Having spoken to lots of engaged couples this week, I have been advising them to keep going with their planning. Don't lose the momentum of making decisions, booking suppliers and adding pins to your Pinterest board ! Depending on how much you have done so far, I would advise giving yourselves one task a week to tick off the checklist ( more if you can)
If you have just started your wedding planning journey, firstly congratulations, enjoy this time, really think about where you would like your wedding to take place, wether you'd like a Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter wedding and then book your WEDDING INSURANCE!! There are still companies I am working with that are taking new policies, so make sure you get this sorted ASAP ( happy to advise on this )
As we are all hearing, many thousands of weddings and events are being postponed to 2021, so this means we are essentially having a double year of events, something I am both excited by as I love a challenge and to be busy but also fearful of as it may mean some of my 2020 postponed couples and 2021 couples may not get the suppliers they want, as they will be in such great demand. This is where I urge you to get booking!!
There are millions of wedding suppliers out there in all categories, but the SUPPLIERS for you need to be:
1.Professional
2.Trusted
3.Within budget
4.Available on your date
5.Fit your brief
Each day I am contacting many of my close suppliers just to keep in touch, check how they are, and find out how they are dealing with the postponements and new enquiries.....each and everyone of them wishes they had more than 365 days in 2021 !! They are simply going to have to say NO SORRY to some couples, which is devastating for them. However the suppliers I work with will never stretch themselves to the point of not coping. They will not promise you something now and then not be able to deliver because they took on too much work just to survive the collapse of 2020. BE CAREFUL of those who don't do this.....I have seen it and heard about it within the industry.....which is why booking TRUSTED SUPPLIERS is essential. Being a professional wedding planner I ALWAYS recommend trusted suppliers whom I have worked with before or know of within the industry and have only heard great things about. Searching the web is one thing but a personal recommendation from your wedding planner is far better!!!
How am I going to keep all my booked suppliers when postponing?
This is a difficult one! My advice would be to start with the suppliers you know you just cannot have your wedding without - difficult task I know...YOU WANT THEM ALL, that's obviously why you booked them. Who did you book first, was it your caterer, florist, the band.....there may have been a reason you booked them first over all the others?
Think about those suppliers that can ONLY do one wedding in a day, such as the photographer, DJ, Celebrant etc....perhaps contact them first to check they can do your new postponed date. Suppliers such as caterers, florists, marquee companies can usually do more than one event in a day BUT don't reply on them having the availability, like I said there are thousands more couples now all wanting YOUR new wedding date!
Also I'd advise you to get new contracts with your existing suppliers that can do your new wedding date, just so you have it in writing that they are confirmed for that date and any new payment terms are agreed upon. Talking of payment terms, if you are able, do consider paying the balance of your invoice to your newly re-confirmed suppliers on the ORIGINAL balance due date or perhaps 50% of this payment. We, as an event industry understand that most will be struggling financially, so discuss the payments with us. If you are able to pay your suppliers this will keep their cash flow going and hopefully keep them in business....otherwise it may come to your wedding date next year and unfortunately your carefully chosen suppliers have no business!!
Keep Calm.......Keep Happy.......Keep Planning !!
Best wishes
Lucy xx
Here's a few photos of some of my great suppliers I work with, see if you can spot any of them you might have booked!
( website links in each photo)
If you have just started your wedding planning journey, firstly congratulations, enjoy this time, really think about where you would like your wedding to take place, wether you'd like a Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter wedding and then book your WEDDING INSURANCE!! There are still companies I am working with that are taking new policies, so make sure you get this sorted ASAP ( happy to advise on this )
As we are all hearing, many thousands of weddings and events are being postponed to 2021, so this means we are essentially having a double year of events, something I am both excited by as I love a challenge and to be busy but also fearful of as it may mean some of my 2020 postponed couples and 2021 couples may not get the suppliers they want, as they will be in such great demand. This is where I urge you to get booking!!
There are millions of wedding suppliers out there in all categories, but the SUPPLIERS for you need to be:
1.Professional
2.Trusted
3.Within budget
4.Available on your date
5.Fit your brief
Each day I am contacting many of my close suppliers just to keep in touch, check how they are, and find out how they are dealing with the postponements and new enquiries.....each and everyone of them wishes they had more than 365 days in 2021 !! They are simply going to have to say NO SORRY to some couples, which is devastating for them. However the suppliers I work with will never stretch themselves to the point of not coping. They will not promise you something now and then not be able to deliver because they took on too much work just to survive the collapse of 2020. BE CAREFUL of those who don't do this.....I have seen it and heard about it within the industry.....which is why booking TRUSTED SUPPLIERS is essential. Being a professional wedding planner I ALWAYS recommend trusted suppliers whom I have worked with before or know of within the industry and have only heard great things about. Searching the web is one thing but a personal recommendation from your wedding planner is far better!!!
How am I going to keep all my booked suppliers when postponing?
This is a difficult one! My advice would be to start with the suppliers you know you just cannot have your wedding without - difficult task I know...YOU WANT THEM ALL, that's obviously why you booked them. Who did you book first, was it your caterer, florist, the band.....there may have been a reason you booked them first over all the others?
Think about those suppliers that can ONLY do one wedding in a day, such as the photographer, DJ, Celebrant etc....perhaps contact them first to check they can do your new postponed date. Suppliers such as caterers, florists, marquee companies can usually do more than one event in a day BUT don't reply on them having the availability, like I said there are thousands more couples now all wanting YOUR new wedding date!
Also I'd advise you to get new contracts with your existing suppliers that can do your new wedding date, just so you have it in writing that they are confirmed for that date and any new payment terms are agreed upon. Talking of payment terms, if you are able, do consider paying the balance of your invoice to your newly re-confirmed suppliers on the ORIGINAL balance due date or perhaps 50% of this payment. We, as an event industry understand that most will be struggling financially, so discuss the payments with us. If you are able to pay your suppliers this will keep their cash flow going and hopefully keep them in business....otherwise it may come to your wedding date next year and unfortunately your carefully chosen suppliers have no business!!
Keep Calm.......Keep Happy.......Keep Planning !!
Best wishes
Lucy xx
Here's a few photos of some of my great suppliers I work with, see if you can spot any of them you might have booked!
( website links in each photo)
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