So you think you may have to postpone your wedding due to COVID-19?.
First, let us just say how sorry we are. We know you’ve been looking forward to this for months or even years. The wedding industry is all about bringing people together, and it’s hard on everyone to have these celebrations taken from us.
Your vendors want to help you the best that we can in this tough time. So here is some advice from all of us at Maryland’s DJ about postponing your wedding.
Our policy:
No stress.... we just pickup your date and move it to a date of your choosing inside of 12 calendar months from the scheduled event date. No fees, no mess, no hair pulling. Due to this falling under the "Force Majure" (acts of God) clause in our agreement we don't even require you to make your final payment until 30 days out from your new date. We are here to help and will be as responsive as possible!
If your wedding is in May:
Unfortunately, it’s probably time to postpone your wedding. Many states have stay-at-home orders in place until mid-May, and it’s looking like those orders could be extended.
We encourage you to focus on rescheduling rather than a cancellation. Most deposits are non-refundable, so you will lose that money if you cancel altogether. Rescheduling will usually allow you to reapply your deposit to the new date. Double-check your vendor contract.
If your wedding is in June, July, or August:
Start talking to your vendors to get an idea for next year’s availability. Can you put a tentative hold on a date next year in case you have to reschedule?
We hope that things will get back to normal sooner rather than later. We want to celebrate your wedding ASAP! But we just don’t know. If you wait too long to talk to your vendors, 2021 dates may fill up as venues and vendors try to pack two spring/summer wedding seasons into one.
If your wedding is in September, October, or November:
Honestly, we don’t know. It’s probably best to have a “wait and see approach” on fall weddings.
In the meantime, reach out to your wedding vendors to get some idea of the process. Do any of them have postponement deadlines or rescheduling fees that they’ll ask you to pay if you reschedule after a certain date?
Things to remember
We can only imagine how hard this is for couples eager to tie the knot with their friends and families around them. And not getting an immediate response from your vendors may be frustrating.
But keep in mind that vendors are trying to reschedule dozens or even hundreds of events. So be patient with them, and follow up if you don’t hear back within a couple of days.
Also, some vendors may not be available on your new date. All good wedding industry services will do their utmost to be accommodating, but you may have to make some changes to your vendor list. If one of your vendors isn’t available for your new date, ask them to refer you to a colleague you trust. Or, you may need to consider a weekday or Sunday wedding instead of your preferred Saturday event. There are only so many Saturdays in a year, and they’re going to fill up fast.
If you postpone, let your guests know as early as possible so they can cancel any travel arrangements. Cutesy “postponement announcements” are nice, but an email will be quicker — especially if your wedding is soon.
What about fees?
Deposits, final payments, and re-booking fees are, of course, subject to your contract with each vendor.
Generally, vendors will apply your deposit to the new date. And final payments are usually due a specified number of days before the event. So your payment schedule should change to reflect the new wedding date.
Some vendors may charge a rebooking fee for moving your wedding. The idea is to avoid a June wedding being rebooked at the last minute — too late for the vendor to find a replacement event during prime wedding season. But vendors understand that this is an unprecedented situation. So be prepared to do a little negotiating with your vendors to come to a fair agreement.
Should we still book our 2021 wedding?
Yes! With so many weddings being pushed back a year, it will be a very busy wedding season. So you should try to get your events booked ASAP.
Just make sure you know exactly what each vendor’s policy is on rescheduling. No one knows how long this will last. You should also consider hiring a wedding planner if you hadn’t already. A planner will help you navigate any issues with postponements if it comes to that.
To talk to us about rescheduling your event, call us at (301) 968-0965. And let us know if you’d like to book an event for 2021!
Published on:
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
