5 Tips to Plan Your Wedding During the Coronavirus Lockdown

Can you plan your wedding during the coronavirus pandemic? Yes, you can, and plenty of couples, just like yourself, are planning their weddings right now. In fact, this may be the best time to plan your wedding because vendors are so eager to work with you.
In this post, I offer five tips to help you get started planning your wedding, plus advice from some of our favorite Miami vendors.

Tip 1 – Have a Positive Mind-Set

COVID 19 is temporary, but your love and commitment to each other are forever. So, don’t let this brief experience dim your lights. Above all, remember that we in the wedding industry are here to help you plan the best day of your life.

Tip 2 – Identify What’s Important

Even though many of us are in self-isolation due to the coronavirus, you can still decide the look and feel you want for your special day. Knowing what is essential to both of you will give you a good starting place and will save you time on your research. So, grab your honey, some paper or notepad, and a pen and start jotting down what is important to both of you.

Tip 3 – Set a Budget

According to the blog Every Last Detail, the average cost for a wedding in South Florida is $31,000.00. Knowing what is important to both of you will help you set a budget. Knowing what your budget is will make it much easier for you to shop around.

Tip 4 – Know The Wedding Planning Timeline

Planning a romantic dream wedding can be exceptionally challenging, even more so in our current coronavirus environment. But don’t worry! We got your back. The typical wedding planning timeline usually takes about 12 months from start to I do. However, given the current situation, many brides have rescheduled their wedding for the fall and winter seasons. So, the typical planning timeline may need to be adjusted. There are tons of wedding planning checklists online. You may find the one listed on the Real Simple Wedding site useful!

Tip 5 – Consider Getting Wedding Insurance

Yes, wedding insurance may not be one of those things that you think of when you began to plan your wedding. However, you will be making a significant financial investment, and after all, we have learned, especially from this pandemic, it may be well worth it to get some insurance.

Bonus Tips

Recently, I reached out to a few of my favorite wedding partners and asked them the following questions:

1. What is the number one advice you have for potential clients who are just starting to plan their wedding?
2. Are you still booking clients?
3. How do clients book you during this pandemic?
4. Please give me 1 to 2 sentences on any special that you are running at this time.

 

Here are their responses to my questions:

From Gerri Rocker of Joyful Nuptials / (305) 491-9204

1. My advice to potential clients who are just beginning to plan their wedding is to consider wedding dates in 2021. If couples must get married between now and the end of the year, I recommend that they do a small ceremony at the justice of the piece and then plan a celebration later.
2. No, I am not booking clients at this time, and I will not be booking new clients until we are sure that it is safe to have large group gatherings.
3. While I am not booking new clients at this time, I am still available to consult, and couples can contact me through my website or call me directly.
4. I am currently not running any discount.

From Mike Sipe of Mike Sipe Entertainment, Events & Productions / (954) 782-9118 x305

1. The first thing I must tell our clients when booking their wedding in the fall and new year months is not to take too much time, and our challenge is we are receiving a lot of new wedding business, and for whatever reason, many of them are destination weddings. Our challenges are September, October, and November was already very busy, and our brides from March, April, and May are moving their previously scheduled weddings to those months. If this pandemic would end in May, we may have a very busy Summer as well.
2. Every day we are booking clients, we have two people working in our office and six others working remotely from their homes, delivering peace of mind to our present brides and grooms as well as the new clients. Our office phones are forwarded to 3 different members of our staff to answer our clients’ calls.
3. We are presently performing Phone Conferences and Zoom Meetings, then emailing the Entertainment Agreements, and they are sending them back executed with a 25% deposit using our Credit Card Forms.
4. We are presently not running any specials; we are very busy booking new clients.

