Postpone the wedding because of COVID-19?

Who would have thought that rain at a wedding could suddenly be the lesser of two evils? A month ago, no one would have imagined that Vorarlberg’s towns, cities, and economy would suddenly come to a standstill. We sincerely hope that you and your families are doing well. Over the past few days, we’ve received a great many emails with questions such as “Can our wedding go ahead?”, “What if our venue cancels?” and “Should we postpone our wedding?” Precisely because government regulations are changing very rapidly right now, and no one yet knows how the situation will develop, it’s naturally difficult to offer general advice here. Nevertheless, we’d like to try to summarize as best we can how the coronavirus crisis is affecting the wedding industry.

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How might the coronavirus affect my wedding? 

Of course, no one can predict how the next few weeks will unfold, but anyone planning to get married in the coming months (as originally planned) should definitely expect changes to their plans:

Venues or vendors might cancel on you—regardless of whether the virus is still active on your wedding date—because many providers are now facing a crisis that threatens their very existence. Or perhaps you yourselves are now unsure whether you even want to go ahead with your wedding on the planned date. Guests from abroad might not be allowed to enter the country by your wedding date. Or you might be afraid of exposing your grandparents or other vulnerable family members to the risk of infection. Or you might be worried that some of your guests will be sick on your wedding day. And if things go really badly, the ban on events could still be in place right up until your wedding date. This would, of course, be particularly frustrating for couples who plan their weddings with great attention to detail and a lot of effort. 

Postpone the wedding—yes or no?

While postponing the wedding will spare you a few sleepless nights and uncertainties, we still strongly advise against acting rashly at this time—unless the wedding is already scheduled to take place during the period covered by the mandated ban on events. For now, stay calm and wait to see how the situation develops over the next two weeks. No one knows yet when the situation will ease up or to which date you could safely reschedule the wedding. Furthermore, if you cancel the wedding on your own initiative—rather than being forced to do so by a legal order—you could face enormous costs in the form of cancellation fees. Therefore, be sure to talk to your service providers and the venue first, and, just to be safe, come up with a well-thought-out Plan B.

What if not all of our guests can attend?

If the risk of infection is simply too high for some of your guests, or if some of your guests are not allowed to enter the country by your wedding date, you could, for example, hold a small celebration with them to mark your wedding. Given the current economic situation, some service providers (decorators, photographers, wedding officiants, etc.) would of course be very happy to be able to work with you again, even if only for a short time.

What if a service provider cancels?

As long as the authorities allow it, service providers will certainly be happy to continue assisting with your wedding as planned. And if they themselves become ill or are quarantined—or, in the worst-case scenario, have to stop working before your wedding date—they’ll be happy to help you find a replacement. Fortunately, here in Vorarlberg, we have a huge network of great service providers who are happy to refer each other.

What if the wedding venue cancels?

If the church, the civil registry office, or your venue turns you down, or if events are still prohibited on your wedding date, that’s obviously the absolute worst-case scenario—and you should be prepared for that as well. If the venue cancels, from a legal standpoint, a lot depends on whether they’re doing so as a precaution (e.g., if your wedding isn’t until September but they already know they won’t be able to stay in business until then) or due to an official order (a ban on events at the time of your wedding).

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What if the appointment definitely has to be rescheduled?

If that happens, stay calm, be understanding, and reach out to your other vendors—they’ll surely all understand your situation and work with you to find the best possible solution to reschedule. Since many venues and vendors are already very booked up for spring/summer 2021, it might be difficult to get all the vendors you’ve already booked back on board. BUT that would be very, very important in order to support them , since every cancellation is, of course, a major financial loss for them as well. Perhaps a winter date would be a viable alternative? Or a holiday, a bridge day, a Sunday, or maybe even a weekday? Due to the economic crisis triggered by the virus, many venues and vendors might be open to a slightly “more unconventional” date. And for those who simply can’t wait, you might consider exchanging wedding vows this year in a very intimate and romantic setting—just the two of you.
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What if a service provider can't make it on the new date?

Depending on your contractual agreement, your vendors may be willing to refund your deposit in full if you have to postpone the wedding due to the virus and they are unable to provide their services on the new date. But of course, they would be very happy if you decided to exchange your deposit for a gift certificate (e.g., for a photo shoot, birthday decorations, etc.). By doing so, you’ll be helping these vendors survive the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis. Please don’t just think about your canceled wedding—also consider the wedding venues, caterers, and the many small businesses and sole proprietorships in the wedding industry (wedding photographers, florists, stylists, etc.) that, in the worst-case scenario, could go out of business due to the current surge in cancellations. 

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Our Conclusion

Don’t worry, and don’t panic. Don’t throw out your plans entirely just yet—stay calm and wait and see what happens. And even if your wedding has to be postponed—you’ll find a reasonable solution together with your vendors and your venue—it’s in their best interest, too. And whatever happens, don’t let anything stop you from looking forward to your special day. In the end, all that matters is your “I do”!

Stay healthy!