Has your wedding date fallen to the COVID-19 social gathering restrictions? At Wedgewood Weddings, we're working with everyone who had planned a spring and early summer 2020 wedding to find a replacement date. While this is the best option to ensure you can protect your community and keep your wedding plans - we know it's incredibly hard to select a new date.
While it can be logistically challenging to re-wrangle all your guests, we know that the emotional toll of not having a new date yet is often exponentially higher. We're sure you're emotionally attached to your original wedding date, and we know this entire process is difficult. To assist as you review the options, we're sharing some of the considerations our team is hearing for brides and grooms like you.
Let's Talk About Day Of The Week
According to The Knot 2019 Real Weddings Study, non-Saturday ceremonies already accounted for a third of weddings in 2020. This means couples like the ideas of a Sunday through Friday date for their ceremony this year.
Aaron, our manager at Mountain View Ranch says:
"Many couples are choosing to keep the same date but push a year, so a May 2, 2020, wedding date becomes May 2, 2021. This works exceptionally well, as it's easy to communicate. However, you need to be aware that a Saturday in 2020 becomes a Sunday in 2021. Most guests roll with it and are simply happy when you send out a 'change of date' card."
Crystal, general manager at The Retreat chimes in:
"A few couples have realized that moving to a different day of the week opens up a considerable amount of availability and can sometimes introduce welcome cost savings too!"
Throughout the industry, weekdays have traditionally been priced at a more affordable rate than prime Saturdays. This has created a recent phenomenon where many couples choose a weekday evening before even considering a Saturday event. In fact, the increasing popularity of weekdays means some of our venues sold out of Thursday nights before Saturday nights in previous years!
When considering weekdays, Fridays are the default choice: you can make your wedding experience into a long weekend and gather with select groups of your guests on Saturday and Sunday to fully connect and talk about all the joys (and friendly gossip) of your wedding.
We also see many brides and grooms selecting Monday - Thursdays to create a break in the work week for guests. If they're local, they may be able to take only a half-day from work. For couples with lots of guests who are parents to children with busy weekend schedules, this can be ideal - coaching and training schedules remain uninterrupted, and your wedding is truly a break from routine.
Sydney, a wedding coordinator at Fallbrook Estate describes a recent scene:
"One couple loved the ideas of getting married but didn't want to create any fuss! Although I assured them that their guests would move mountains to attend, they decided a Tuesday was perfect. Their out-of-town guests arrived during the weekend and had a chance to connect. The rehearsal was on Monday. Then on Tuesday, their guests all gathered at 5.30 ready for the ceremony to start at 6pm - just as the sun started to dip. Gorgeous!"
Charisse, who heads our customer care team, makes another great point:
"If many of your guests work in hospitality or retail, then a weekday wedding may fall on their usual day off which can be especially convenient."
As Paige, general manager at Ashley Ridge says:
"Regardless of the day of the week, your photos look the same on Tuesday as they do on Saturday!"
How Seasons Play A Role
If you decide, like so many others, that you'd prefer to keep your wedding in 2020, we understand. This is your wedding year, and you want to make it happen with the least delay!
Senior Planner, Alex at Galway Downs shares his thoughts:
If you had planned a spring wedding, then late fall or winter can feel like a huge adjustment, but there are so many reasons to love October through March for a wedding. Number one is that cooler weather and earlier sunsets mean that photos are more relaxed, and you can capture the sky looking exceptional without having to worry about sweat and humidity."
Megan, senior wedding expert, at Redwood Canyon agrees:
"Moving from spring to fall is a really great idea - the temperature is often similar, meaning that your original wedding attire is still suitable, and autumnal color schemes are stunning. Alternatively, stick with your spring theme, and the team at your venue will be happy to make it work! In fact, I chose a winter color scheme - navy and gold - for my August wedding and it looked perfect."
Wedding Date Options
With day, venue, and season options, we're committed to finding you a replacement wedding date that works for you and your guests. As we've shared with all our spring and early summer couples - you have your choice of venue from coast to coast, and we'll work with you to make your original budget match your decisions or even save you money!
Chat with your venue team, tell us what you're considering, and we'll find a way to make your wedding happen on the timetable you choose! As dedicated wedding enthusiasts, your health and happiness is always our aim. We remain excited to celebrate with you.
One final thought: At Wedgewood Weddings, we have a strong network of partner vendors, so when you choose your new date, we liaise with your vendors on your behalf and make sure everything is transferred seamlessly. This saves you the effort of ringing round and trying to coordinate everyone's schedules, or the risk of losing deposits. With so much happening right now, one less thing to have to consider feels good.
To sum it up, we're borrowing this quote from our partners at The Knot:
"With everything that’s occurred in 2020, many will crave socializing and reconnecting at your wedding… regardless of the day of the week."
Your team at Wedgewood Weddings is here to serve you and make your wedding day all you want it to be. It’s our heart for hospitality that sets us apart and we're proud to be your chosen venue provider through all of this. Let’s work together to get your new date set, so the planning can resume, and you have a new day to look forward to - Cheers!
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DURING THE PANDEMIC, ALL INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. THE STATEMENTS IN THIS ARTICLE ARE CORRECT AS OF April 25, 2020.
Wedgewood Weddings & Events
