Hey summer brides! I'm in the Chicagoland area and need some advice/talking off a ledge...
I'm sending my invitations at the end of this month for my August 1st wedding and I am wondering how you summer brides are handling the possibility of cancellation due to COVID-19. There are still a lot of unknowns about how the virus will react in the summer, but I don't want to ignore the fact that we could be back in another shelter-in-place.
Are you putting in an insert? If so, how would that sound?
If not, how are you planning to communicate it to everyone? I don't have everyone's email, so I would assume I would mail something out by a certain date or request their email addresses, so I am not sure if I should address it when I send the invites or at a later time.
If it all gets cancelled I will not be rescheduling with the venue, my plan b is to elope on site the same day (if able) on one of the paths with just an officiant and a photographer and I suppose I would hire a videographer at that point. It's a National Park with a lodge and conference center, so there are a lot of variables. Thankfully they will give me a full refund if it comes to that.
So with that we would just have a backyard party next year on our one-year anniversary, because I cannot handle any more stress or financial issues if this all needs to be moved. It's been a roller coaster even deciding on this big celebration, and now I am feeling a lot of frustration when I hear people close to me suggest to cancel it or do something smaller, like it's something super simple and I didn't think of that. I'm so on edge that even those saying it should be fine by then still strike a nerve, and I understand both sides! I am normally very easy going, but this has me feeling some type of way and I hate it...
Also, what more do I invest in right now if anything? I have everything except the guys suits (they were supposed to go this weekend - let me know if you have a favorite online retailer), favors/place cards, decorations, and flowers. My friend is helping me put it together the day of, but I need to purchase all that stuff still. Should I just carry on and suck it up if I lose money?
I know I'm not the only one feeling like this, I can't imagine the March, April, and May brides, and I just wanted to vent to those who understand and see how you all are handling this crazy situation. I'm sorry for the rant, I needed to get all this out there so I appreciate if you took the time to read my madness.
Much love! 
xx Steph
