Planning a wedding in 2021: Top tips
Okay so 2020 was NOT what we had planned..
As someone with ‘planner’ in their job title, I found it a bitter pill to swallow that we simply couldn’t plan, and my heart went out to all the couples who had their dream wedding days crushed by repeated restrictions and ever changing dates. It’s been really awful and I’m so sorry for everything you’ve had to deal with when you should have been able to enjoy every second of the build-up.
2021 is a new year and it’s started with yet another lockdown, but my planning pants are back on and I encourage you to do the same.. it’s time we take a healthy dose of optimism (albeit with a pinch of reality), look ahead and get going!
So how have things changed and what do you need to be aware of if you’re newly engaged, or picking your plans back up? Here’s my top tips for planning in a world still dominated by coronavirus..
Decide which year you want to get married
This is usually a case of whether you want a short or long engagement and how long you need to save for the wedding, but it’s also now important to take into account what is realistic.
One hugely positive aspect of lockdown life has been couples growing closer than ever and so we’ve seen lots of lovely engagements. Whereas some might want to enjoy the engagement for as long as possible (and why not?! Enjoy all the champagne and celebrations), some couples feel keen to cement their commitment and want to tie the knot as soon as they’re able to.
We’ve had such uncertainty over the last year that it’s always difficult to say when you’ll be ‘safe’ to plan your wedding for, but if you’re starting your planning this month, it’s probably best to think of late 2021 as your starting point. If you fancy a winter wedding, it’s absolutely not too late to get planning for this year!
Consider big vs small
If there’s one thing that 2020 has given us, it’s the proof that small weddings can be absolutely gorgeous! If you’ve always longed for an intimate wedding but felt like you ‘shouldn’t’ because people might be offended to not receive an invite, then by all means take the current situation as an excuse to plan that perfectly petite celebration.
On the flip side, if you simply can’t imagine your wedding being anything other than a huge party, don’t feel too frightened to start planning for exactly that! If bigger is better in your mind, just think practically and perhaps look at 2022 for your wedding day to be on the safe side.
Look into wedding insurance
Sadly some insurers have exited the wedding insurance field altogether, and it’s worth being aware that new insurance policies are unlikely to cover you for issues arising due to coronavirus.
I’d encourage you to do your research, use reputable insurance comparison sites and pay attention to the small print. Read up on the coronavirus-specific information which will no doubt feature heavily right now on all of the insurer’s homepages. Insurance is particularly important if you’d like to host your wedding on private property (a family home for instance..) so make sure you speak to an expert about the level of insurance you’ll need to make sure you’re covered for all eventualities.
have open conversations
It’s a sad but true fact that wedding suppliers have really suffered over the last year. But I’m yet to find anyone who isn’t SO EXCITED to get back to work and to book new couples. If your wedding is due to take place this year, take the time to have a chat to your existing suppliers about their plans and what will be possible if you did need to push your date back. For any new suppliers, make sure to check what policies they have in place relating to coronavirus and have a good read through any terms & conditions. It’s never been more important to actually read the small print!
Speak to suppliers ASAP for availability
2021 was already looking incredibly busy for wedding suppliers across the board because of the many weddings which had to shift back a year, but the latest lockdown means many couples (particularly with weddings due to take place in spring) have taken the decision to move their wedding back by another year. If you have your heart set on a specific supplier, get in touch now to secure your date, even if you don’t plan to get married until late 2022.
Utilise virtual meetings
Don’t hold off on kick-starting your planning because you can’t physically visit venues or suppliers just yet. The majority of venues now offer visits via Zoom or Facetime, allowing you to see the venues on your shortlist and helping you to narrow things down before you have the opportunity to see them in person. Venues are being super understanding with prospective couples, with many offering to hold dates (often with no deposit, or the promise of it being refundable) until face to face visits are allowed to take place again.
If you’re trying to navigate the world of wedding planning this year and are keen to have a bit of guidance, drop me a note and I’d be happy to chat about how I can help!
Nat x