Don’t Say Yes to the Stress

During the time of this pandemic, Wedding Salon is working tirelessly to provide the answers to our couples. On July 27th’s webinar session, Don’t Say Yes to the Stress: How to Plan For Your Big Day in the Midst of COVID-19, featured panelists touched on topics to help couples with their wedding planning stress.

Panelists included: 

Danny Estrella- Music to the Max, @music2themax

Jacqueline and Jay – Jax Photography, @therealjaxphotography

Josie Holmes – Skinney Med Spa, @skinneymedspa

Lauren Kay – The Knot, @theknot

Woody Walls – Shoals Club, Bald Head Island, NC, @theshoalsclubbhi

Kamia Kinchlow – Balboa Bay Resort, @balboabayresort

TRENDS

Couples are working to turn this new normal into something fun! Things like gloves and masks are customizable to fit one’s style, hand sanitizing stations can have a fun twist; essentially, the old normal is being brought back with twists to reflect the rules and regulations we need to follow today.

ZOOM WEDDINGS

Digital and virtual elements have become a normal part of ceremonies these days. In order to connect with an extended virtual guest list, couples are sending little goodies to these guests- it could be something from a bottle of wine to a pair of sunglasses with the wedding date on them! This is the perfect time to get creative; it is also a great idea to personalize certain favors for more important members of your digital list. Guests also make toasts to the couple to keep guests engaged.

NEW FEATURES OF IN PERSON WEDDINGS

It depends on where you are living and what the restrictions are, but, of course, buffets are being seen less. It is more common to find a covered tray-pass and/or a seated dinner. Families are being seated at the same tables to ensure that when guests have their masks off, they are in the company of those they are typically around anyway. 

TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF

Self care to deal with stress. Beauty salons and med spas are taking special care as they welcome clients back into their salons. Getting beautified is also a great thing that couples can do together to feel their best for the big day. Have procedures done 90 days before the wedding in order to see optimal results.

MOVING AHEAD AS PLANNED

Your number one priority should be your communication; this goes for everyone- your vendors, guests and your fiance. The time leading up to your wedding may require some last-minute changes, or ones as large as moving the entire wedding, so make sure you are comfortable talking to everyone involved in the planning of your special day! You must be willing to think on your feet and get creative in light of this crisis.

CONTRACTS

Discuss with vendors what their flexibility is going to be. If vendors are not willing to make things work or include that in your contract, reconsider booking them.

IMPACT ON ENTERTAINEMENT BY SOCIAL DISTANCING REGULATIONS

On dance floors, there may be a restriction of how many people are allowed to dance. There also could be a possibility of your entertainment vendor bringing a second dance floor, or your venue spacing out two floors for you. Other entertainment elements, such as a photobooth, should be operated by an attendant of the entertainment vendor. Participating in fun activities like that should be contact free. For virtual ceremonies, DJs can still engage people by opening up song requests in the chat section of the Zoom call. 

GUEST COMMUNICATION

In the event that you must revoke someone’s invitation, you should definitely call that person. For date and other related changes, a wedding website is a great one stop shop for your guests. This site won’t bombard guests the way constant calls, emails and texts would.

WHEN IS A GOOD TIME TO GET MARRIED

You should book a date and start planning ASAP! Due to cancellations throughout 2020, other couples have taken the route of total rescheduling, thus 2021 will be quite a busy year for events.

COUPLE STRESS

It is a wonderful idea to create a schedule of designated wedding planning times, this way the planning doesn’t take over all of your time. If the planning gets stressful, reward yourself with a walk or quality time– never lose sight of the bigger picture! You are going to have a beautiful wedding and this is the beginning of your happily ever after!

For more expert advice, make sure to tune into Wedding Salon’s next webinar on Thursday, August 6th at 1PM EST!