Due to the health risks of COVID-19, it seems everyday things are changing all around us. As most states have strict mass gathering limits, and the CDC now recommends gatherings with 50+ people should be canceled, how does this affect your upcoming wedding plans? 

If your wedding is at least three months away, our advice would be to plan as usual. If your wedding is in the next few weeks, be prepared for some last-minute adjustments. 

SHOULD I CANCEL MY WEDDING BECAUSE OF THE CORONAVIRUS?

After all of your planning, you may feel like this was a terrible time to plan your wedding… We disagree! If there was any time to go ahead and unite yourself to the person you love the most, now is a perfect time! Beyond wedding cake and toasts, this is what love is really about—standing by somebody’s side no matter what life brings your way. 

We believe that although you may have to alter your wedding plans a little due to the coronavirus, moving forward is still a great option and very romantic in its own post-apocalyptic kind of way. Plus, you’ll always have a great story! 

On the other hand, the good news is that if you do need to postpone your wedding due to the coronavirus, most wedding venues and vendors are happy to work with you due to the national emergency. 

This isn’t just a decision between canceling the wedding of your dreams and not getting married for a while. There’s a third option here. You could always have an intimate elopement with your closest friends and family members, and then postpone your official wedding until after the current health concerns have died down. 

VENUE CANCELLATIONS

If you’re getting married in the next few weeks, your wedding venue may have already told you they are postponing all of their events due to the coronavirus. You may find yourself asking, “What now?” 

Here are a few options moving forward!

1. Use a Religious Building as Your Venue

In most states with strict mass gathering limits, religious organizations are exempt. Some churches have closed their doors, but many are still meeting weekly. Either way, most would be happy to open their doors to help, and probably for free! They may even offer to officiate the wedding if needed. 

2. Postpone

It’s an obvious choice, but it needs to be a consideration. Many businesses are extending grace and flexibility due to the global crisis, so you should be able to postpone without losing any money. 

3. Find an Outdoor Venue (Anyone’s Backyard Will Work!)

If the weather is good, it’s hard to beat the natural decor of the outdoors! One of the best parts about using an outdoor location is that more often than not, it’s free!

MY WEDDING IS OVER 50 GUESTS—WHAT DO I DO? 

The CDC stated on March 15, 2020, that gatherings of 50+ people should be canceled for the next eight weeks. So what do you do if you have more guests scheduled to attend your event?

There are a couple of things to consider:

• If you don’t postpone your wedding, you may have many guests who won’t attend due to health concerns. 

• Canceling events with 50+ guests is only the CDC’s suggestion. That doesn’t mean it’s the law where you live. Each state has implemented its own limit on mass gatherings due to the coronavirus, and, as of today, the number varies state-by-state.

• If you are getting married at a religious organization, due to religious exemption, you should be able to have as many guests as you want. 

• Postponing your wedding doesn’t mean you can’t get married still. You can always elope now with an intimate group of friends and family and have your wedding later. 

• If you have friends or family from out of state, they most likely will not be able to attend if you don’t postpone.

Ultimately, you and your fiance need to do what you feel is best! If you feel like postponing your wedding one more day would be pure agony, then don’t! Where there’s a will, there’s a way. The most important thing is that you are together. 

If you feel like you don’t want to compromise on any of your dream wedding elements or miss out on seeing out-of-state guests, then it’s probably best to postpone it. 

No matter what is going on in the world, the decision is up to you. Love knows no limits. And no matter what you decide, we are here to help! As a team of brides who have been there and done that, we are happy to keep our doors open and continue to help brides make their dreams come true through gorgeous and affordable booklet wedding invitations. 

Shop booklet wedding invitations today to update your guests on all of your wedding details!