Postponing Your Wedding 2020 - Your Options

Postponing your Wedding 2020

Are you here because you are faced with the unfortunate dilemma of postponing your wedding this year? Then this page is for you! The impact of Coronavirus on our lives has been huge, and especially for any of you who have a wedding planned in 2020. The situation has thrown up a lot of questions and concerns about how your wedding day will be affected by Coronavirus. As a Scotland Elopement Photographer, I have captured many different kinds of weddings and I wanted to offer some support and to help you understand your options.

First of all I just want to say that I feel for you – I understand all of the hopes and dreams and actual hard work that goes into organising a wedding. Yes it’s an unprecedented situation, but of course that doesn’t make it any less sad. It is a difficult time and you should allow yourself to grieve for the wedding you dreamed of in 2020. Take whatever time you need to do this and then, have hope! Your wedding may not exist in the form you initially imagined or exactly the right date you picked, but that doesn’t diminish your love nor should it stop you from dreaming again. The wedding will happen – and it will be so special.

Options When Postponing Your Wedding

I want you to know that you really do have options! Below you will find more detail on each of your options when it comes to postponing your wedding. In recent years weddings have become far removed from the traditional wedding ceremony including mass gatherings, chair covers and white table cloths. They come in SO many shapes and sizes now, embodying peoples personalities and also without that eye-watering price tag. (Yes even if you can’t do without the Jimmy Choos). Below I will discuss some of your wedding options:

1. Having an Intimate Wedding

2. Eloping instead – Party Later

3. How to Postpone Your Wedding 

4. What to do on your original Wedding Date

1. Intimate Weddings

The thought of a socially distanced wedding is a worrying thought for many. Instead of postponing your wedding, you might be able to cut the numbers. Like I said before though, gone are the days when many couples feel pressured into having huge wedding numbers dictated by family. I know first hand that creating a guest list is one of the most challenging and unfavourable parts of wedding planning. Think of this like the green light to cut down some of your guest list – just the ones you aren’t sure about.

Intimate weddings are becoming hugely popular for many reasons. They open up the opportunity for many unconventional (and dare I say cheaper) venues – for example there are SO many airbnbs all over Scotland that you can get married outside of. I’ve written a blog post about my own intimate airbnb wedding here.

Having an intimate wedding also means that on the day you can truly spend time with everyone you love there without leaving your partners side! I hear so many couples say how little time they’ve spent with their newly wed partner! I mean, you have the rest of your lives and all that..but it’s such a special moment in your lives.

However, going ahead with an intimate wedding this year might mean that elderly relatives or people most at risk won’t be able to attend. This is heartbreaking I know, If you carry on reading, I’ll give you a few tips on how to include your family and friends who couldn’t be there to see your marry. Finally, cutting the numbers may allow you to have a wedding which follows the government guidelines for social distancing. Hugs may be out of the question at the moment – but people still will love to show you they care. Your wedding day will be beautiful regardless…and what a story to tell!

An intimate wedding may not be an option for everyone though. The current unfurling situation is so unpredictable. Make sure to check with the current government guidelines before making any decisions.

2. Elope Instead of Postponing – Party Later

I’ve been crazy about elopements for a long time! I think they embody the most important and beautiful parts of a wedding – they are focused on you as a couple and your commitment to each other. For many people the option of postponing their wedding just isn’t an option – for whatever reason you want to get married now! You don’t want to wait. Well there is no reason why you can’t get legally married, and it can be so beautiful! In Scotland you can literally get married outside anywhere! It can be completely safe, social distanced without taking away just how truly special it really is.

Don’t forget you can always have a party later! Maybe you could celebrate it on your 1st anniversary! This can be purely a celebration or you could choose to have a blessing or family led ceremony! There are so many ways to do this and it can be completely personal!

With this in mind, If you are thinking of eloping on The Isle of Skye. I have created an insightful blog post which will help your elopement through planning here.

I have also created a printable guide as a step by step planner for your elopement which I am giving away completely free to couples! You can download that here.

