The American wedding industry is taking a hit from the deadly COVID-19. And if your wedding plans have come to a halt be patient, be creative and most of all stay safe.
As the pandemic continues to disrupt our daily lives it’s wise to continue to social distance, wash your hands and take all recommended preventative measures to protect your health and the health of those you love.
The wedding industry impacts.
Large sectors of the US economy are being impacted. And the wedding industry is at the intersection of these problems. In many states, large events are not allowed. And wedding venues are closed.
About 80% of wedding dresses are made in China. For now those factories where the dresses are produced are closed. And it may be months until the disruptions in supply and delivery may be solved.
In most states, large wedding themed expos and bazaars are canceled, leaving couples with fewer resources to meet and connect with vendors. Take your time. Do some online research. Take advantage of virtual expos to get primed on where to start. We recommend checking out the Wedding Hacker Expo as a great place to start!
Destination weddings and honeymoons are facing travel delays and cancellations. Italy, Spain, Japan, China and South Korea are out of the question. But so is New York and California. It’s like hitting a moving target. Hotels and restaurants are closed in many parts of the world. Needless to say the travel industry continues to be severely impacted on all levels.
For Updates:
- CDC guide for event planning
- Your state government website.
- CDC travel site
With the information we have and the continued possibility that this may continue, now is the time to creatively and focus on the existing solutions.
Wedding Planning 2020
It’s time to get creative! If there’s any hope of getting married in 2020.
Have a virtual wedding. If all else fails, live-stream the happy event. You can have all parties (except the bride and groom) safely miles apart.
Downsize Dramatically– You can have a very non-traditional wedding at a drive up chapel with the officiant safely behind a window. No wedding guest could share the happy moment and
Nothing is Certain. Rescheduling or planning a wedding in April 2020 is difficult. It seems like June might be possible, but there must be thousands of cancelled weddings competing for the same venues.
Shop online. Take some time. Do online research. There are more online resources and virtual marketplaces going up every day. You may want to take a look at the Wedding Hacker Expo first.
Set up some Event Sanitation Stations. When the lock-down is over, we will be making some changes. Have plenty of sanitizer and antibacterial soap available for guests to wash their hands.
Keep a safe distance. Handshaking and hugs should be discouraged. Encourage your guests to keep social distancing in mind. Even seating and staging will not be so close anymore.
Mitigate financial risks. If you are planning for a wedding, later in 2020 or even in 2021, go ahead and book your venue. You can definitely wait on ordering flowers and catering. Confirm that the venue has flexible terms for cancellation or deposit refund.
Lessons from COVID-19: Wedding Industry Impacts
Some of the virus wedding industry impacts will be around in the future.
Shop local, wherever possible. Think digital to understand the amazing choices that are, as close as, your phone or device. Remember why you wanted to get married in the first place.
Your wedding day might not look like you thought it would only weeks ago. But you can still be creative. And it can still be the happiest day of your life.