From Gerry Kelly of Briza on The Bay / (786) 350-3220

1. Everything is going to be fine – Discuss all your concerns with your venue representative and make sure you get it in writing
2. We are still here for you, and we are booking new clients weekly for 2021 and 2022
3. New clients are booking us over the phone
4. We offer a 10% discount on venue and food and beverage package

From Leslie Row of Women’s Club of Coconut Grove / (305) 446-2909

1. The number one piece of advice I will give any client starting their wedding planning is to schedule their wedding in 2021. That way, we would have recovered entirely from this pandemic.
2. Currently, we have not booked any clients. Although we have potential clients, because we cannot showcase the property or provide tours, people are hesitant to book a venue unseen.
3. Clients contact us through our website and other social media outlets.
4. We are offering a 10% discount on the rental rate of the club, should clients wish to host their wedding during the Summer months of July, August, and September.

From Yasmin Silva of Events by Yasmin / (786) 278-0486

1. Relax and enjoy, this is your time. Research all your ideas and make a list. Budget all your details. And remember to have fun!!!
2. I am still booking new clients
3. We can do a Zoom Meeting or Facetime meeting. I can also make an in-house private meeting.
4. All of my packages are 25% off – book now and make the deposit three months from now.

From Nora Ares of Bijou Bridal & Special Occasion / (305) 639-8607

1. Have fun, don’t let this situation take away from your excitement. Use Pinterest and other social media sites to get inspiration on Bridal Gowns and decorations. So, when the time comes, you can enjoy every part of your dream day!!
2. Yes, we have many brides calling and sending us emails for appointments
3. Brides can reach out to us through all of our social media platforms or go to our website. Phone calls are a great way to get in touch, as well
4. We are promoting a 20% off all special orders, and Sample Sale gowns are beginning at $300. All evening wear is also getting a markdown – 30% off regular priced items, not including items already reduced. Let us know where you saw the ad so we can apply all discounts

From Robbin Junnola of Robbin Junnola Makeup & Hair / (954) 604-0602

1. Go ahead and plan your wedding – at least pick out the vendors that you need. Make sure your contract has a postponement and cancelation clause that works for you.
2. I am still booking new clients.
   I use emails and cash apps to manage the booking process with new clients.
3. Clients that book with me through June 30th receive $50.00 off the bride’s makeup and hair.

From Lizzie Lumley of Hakuna Matata Weddings / (561) 706-0974

1. Make sure to check in with your wish list of vendors to see what dates are available – with all these weddings being rescheduled dates are being scooped up quickly. Another piece of advice, go ahead and plan- now more than ever wedding vendors are here for you and willing to work with any situation.
2. Yes, I am open for business and booking clients
   We have a phone call consultation, and then I can be booked via email.
3. Currently, I am offering $150 off my day of/month of package if couples’ book before June 30th.

From Merlene Isaac of M.E.I. Floral Designers & Event Planners Inc. / (954) 483-6297

1. Start with a budget using your current financial situation with a projected budget shift, should your finance change with the time frame of your selected wedding date.
2. We are still booking clients and have made many bookings online without even meeting the couple in person. Our company is doing virtual planning conferences via phone and or online conferences.
3. We have found the best way for potential clients to book us is first to get to know our work via our Social media pages and or reviews on WeddingWire. We have also made it very convenient for our clients to accept our proposal based on their needs and pay our invoices through a secure financial link.
4. While we do not offer packages as each client’s needs are different, we can create a proposal and offer a percentage discount as an incentive.

From Kris Stansell of Old Davie School Historical Museum / (954) 797-1044

1. Embrace the process. Stay focused on what is important and that ultimately it is the two of you getting married. Remember when you are inviting your guests, those who have supported you through life, and this relationship will do their best to be present. Don’t spend your time worrying about who will and won’t come.
2. YES! We are excited to book couples for the upcoming Fall wedding season and into 2021.
3. Couples can contact us through our website or give us a call
4. Old Davie School Historical Museum is a special place. Unlike larger venues, you have exclusive use of our space.

Have questions? Let’s connect here.

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