In this surreal and difficult moment for everyone, even the world of weddings has obviously closed until “a date to be destined”.

Among the many inconveniences created by the spread of the coronavirus this year, there is also the need to postpone thousands and thousands of weddings.
You read that right: POSTPONE!
No cancellation or change of mind, the keyword is Postpone!

2020 was a date expected by many couples, due to its particularity of the double number, but certainly no one would have thought that this year would have reserved so many problems for us.

The situation is very delicate, we all know it and the media never misses the opportunity to remind us. This generates even more anxieties and worries in those couples who are planning their wedding this year.
If I can somehow console my spouses, I do it by telling them that we are all on the same boat, none excluded. That there is nothing to fear and that, with the right organization, everything will work out for the best.
The only possibility not to throw up all the work and efforts made so far is, in fact, POSTPONE!

Here’s how to proceed in an intelligent way, also answering the most frequent questions I receive in this period.

First of all I want to remember again that WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME BOAT.
Don’t be afraid that by postponing you may lose some supplier or have to pay some penalty for a date change.
Being all in the same situation, I can assure you that each of us is doing and will do the best to ensure that no weddings will be canceled, no deposit will be lost and nothing can prevent you from having the wedding of your dream. With the only exception, perhaps, of having to compromise on the new date.

First of all, what are the months most at risk of postponement?
The emergency situation in which we are changes day by day and the first thing to do (in addition to #STAYATHOME) is to keep constantly updated on the measures of closures taken by our Government and follow their evolution.
Anyway, I can say that surely until May (included) the situation may not yet have unlocked. Therefore, for those who had planned the wedding in the months until May, the possibility of postponing the wedding becomes a real and imminent necessity.

From which month can we think of foreseeing a possible new date?
To be on the safe side, especially if you are organizing everything by yourself, I would recommend a postponement starting from the month of July.
It is not so easy to “foresee” a safe solution in this case, but today a delay from 4-5 months seems to me a good starting point.
If you had planned a wedding in spring, surely the best season to refer to is autumn, especially for the weather.
For summer weddings, however, I would like to tell you to wait a few more weeks, but to start informing you about the new dates available of the year.
In this case, it may be inevitable to have to postpone in the same autumn or, why not, opt for a suggestive winter wedding!

Where to start to postpone the wedding?
To answer this fundamental question, I have put down a checklist with some essential points to start from.
You can print it and always keep it with you in these hectic weeks of reorganization and, gradually, check the points on the list.

To be more specific, when checking availability with the location, do not be afraid to opt for midweek or Sunday dates.
In addition to having more chances to find a date in your favorite month, there will certainly be more availability from other suppliers.
Don't be afraid that your guests will decline your invitation for a midweek or Sunday wedding for business or travel reasons. I am sure that, at the end of this long quarantine, each of us will not want to miss any opportunity to have fun and travel, at the cost of arriving at the office with dark circles!
Then block a couple of dates for the time necessary to check the availability of the other suppliers and, only then, confirm the new date.

The first suppliers with whom to check availability are those who will have the most work to do for your wedding and the greatest amount of material to procure.
First of all the catering, consequently the renter (chairs, tables, tablecloths, etc.), then the florist, and so on.

Some supplier companies have several work teams. This means that they have the opportunity to work on multiple weddings on the same day, while maintaining the same quality of service.
On the one hand, this better guarantees their presence on the new date, but let's make sure that the same people you have already met/tested will be the ones who provide the service.
If this is not possible for a date overlap, I recommend repeating the eventual testing or making another appointment to meet the people who will work on your wedding.

As we said, we are all aware of the period we are experiencing and complications that this entails for everyone and in every sector.
Let's make sure, however, that the contractual terms of service and payment remain unchanged, for the new date, with respect to the original agreements.
Since this was an extraordinary situation, nobody could be 100% prepared for the consequences, but I am sure that everyone's goal will be to find an agreement to get the best possible result.

Watch out for season changes!
The first thing to check, once the new date has been chosen, is the reception menu - which is always in accordance with the seasonality and availability of fresh products - and the flowers for the setup - for the same reasons of availability of the products.

How can I communicate the new wedding date to the guests?
On this point the anxieties and worries of the spouses are infinite and, sincerely, not necessary!
We must always remember that we are all in the same conditions and that, of course, your guests will understand the need to postpone the wedding and certainly expect a communication for the new date.
There are many ways to communicate the postponement of the wedding! Starting from our beloved social media through which, with a nice video, a simple video presentation, or a digital graphic on the line of  your invitations, you announce the new date and - for confirmation - the details of the event: venue, times and program of the day.
If, on the other hand, you are more traditionalist - or simply not well versed in technology - ask your graphic designer to create a new mini-invitations for you with all the details of the "Change the date" and start sending / delivering them.

In a situation like the one we are, I am sure that nobody claims punctuality or respect for the rules of etiquette in communicating the new date.
It is up to you to decide the means and the type of communication to give, just don't forget anyone!!

Finally, as a lover of my job, I cannot fail to strongly advise you (if you haven't already!) to hire a Wedding Coordinator who can help you to deal with all the necessary formalities we have talked about, to solve those little mishaps and to coordinate the arrival of suppliers through a well-studied timeline to be respected during the wedding day.

Basically, let's try not to waste time and energy in negative thoughts and anxieties, but to focus on the best way to "transform" your wedding!

Do you have other doubts? Write to me and let's talk about it together! I am an optimist by nature, and I am sure that the solution is right before your eyes!

Veronica Ferrante