falling apart hour by hour. I took a day to really feel the emotions of it all and to think deeply about what to do. Once I thought through everything, I felt much more calm. Since talking with my fiance, family, and planner, I feel so confident in the decision we made to postpone and a huge weight has lifted. Right now is a hard time for all of us in the world, and it felt uneasy for me to move forward with the planning knowing that there was a great chance the wedding would not take place in June. With a new date in the Fall I can relax and be more present in other areas of life that are needing attention right now. I feel so grateful for those who have been so supportive of us. I also feel that the small details of the wedding I was worried about before are not important. I still want it to be a beautiful day, and I know it will be, but the recent events have really helped put everything into perspective. Our wedding will be a celebration of our love, and I cannot wait to celebrate that with our friends and family when that day comes. I think the best thing that has come out of this experience is just the reminder that what truly matters is our love for one another and the safety and health of our loved ones. Our wedding WILL happen, it just will not be when we planned for it to be. I am very grateful to be reminded that I am marrying someone who is so supportive and a rock in times of uncertainty.

Any tips on how to stay calm throughout this stressful process that has helped you?

I would say that my best tip would be to breathe and take each day as it comes. As brides during this pandemic, it is very easy to let anxiety take over and become overwhelmed with all of the decisions that need to be made. I found that once the decision to change the date was made, I felt a huge sense of relief in knowing that the final planning and preparations wouldn't have to be done during this stressful time. I suggest yoga, prayer, meditation, talking with trusted family and friends. I also suggest a heavy break from the news for a while to clear your head, a nice cup of tea, and cuddling with your puppy, fiance, or both :) It's a great time to practice self-care, especially since we all have a bit more time at home these days!

What are you most excited about for when the day finally comes?

I am just really excited to marry my fiance! I am also so excited for my family and friends to be able to all leave our homes and be together! Our family and friends are scattered all across the country and it's been so long since we have seen so many. We were counting down until June to see them, and now it will just be a bit longer. The celebration of our wedding will be even more special now that we are all unable to see people. I think it will be such a good reminder to everyone in the world how important community is and how much we need one another. I am looking forward to life after the Covid-19 pandemic and all the good that will come from this.