Communicating with your vendors and guests during this difficult and uncertain time is key. I have been working with a handful of my couples in postponing their original scheduled weddings date and below are some templates I and my couples have been using.
Email Templates to Vendors
EMAIL TEMPLATE TO VENDORS ABOUT POTENTIAL POSTPONEMENT
(I would encourage you to bcc all of your vendors on one email, but copy your fiancé, your wedding planner, and/or your parents to everyone stays in the know.)
Hi Vendor Team,
First and foremost, I hope this finds you healthy and well.
Due to COVID, we are preparing for a potential postponement of our originally scheduled [Wedding Date] wedding date. No decisions have been made yet, as we would like to check with all of our amazing vendors first. We are considering postponing to one of the following dates: [Dates] at [Location].
Can you please let me know if you are available for these dates date and share what your postponement policy is due to COVID-19?
Once we compile available dates from all of our vendors and make a decision, we will certainly circle back around with you. We expect to make a decision around [Date].
Again, no decision has been made one way or the other, and we’re crossing our fingers we can still host our 2020 wedding.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
EMAIL TEMPLATE TO VENDORS ABOUT DEFINITE POSTPONEMENT
Hi Vendor Team,
First and foremost, I hope this finds you healthy and well.
Due to COVID, we have made the hard decision to postpone our wedding to [Date] at [Location]. We truly hope to keep you as a vendor. Can you please let me know if this date works for you?
We value you and your small business and support any business decision you must make. Please inform us of your postponement policy.
Best,
Email Templates to Guests
EMAIL TEMPLATE TO GUESTS ABOUT POSSIBLE POSTPONEMENT
Dear Family & Friends,
With everything occurring recently and per recommendations from the Center for the Dieses Control, we are considering the postponement of our wedding celebration until 2021.
The decision has not been finalized as the decision to do so will not be made lightly, but maybe necessary to ensure the health and safety of our loved ones. At the end of the day, we are committed to each other wholeheartedly and when our wedding day comes, we will be excited to celebrate with you.
Over the next few weeks, we will be working with our vendors, to continue to evaluate the situation. As soon as we know a final decision, we will communicate that with you. A decision will be made by [Date]. In the meantime, do everything possible to remain safe and healthy. We will make it to the dance floor eventually!
With love and gratitude,
EMAIL TEMPLATE TO GUESTS ABOUT NEW WEDDING DATE
Dear Family & Friends,
With careful thought and with the health and safety of our loved ones as our top priority, we have made the hard decision to postpone our wedding to the weekend of [Date] in [Location].
While we are very sorry to delay our celebration and cause changes to your plans, your safety and well-being is what matters most to us. We look forward to celebrating with you on our new date! Until then, please know our thoughts and prayers are with all of you during this unprecedented time of uncertainty.
For more information and updates, please go to [Wedding Website link] or feel free to reach out to us directly if you have any questions.
Thank you for your continued love and understanding.
Love,
EMAIL TEMPLATE TO GUESTS – HOW TO UN-INVITE PEOPLE
(If you are reducing your guest list and have to “un-invite” guests to the celebration. This could be a personal decision or a social distancing guideline.)
Hi [Guest’s Name(s)],
With careful thought and with the health and safety of our loved ones as our top priority, we have made a hard decision. Due to the pandemic, we have had to drastically reduce our guest list to adhere to mandates.
We hate to do this, but at this point, we have to cancel the invitation to our wedding. A small intimate celebration will be taking place with our immediate family.
We hope you understand this is a drastic measure we hoped to never encounter and is heartbreaking. Celebratory plans are in the works and we will have an amazing dance party once the crisis has passed. At this time we do not have details or a date but will be in contact when we know more.
Thank you for your continued love and understanding. We are sending you a big virtual hug.
Love,
ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS:
Placing New Deposits Now
For couples hiring new vendors for their postponed wedding, or couples just diving into the planning process for 2021 or even further out, you may have hesitations in placing a deposit. What if this vendor goes out of business before your wedding. Well, two things to think about. First, they will go out of business if you and other couples don’t continue to place deposits. This is their livelihood and with cancellations and postponements for this summer, vendors are already drastically down in expected revenue. Secondly, what a great reason to look into wedding insurance which would, likely, depending on the coverage, cover a vendor “no-show”.
Asking Vendors to Add COVID-19 Protections to a New Contract
Vendors are united on this subject and are not adjusting their contracts to allow for cancellations if this pandemic continues. Compare this to insurance companies – once it was known, a pandemic is no longer covered under new policies.
If you are planning your wedding and do not have a planner…
I’m offering a complimentary 30-minute consultation with couples that have decided to postpone their wedding but do not have the guidance of a wedding planner. Do you just need someone to listen, guide you how to communicate to vendors and guests or talk through the difference of postponing versus canceling, schedule your consultation today by emailing, ciera at luckypenny.events
We’ve got this!
-Ciera