How To Postpone a Wedding In Italy Amid The Coronavirus
All over the world there are thousands of couples forced to postpone their wedding due to the terrible COVID-19 pandemic. A wedding postponement is always stressful, but the Coronavirus pandemic added to this regular stress the fear of getting sick and all the emotions related to the quarantine life.
What we all know, is that nothing can stop you from loving one another and your LOVE will always prevail. Based on that, you will get married, if not now, in the future.
Now it's time to stay home, be safe and focus on your wedding postponement. Don't let stress prevail, and remember that if everything is planned, it is under control.
If you were planning to have a destination wedding in Italy, and you are still unsure about what your options are, read this article where I explain what your rights are in case of a force majeure event, according to the Italian law. Please, be mindful that the entire wedding industry, and many other businesses, have been hardly hit by the Coronavirus pandemic. I am sure all of your vendors will be extremely flexible and happy to reschedule your event, if that is still your dream. Please, keep the cancellation as the worst-case scenario.
When you have to re-plan your destination wedding, I suggest to sit with your partner on a comfy couch, turn the music on, grab drink and taste some good pizza. This will help you clear your mind and recall what you wanted for your wedding day.... That Italian atmosphere!
Follow these few steps to reschedule your destination wedding in Italy :
1. Talk to your Italian wedding planner
If you've hired a wedding planner, talk to her/him, share your fears and feelings and discuss about your options. If you are open to a postponement ask her/his available dates, if she/he is willing to reschedule your wedding and if there are any postponement fees. It's not that common to charge extra postponements fees in case of a force majeure event, but it's better to know it in advance.
2. Talk to your Italian wedding venue
Your ceremony site and reception venue are the first two vendors to contact after your wedding planner. Ask your venue staff what are the available dates for the month/s you desire.
3. Talk to all the other vendors
After having the dates of your Italian wedding planner and your wedding ceremony and reception sites, ask your other vendors their availability. Start with those who can only perform a wedding per day, like your photographer, make-up artist and florist.
4. Be flexible and don't let panic prevail
If any of your vendors is already booked for the date you wanted, please try to be flexible and consider that most of 2020 weddings have now been postponed to late 2020 or 2021. Instead of instinctively cancel the vendor's service, try to ask your venue staff if they have other available dates, maybe later in the month/year. There are some very popular dates like the ones around July 4th and the first two weeks of September that have already been sold months ago, so keep this in mind. It is a double check that might allow you to get the vendor you've hired and will help him not to lose a job.
5. Inform your guests
Especially for a destination wedding, it is important to keep you guests updated. As soon as you start considering a postponement, send a quick email to your guests to inform them that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, your destination wedding in Italy will be postponed to a later date. This will give your guests the chance to take advantage of the free of charge flight cancellation or reschedule policies that most of the airlines are now applying. It will give them time to cancel their accommodations and change tier travel plans. This will also avoid constant email and calls from your guests who want to know what to do.
6. Sign contracts' amendment
Once you've fixed the new wedding date, ask all your vendors to send you a contract amendment with the new wedding date.
7. Save-The-NEW-Date
When you have reserved all your vendors for a new wedding date, share this information with your guests either via email, mail, on your wedding website or with a new electronic Save The Date card.
YOUR LOVE DOESN'T STOP!
Keep this in mind when you reschedule your wedding in Italy.
Each scenario is different and each wedding is at a different planning stage. For this reason, if you need help to define the best options for you and your guests, please, schedule a 30 minutes free session to discuss your specific situation, by sending an email to info@ouritalianfairytale.love or use our contact form explaining how COVID-19 is affecting your destination wedding.
Ciao and Be Safe,
~Silvia La Perla
Our Italian Fairytale Wedding Planner