Postponing and/or canceling

It wasn’t really any trouble for us to postpone. Our venue and catering were understanding even when we moved the date 2 or 3 times. We had to move to a weekday since weekends were full, but it went alright. We only had those two vendors to work with, so it wasn’t too tricky to move. Although we do have to find a new photographer because our original one is moving states and having a baby the month of our rescheduled date!

It was actually super easy for me to postpone, but I was right at the beginning of time time when cancellations were being mandated. I think event cancellations & shut downs were officially mandated around 3/16 which is when we made the decision to postpone our 3/27 date.

Since it was an 'act of god' and we weren't the ones who made the decision and also because this pandemic is uncharted territory for everyone, I was so lucky that ALL of my vendors were SO helpful and supportive. I basically got a list of all the available dates from my venue/caterer first and then cross-checked with all my other vendors via 'doodle' to see which dates aligned for everyone and then picked from there and that was it! Every single vendor just moved over their services with no additional payments or money lost! I had to sign a few addendums to address the date change but that was it.

Canceling was definitely not an option for me personally and I think complete cancellation also would have resulted in money lost. I think everything is 'easy' if you happen to pick a date everyone is available bc it guarantees business for all vendors involved.

I think most vendors will not give you money back if you cancel or keep your deposit - this is their livelihood. Our vendors were all extremely accommodating, and we carved out a new date with very little trouble. Which was good for us because we got ahead of the rescheduling curve and were able to keep the plans we already paid for. Everybody was already paid in full, so I was expecting a little push back but we got the opposite. I'd say talk to your vendors and see! Most should be pretty helpful

Moved from August 15th to May 2021. Easy as anything, no fees whatsoever 🙂

Even though my wedding isn't till Feb. of next year, I wouldn't recommend brides cancel their wedding because it's only going to make it harder for everyone to get their money back.

Hi Ariel,

I'm so glad that everyone in this discussion is having an easy time rescheduling with their venues and vendors. Based on what I'm seeing in the WW forums, people are postponing their weddings--not canceling them. It also never hurts to have a Plan B in place.

In many cases, the wedding plan is shifting. For example, couples are deciding to get married on their original spring/summer dates (assuming they already have their marriage license OR their county clerk office has an online option). However, they are reducing the number of guests for the actual ceremony to fewer than 10 (or whatever is required/recommended in their area) and planning a larger celebration at a later date. Receptions are being rescheduled for fall or 2021 depending on venue/vendors' availability, personal preference, family input, etc.

For reference, check out these two discussions re: 10-person wedding ideas and other activities to celebrate the original wedding date:

- How are you still celebrating on your originally planned wedding date?

- Wedding Ideas for Under 10 Guests?

Also, WeddingWire has gathered some resources here: COVID-19 Wedding Support Central. You'll find articles like:

- You’ve Decided to Postpone Your Wedding. Now What?

- “My Wedding Was Postponed Due to Covid-19, but Now I Get a ‘Do-Over’”

I wish you the best of luck with whatever you decide to do!

Our wedding is scheduled for Oct 17, 2020, but we are likely going to postpone until summer of 2021. Our governor (of California) today said he doesn't anticipate mass gatherings being a possibility even by August at this point. Our venue reached out to us proactively offering to reschedule to any 2021 date we choose (if available), or get a refund for our deposit. This is extremely rare for a venue to do, which makes us really appreciate how well our venue is handling this ordeal and putting their customers first.

We thought about canceling, taking our refund, and eloping, but with the amount of deposits we already put down for our vendors (non-refundable)m, we want to postpone. Luckily almost all our vendors are willing to also reschedule for no added fee and are making it easy for us.