Planning a Wedding during Covid-19?
Here are our 5 tips…
By Emma Moriarty
Wedding Coordinator at Cork International Hotel
If you are planning your wedding during this uncertain time, or indeed, if you have your wedding booked and maybe have had to postpone, we want to share our tips with you. Such an unprecedented crisis has changed everyone’s plans and you might feel a little in the lurch at the moment. But that’s ok too, when things don’t go to plan, take a deep breath, grab a glass of Prosecco and lean on the experts around you to find a solution. Our wedding coordinator Emma has some advice, whether you are still going ahead with your wedding, or if you need to postpone until 2021. If you have any questions, join our Wedding Planning Q&A this Saturday from 12pm to 2pm on Instagram
Be Decisive… To Postpone or Not to Postpone
During these uncertain times, it’s hard to decide whether or not to postpone your wedding. Whether your wedding is within the next twelve weeks or the next 12 months, you will need to make a decision and inform your guests and suppliers. Going ahead with your wedding may mean that you need to make some small changes to your plans, however, so will moving to a new date, so try not to worry too much! Work with your wedding planner or your hotel’s Wedding Coordinator to make an informed decision that you happy with as a couple. Once a decision is made, it will be a relief for you both. Be decisive and eliminate the worry.
Keep Engaging with your Suppliers
If your decision to postpone is uncertain, keep engaging with your chosen venue and suppliers. They will have alternative dates for you to consider and perhaps help you come to an easier decision on postponing. They will be able to give you a list of alternative dates for your special day which, in turn, will enable you to check these dates with your other suppliers. If some of your preferred suppliers are not available, your wedding co-coordinator will be able to help recommend alternatives for you.
Keep Everyone in the Loop
If you’ve decided to postpone the wedding, make sure to let your guests know, especially those who were travelling from abroad. If you have not yet decided on an alternative date, that’s ok too! A simple text, WhatsApp or online message to your guests to let them know the wedding is postponed and “A New Date Will Follow” keeps everyone in the loop. Don’t be under pressure to give a new date, people will – of course – be disappointed for you, but also be completely understanding given the current situation.
Consider your Guests
When re-booking your new date, consider if you will have elderly, vulnerable or essential staff workers coming to the wedding. Restrictions are likely to be lifted slowly, and until a vaccine is widely available, vulnerable groups will need extra consideration and further measures to look after them. International Travel could be restricted for the foreseeable future & airlines may take some time to resume their operations, so if you have guests travelling from abroad, or if your wedding was due to take place abroad, take into consideration they you may not be able to travel and perhaps plan for a small wedding in Ireland until we are guaranteed ability to travel again.
Stay Positive!
It’s ok to be disappointed because you’ve had to postpone or make adjustments to your wedding day, you’re perfectly entitled to watch all the Bridget Jones movies with Ben & Jerrys, but do try to remain positive overall! Hearsay on social media can make us feel more stressed, so don’t pay attention to what you hear through the grapevine. Keep perspective, what really matters at the end of the day is that you and your partner will prevail through this storm and you’ll have the most amazing day on the other side! You know, a lot of couples are looking at this as an excuse to have the small intimate wedding of their dreams with family this year and a return to the venue on their one-year anniversary for a big party with extended family and friends next year. Food for thought eh?
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One Fine Day Wedding Package: €50pp
We have just launched our One Fine Day wedding package with prices of just €50pp. Catering for intimate weddings with as few guests as 30 people, this wedding package aims to offer you the day you deserve to celebrate your nuptials with your loved ones and family.
See package here
Sign Up For Our Live Q&A
Emma will be answering your questions live during a Q&A this Saturday 23rd on Instagram stories. To sign up for a reminder for this Q&A and to get Wedding planning tips and materials, sign up HERE.