First up, we hope you’re faring OK during this seriously tricky and crazy time we’re facing across the world. We hope your loved ones are safe, and that you’re staying home whenever possible.
It’s only natural that if you’re planning a wedding right now or have just made the difficult but sensible decision to postpone your big day due to coronavirus, you may be feeling an understandable degree of anxiety in this current world climate.
You’re not alone – the very people that will be making the day happen for you (your venue and vendors) are also hurting right now. With a large proportion of 2020 weddings now being pushed back to the tail end of the year and into 2021 ahead, the next six months are pretty scary for the sole traders and small businesses that make up the majority of this industry.
The wedding industry is a united bunch of people. Behind the scenes, suppliers are all working together to ensure that their livelihoods continue and that the weddings they’ve committed to are going to go off like no others.
But we know that any measures of support are hugely appreciated. And we’re sharing a bunch of ideas of how you can actively support small businesses during COVID-19, so that your wedding team can kick on in full force once this has all passed.
1. POSTPONE, DON’T CANCEL
We can’t stress this point enough guys. There’s a tonne of reasons why you should postpone and not cancel. The most obvious reason is you and your guest’s safety, and to protect the health and well-being of your wedding team. If you don’t act now and postpone, there is also every chance that at some point in the near future, your hands will be tied as the Australian Government continue to tighten gathering guidelines. You can find the guidelines here.
If you’re still on the fence, we recommend you take a read over these two articles:
Postponing and not cancelling ensures that your lovely wedding team (made up of your venue and vendors) will be guaranteed business in the future, and also ensures you get to safely enjoy the day you’ve been planning for months while being able to let your hair down.
2. TAKE UP MIDWEEK WEDDINGS
Your talented team is going to be juggling their calendar for the end of 2020/21, while also taking on new clients for peak season wedding dates next year.
Snagging popular days of the week (think Friday-Sunday) and times of the year unfortunately might not be possible, but we’re here to let you know that other days of the week and off-season period (i.e. winter weddings) are STILL AMAZING. You’ll have way better luck locking in one of these dates, and it will likely mean you can get married sooner. Our venues and vendors will want to kiss your feet too. Been considering booking in a winter wedding? Here are 10 great reasons to do so.
3. PAY INSTALMENTS EARLY (IF YOU’RE IN THE POSITION TO DO SO)
Or pay a larger deposit upfront. We know this is certainly not an option for everyone. People are losing their jobs left, right and centre and it’s honestly a terrifying and heartbreaking time, but if you are in the position to do so or have saved and have the cash ready to pay off installments, we strongly suggest you do so. It’ll help keep a tonne of businesses afloat.
4. SHARE YOUR WEDDING TEAM WITH YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA
This is completely free, takes a second and will go a very long way in making them feel loved through this tough time. Share your venue or vendor to your Instagram story and tag them with some nice words. Word of mouth referrals are everything in this industry and it could land them future work.
5. SEND THEM A POSITIVE MESSAGE
It’s the simplest things. A good feels message goes a long way in making someone smile. Hit them up on Instagram, send them an email or jump on a call to see how they’re traveling and what you could do to help. You are guaranteed to make their day.
6. WRITE A REVIEW OF THEIR SERVICES
On services so far delivered, write them a review. Google reviews, Facebook reviews, you name it. Do a quick Google search on places you could find to leave them a review – or simply ask them for the links. Even just sending a nice testimonial that the venue or vendor can share themselves is lovely.
7. SUPPORT THEIR BUSINESS OUTSIDE OF THE WEDDING DAY
If you’re wondering how you can support from afar, there are a several ways to keep business coming their way:
- Brighten up your home with flowers from your florist (you can find a bunch that will deliver to you locally here)
- See if your caterers have switched to takeaway, or you could even ask if they’re willing to cater for your would-have-been wedding date as a special in-home date night (takeaway, of course)
- Order a cake from your baker as a way to celebrate on your would-have-been wedding date
- Buy a beautiful print from your photographer
- Book in a future event for a family gathering like a birthday at your venue down the track, or plan to stay at your venue if they offer accommodation on your future wedding anniversary
- Continue to work with and pay your planner over the next couple of months
- Pay off installments as you go
These are just a few thought-starters, and we welcome all of yours. Please let us know if you have anything else in mind to support the industry by commenting below, or via Instagram DM.
Stay safe, stay home and lots of love,
The WedShed Team.
+++ OTHER READS:
- Coronavirus: What Does COVID-19 Mean For 2020 Weddings?
- How To Postpone Your Wedding Due To COVID-19
- Tips + Templates To Postpone Your Wedding Due To Coronavirus
+++ JOIN OUR COMMUNITY:
If you’re a couple and you’re looking for support, please don’t hesitate to join our Facebook group, ‘Wedchat by WedShed’.
For daily updates and Q+A’s, follow us on Instagram.
Photography by James White Photography, and styling by George and Smee.
