Seattle Wedding Planners, New Creations Weddings, Pink Blossom Events, Clutch Events and Perfectly Posh Events have teamed up to bring you a 4-part blog series covering COVID-19 and Planning your wedding during these unprecedented times. Up next, New Creations Weddings is sharing what you can be doing now in planning your wedding day.

If you’ve postponed your wedding, reduced your guest count to a smaller wedding or are recently engaged and feeling like you are totally stuck in what to do next during wedding planning, we’ve got you covered. We’ve heard that countless times from our couples. But! There is no better time than NOW to take advantage of having a less busy schedule and get those wedding tasks checked off the list!

Below is a list of wedding planning tasks that can easily be completed even while we are in a stay-at-home order. There are weddings to plan people! Love is always trending, yes, even during a pandemic, which means there are always weddings to plan! For 2020 couples needing to reschedule, it’s important to lock in your new date and current vendor team now because right behind you are 2021 couples starting to plan from their couches as well!

For those that have had to postpone your wedding, first things first-throw yourself a pity party. We completely acknowledge that wrapping your head around a new date (read how to communicate your new wedding date to your guests here), new plans, and feeling like you’re starting over is emotionally exhausting. It is hard to give up that date you and your beloved expected to become a married couple. It downright sucks. It is ok to grieve that date. Heck! Even do something fun to honor it! Order a mini cake from your baker, dance to your first dance song, break out a bottle of wine from a local winery! Grieve. Then, when you are done, put on a smile and get to work. There is a wedding to plan!

Once you’ve locked in your dream team of vendors (or reconfigured your already booked team to a smaller wedding), take this time to get ahead on those planning items that tend to be a last-minute scramble. You’ll be well ahead of the curve once your wedding day does roll around and cool as a cucumber knowing you took care of those little tasks.

There are LOTS of behind the scene things that couples tend to forget about that can easily be planned right now. These are listed in no particular order, but awesome things to begin getting knocked out.

o Seating order for family/VIP’s in first 1-2 rows. Who sits next to who (especially in a divorce or “interesting” family dynamic situation) will make your rehearsal run smoothly.

o Select your specialty songs (there are more than you think).

Processional- family and wedding party
Processional- bride and/or groom
Any songs during the ceremony during communion, sand ceremony, unity candle, etc.
Recessional
Grand entrance- just couple or entire wedding party
First dance
Father/Daughter
Mother/Son
Cake cutting background song
Last song of the night

o Create your must play/do not play list for the band/DJ.

o Put together your family photo shot list for your photographer.

o Start writing your ceremony with your Officiant.

o Decide who the designated person is who takes home all gifts/cards/personal décor, etc. at the end of the night.

o Decide how you’re going to give away your centerpieces at the end of the night (whoever wants can take them, donation to nursing home, etc)

o Book your hair & makeup trial, food tasting and floral mockup appointments for ~2-months prior to your wedding date.

o Book your pampering appointments (massage, final haircuts, facial, mani/pedi) and purchase gift cards for those services now to support those small businesses

o Test out your wine selections and/or signature cocktails. Throw a party at home to try out what you like and don’t.

o Talk with your wedding planner about day-of design elements such as table numbers, menus, escort cards/seating chart board, etc. so final ordering and printing can be done easily and quickly.

o Order any specialty day-of items (guest book, custom gown hanger, specialty champagne flutes, cake knife/server, etc.).

o Order any specialty wedding day attire (custom bow ties, wedding day shoes, wedding day jewelry, etc).

o Order any favors and complete any DIY items.

o Make your honeymoon plans! Many airlines and hotels will be offering killer deals soon, so get those plans set for when they do so you can take advantage of them.

And finally, if you’ve decided to postpone, be excited for your new date. You are still getting married. You are still going to be surrounded by those you love when that day comes. That is something to be excited about. Put items around your home with your new date on it so you see it often and are reminded of the wonderful times ahead. Your wedding day is going to be one freaking amazing celebration when it gets here, and boy, will you have a crazy story to tell your kids one day!

Celebrating you, celebrating love, and celebrating #loveinthetimeofcorona

Happy Planning! ~Rebecca Grant | New Creations Wedding Design & Coordination

Planning Your Wedding During COVID-19