UPDATED Nov. 11th, 2020:
On October 30th Mayor Lightfoot announced that Chicago has new restrictions on wedding gatherings. Here are the highlights that you need to know to make an informed decision:
- Venues will be allowed to continue with events at either 25% capacity or 25 or less people - whichever number is smaller.
- Multiple groups of 25 people or less are allowed as long as the groups are in separate spaces and the start times are staggered (applicable if your venue has multiple ballrooms or event spaces).
- People of different households must social distance 6ft apart
- Face masks must be worn by guests except while seated (with the exception of those with disabilities or conditions that prevent them from doing so)
- Temperature checks may be implemented at the door.
As stay-at-home orders are being extended and there is uncertainty about when the country will reopen due to COVID-19, if you’re a couple planning to get married in 2020 you may be wondering, “Should I postpone my wedding?” We had a chance to chat with Lisa Jarosack of Storybook Weddings and Events and gain some insight into how to make the best decision in the midst of these circumstances. We talked through the current state of weddings, the nationally mandated 3-step re-opening plan and what to do if you do decide to postpone your wedding along with some tips for couples who are planning their 2021 wedding.
Deciding to postpone your wedding is a deeply personal decision. Ultimately you need to decide what your priorities are and how to best navigate them. For us, some of our couples have decided to move forward with getting married with a reduced guest count. Some couples are just postponing their reception and still hosting small ceremony while others are postponing all together.
So what does this all mean for you and how do you make this kind of decision? There are some set guideline that the US government has put out for use by each individual state to re-open as they are able. Here are those rules:
Wedding ceremonies through May 31st are canceled unless the ceremony is considered a religious event. In this case, 10 people or less can gather for the ceremony. Once May 31st rolls around, Illinois has the ability to move through the following three phases. Here is what each phase means:
Social distancing will still apply for all three phases and is something to consider when making a decision about postponing. If your heart is set on having all of your original guests attend, you may want to consider postponing. If you feel like you are flexible with the guest count you may we able to continue to
The other thing that may be on your mind is rescheduling and rebooking fees. There is no hard and fast rule - we are seeing different policies all across the board for vendors. Some vendors are allowing couples to rebook with no rescheduling fees, some with a fee and some are allowing rebooking while maintaining their current payment schedule. Make sure that you are talking with your vendors, being open and honest with them and working with them to be sure that there are no surprises.
Should you automatically postpone your wedding if you’re getting married in 2020? At this point, according to Lisa, it’s safe to wait and see if you’re getting married in late summer or early fall. Because of re-openings in Italy and Georgia that are currently happening, we will be able to have a better idea of what our re-opening may look like once June 1st rolls around.
If you do ultimately decide to postpone your wedding, communication is key. Put a feeler out there to all of your vendors confirming their rescheduling policy and then reach out to your venue about potential dates. Once you have a few dates that would work for you, you can reach back out to all of your vendors to make sure that you’re rescheduling to a date that works for all of them! In our experience, vendors have been extremely accommodating and helpful throughout this process and making sure you ask before picking a new date ensures that you will not lose those precious retainers.
If you are currently planning to get married in 2020 and are thinking about postponing or if you recently got engaged and are planning to get married in 2021, now is the time to make sure that the vendors that are most important to you are reserved for your date. 2021 is starting to book up for everyone because of postponements and new couples getting engaged during quarantine. This includes your personal vendors like planners, photographers, videographers, makeup artists, etc. Also, pro-tip from Lisa, now is also the perfect time to get a room block at your hotel because of the insanely good rates!
At the end of the day, you’re going to get married and you're going to be able to celebrate. Although this is out of your control, your love still remains (and what a crazy story to tell your kids and grandkids someday)! We hope this helped you with navigating some of these tough decisions!
Have more questions or ready to lock us in? We’re here to help. Contact us HERE.
This article is based on an IG Live in partnership with Storybook Weddings and Events. Storybook is provides everything from full wedding planning services to consultations as you ask the question, "Should I postpone my wedding?" Find out more HERE.
