First off, congratulations!! By now, the excitement of marrying your best friend may have been replaced by the stress of deciding where to tie the knot, who to invite, and all of the what if’s that come with the planning process. Couples getting married this year are faced with an entirely new set of challenges given the specific health and safety restrictions to abide by throughout their big day. Not to mention having to communicate these guidelines to your guests and vendors. To ensure you start the planning process on the right track - and you enjoy it too! -hear from the top wedding planners in the Capital Region who dish out their tips and tricks for planning a wedding in the age of COVID.  

1. To Go Micro or Postpone?

Starting off with the question that has plagued every couple planning their nuptials this year. Unfortunately, no one, not even the experts know when life (and parties) will go back to normal. So, it’s up to you and your fiance to decide whether to go ahead with a micro wedding or wait to throw a big wedding bash. Casey of Katie O Wedding and Events says “Most of our younger couples are waiting to throw larger weddings [but the] ones that want to start a family are choosing to go micro so they can move forward and settle down.” Talk to your partner about where you see your life together in the next year or two to help shape your decision about when and how to tie the knot. 

Melissa’s Advice:

SBM Event Co has teamed up with industry professionals to create Sweet Petite Celebrations, a customizable intimate wedding package that is all-inclusive to take the stress of planning a micro wedding off of you and your partner. Check out these packages and Melissa’s own planning and design services!

2. Be Flexible When It Comes to Choosing a Date

With a majority of 2020 weddings being rescheduled for 2021, a lot of traditional wedding venues are already booked for Friday and Saturday weddings. Keep this in mind when selecting a date for your event. If you can opt for a mid-week or Sunday wedding which will not only be cheaper to book but you’ll also have more flexibility in choosing the time of year to hold your big day. Make sure to blackout any dates that have other local events or conferences going on which will affect traffic and booking accommodations for your guests.

3. Adjust Your Mindset

Whether you decide to postpone or downsize to a micro wedding, you will likely need to readjust your “dream”.  While many couples have struggled to come to terms with this and are understandably upset, Melissa Brown of SBM Event Co says “In the months going into 2021, I’ve seen a real shift. Clients are no longer looking for a wedding like “it used to be,” they are looking forward and asking us, “How can we make this happen, and how can we adjust to make sure we can have our family and friends with us?” This mindset may seem simple but it will make a huge difference in making sure you still have a wedding and celebration that you love!

4. Prepare Way Ahead of Time

Typically, wedding planning took a year or more on average but due to the pandemic, this timeline has been extended significantly.  “The process of getting deliverables and service, even phone and email responses from vendors has slowed tremendously. Padding timelines is critical from printing invitations to ordering material,” says Paula Smith of Your Event by Paula Smith Designs. Making decisions on your vendors, wedding décor and everything else early will prevent the possibility of things missing from your wedding day and take a lot of the stress off too! 

5. Book a Venue With Outdoor Space

Outdoor space is a must-have for holding your wedding during COVID! Not only will it make it easier to keep tables six feet apart, but it will also make your guests feel more comfortable being in the open air. We suggest choosing a venue that also has a patio or deck or alternatively renting a tent to serve as your outdoor venue space. If you decide to go for a nontraditional venue Melissa Brown of SBM Event Co suggests thinking about these questions ahead of time, “What about parking? Permits? Bathrooms? Neighborhood ordinances on noise?  Barn venues often have the same challenges [as backyards] and don’t always have a dedicated venue coordinator, so all of that responsibility falls to the client if they don’t have a planner.”

Casey’s Advice:

Katie O Weddings and Events provides full-service wedding planning and has recently opened the newly renovated Kenmore Ballroom, perfect for your future event!

6. Read Vendor Contracts Carefully

With all of the uncertainty regarding future restrictions on gatherings, ensure that your vendors and especially your venue have a clause in the event that you need to postpone or cancel your event. You may not be able to get your deposit back but many vendors are offering flexibility in their contracts and will allow you to postpone for a new date or provide credit towards a new service. It may be a good idea to agree on a backup date with all of your vendors from the start to avoid future complications in the event that you have to postpone and try to reschedule for a date that works for all those involved. 

7. Get Wedding Insurance

Now more than ever it is important to invest in wedding insurance for those unforeseen circumstances. We don’t know what the world will look like in a year from now, so it’s better to be safe and protect your investment. Wedding insurance covers scenarios from your venue canceling on you at the last minute to your invitations not arriving in time to send out to your guests. Insurance is complicated and wedding insurance is no exception. Read most about the different insurance options here!

8. Guests Come First

Sure, your wedding is about you but a lot of it is also about your guests. You want to make sure they are having a good time and guest experience is becoming a top priority for couples getting married this year according to Paula Smith. With the wedding guest cap at 50 people, you can focus more on each individual guest. Many couples are creating personalized name cards for their reception or sending their guests off with thoughtful wedding favors. 

9. Attention to Detail

Although many elements of your wedding day may be out of your control, the décor and small details of your event are one area where you can go all out. With a smaller guest count, you can put more of your budget towards the look of your wedding day, whether that’s upgrading to stunning table overlays or opting for lush floral centerpieces. Just because you have to sacrifice in some areas of your event, doesn’t mean you have to downgrade in the ornamentation! 

Paula’s Advice:

Paula Smith has teamed up with Taconic Ridge Farm and The Farmer’s Wife on micro wedding packages to simplify and streamline the planning process for those looking to tie the knot this year!

10. Include Virtual Attendees

It is likely that some of your guests will not be able to attend your wedding in person due to travel restrictions or health concerns. Find a way to include them virtually! They are probably upset they won’t be able to celebrate with you in person so, allowing them to tune in to the ceremony via Zoom or send their love over Facetime will mean the world to them. 

11. Utilize a Planner 

Things will go wrong during the planning process and to avoid further complications, look into hiring an expert to help out for the entire process, the last month, or just day-of coordination.  "You don't know you need it till you need it".  Better to be safe than sorry, and just "hope things go well" says Casey of Katie O Weddings and Events. The last thing you want to do on your wedding day is worry about the timing and organization of every little thing. Hire a planner to take care of that for you so you can focus on celebrating the love you share with your partner!

Thank you Katie O Weddings and Events, SBM Event Co, and Your Event by Paula Smith Designs for taking the time to contribute their expertise! Check out all of our favorite local planners and industry professionals here.