50 days to go.
This is your year. The year you've been dreaming and planning for the perfect wedding. You've invited your friends, your family from out of town. You've picked colors and coordinated center pieces and lined up the perfect mix of vendors to make your day come to life.
Then, Coronavirus. The Pandemic sweeping the nation that you never saw coming. No one warned you. No article was written when you started planning that had a pandemic listed as one of the things that might conflict with your wedding. No previously married friend told you this could happen.
But there is hope.
In the face of so much uncertainty, I'm here to tell you have options. Your day is not ruined, it just might look a little different than you had planned. My biggest advice right now: don't panic (hard, I know). Breathe, and tell yourself it'll all work out, because it will.
Below are 5 options for your current wedding day in light of Coronavirus:
Keep Your Already Planned Day. This is ideal, the gold standard of all plans, right? Regulations and recommendations are changing so rapidly these days, it seems that every day is a new one. Don't be afraid to hold off on making any long term decisions right away. If your wedding is mid summer, like July, August or beyond, don't be afraid to wait a couple weeks. I know this means you're caught between a chasm of hope that your day will stand as is and limiting your options of available venues at the end of the year, but if your venue isn't asking you to change anything yet know there's hope that your day can stay as is.
Intimate Wedding: Sometimes intimate weddings are the most beautiful weddings. If CDC guidelines restrict the amount of people that can be in gatherings, grab your closest 25-40 friends and family and celebrate with them. Create an intimate wedding space in your backyard, or keep your venue on the date originally planned and have a smaller gathering. Set up kings tables and let everyone share their favorite memory of the two of you while you break bread. Have your ceremony and a first dance all with those closest to you. Then, when the gathering restrictions are lifted, have a chill party with all those that didn't celebrate with you on your official wedding date. Dance again, share your catered dinner, and put that dress back on. What bride doesn't want to wear her dress twice anyway?!
Elopement: If your venue asks you to change your date, know that you can still get married on your currently planned day! There are plenty of GORGEOUS outdoor spots for a ceremony. Grab your officiant, your significant other, family and closest friends and let's go to a unique spot. Have an intimate, smaller gathering for your ceremony and postpone your celebration reception for a later date. You can take some epic bride and groom shots, you get married with those closest to you, and you have a story to tell at the reception!
Livestream your Wedding: Technology these days! It's amazing. This is a perfect option for anyone who has health difficulties or is nervous about being around too many people. Facebook Live allows anyone anywhere to tune in to what's going on. Keep your wedding date, invite whoever is able to come (or however many your venue will let you bring), and Livestream to everyone else. They get to see you get married, they can celebrate with you, but maintain their health.
Changing your Day to Later in 2020: If your venue asks you to postpone or change your day, or you feel like you should in general to another time in 2020 and you want everyone there with you, that's your call! Most vendors will work with you to help you accommodate this if you dream of the large wedding rather than intimate or elopement. It's your day, celebrate as you have always dreamed.
In the end, you still marry your best friend and get to watch him or her look at you with the adorably cute love filled eyes. You still get to go home after a long day of celebrating and start life as husband and wife. Don't let any pandemic allow you to lose sight of the bigger picture: marriage is amazing and fun and a gift.