How to Include your Family and friends in your Elopement

If you would still like to include your friends and family in your elopement and marriage then there is no reason why you can’t. By documenting your elopement with both photography and film, you can relive those moments over and over. For example you could have a movie night where you play your wedding videos and photo slideshow. Or you could have a beautiful wedding album made or order sets of fine art prints to send! For our own intimate wedding, my grandad wasn’t able to travel and be there so I created a little box of prints for him to look through and keep! With an abundance of great social apps now, there is also the option to live stream your elopement to all your friends and family! How crazy (and a bit cool) is that!

3. How To Postpone Your Wedding

If you have made the difficult decision to postpone your summer 2020 wedding, then this part is for you! I know it’s difficult and perhaps you are worrying about approaching each of your wedding suppliers. Don’t be! As a wedding photographer myself, I can tell you that we are becoming quite experienced with helping couples postpone their dates. I’m here to share some advice and tips I’ve gathered on how to postpone your wedding.

Step 1 – Check to see what dates your venue has to offer you.

Every couples experience will differ, this is usually dictated by your wedding venue. Venues come in all shapes and sizes, businesses big and small. Each one will have a slightly different way of postponing, some more flexible than others. You are best to check in with your venue to see what their protocol is. Try to understand that they will be trying to help many couples at once and they may have to help weddings earlier than yours first. Perhaps you will be looking at postponing to a different time of year or different day of the week than you planned. Please don’t feel too disheartened! I have captured weddings throughout each and every season with a variety of weather and temperatures – each one is beautiful! Our UK weather is so unpredictable anyway and you can have gloriously warm winter weddings, snow in Spring and rain in Summer! If you would like to see some wedding inspiration from different times of year – take a look at my Pinterest.

Step 2 – Once you have a few potential new dates contact your suppliers.

This is so important! Keep us wedding suppliers in the loop when discussing potential dates. We get so excited about your weddings and build relationships with you. We would absolutely hate not to be there for your wedding! Make a list of your potential dates, I’d advise narrowing it down to 3 potentials. Then contact your wedding suppliers to find out their availability!

Step 3 – Compare your pros and cons of each date and choose the most suitable

Make a list under each of your potential dates of all the suppliers that are available. Also ask your closest family and friends who you couldn’t bare not to be with you. Weigh up the pros and cons of each date but remember to act quickly at this stage. Wedding suppliers are dealing with a lot of couples postponing and dates very quickly get booked up!

Step 4 – Confirm your new date with all suppliers

Once you have decided and confirmed with your venue and registrar/celebrant/minister, then its time to confirm with all of your suppliers! Once this is done – take a big sigh of relief – that’s the hard part done!

Step 5 – Announce your postponement and date change to guests

Finally for your announcement! You can get creative with this and create beautiful date change cards similar to save the dates! You can do this digitally too – just send via email! I’ve been busy creating some beautiful designs for my couples to send to their guests. If you would like one just get in touch.

4. What to do on the date of your original Wedding

First of all – cry, if you want to. Then celebrate!

My advice is to plan well in advance! Just as you would a birthday, make this day special. Here are some ideas.

 1. Have your own mini ceremony

Write some vows and head out for a picnic and read them!

2. Take pre-wedding photos

Go on an adventure and take beautiful portraits (I can come!) just as you would have done on your wedding day.

3. Cook your wedding breakfast

Have a romantic wedding breakfast just for two – and if you can’t cook, there are plenty of restaurants available to deliver. (Unless you live on The Isle of Skye – then you better be able to cook!)

4. Host an online celebration

Get all dressed up and invite your friends and family to join you in a virtual celebration! Make some fancy cocktails or drink champagne! You can toast your wedding date, discuss what you’re most looking forward to about your new wedding plans and even stick on your wedding playlist!

5. Have your cake and eat it

Lastly, buy the goddam wedding cake and eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You deserve it.

Finally – I hope this post has filled you with a little bit of hope and inspiration if you are faced with postponing your wedding. Remember us wedding suppliers are on your side and we are truly sorry that this is happening. I’d love to hear from you if you are planning an intimate wedding or elopement. Take a look around – If you like my vision, Get in touch.