Planning a wedding can be challenging in the best of times. Throw in a global pandemic and ‘challenging’ can be an understatement! But finally, there’s light at the end of the tunnel. And with that, couples are starting to get excited about planning a 2022 wedding. Whether you’re newly engaged or have had to navigate postponements or put your planning on hold, now is the perfect time to get your 2022 wedding on track. Over the last year or so, my team and I have learned so much about how to work around uncertainty and the so-called new normal. So here are my top tips for how to put that knowledge into practice and plan an amazing 2022 wedding!
Don’t wait to book a venue or vendors. As things open up again both at home and abroad, the best venues are booking up fast. Remember, there’s a huge ‘backlog’ of couples to accommodate, and it’s a situation that will last well into 2022 and possibly even 2023. The same goes for top wedding vendors. Unfortunately, some vendors have had to close their doors during COVID-19, so there’s an even greater demand for top wedding planners, florists, cake designers, etc.
Be flexible. If there’s one thing that Coronavirus has taught all of us, it’s that sometimes things are simply out of our control. As a result, we’ve seen couples approach their wedding with a new level of flexibility. So when planning your 2022 wedding, it’s worth considering all your options. For example, a different location or venue or an off-peak wedding date may not be what you thought you wanted but could turn out to be absolutely perfect.
Keep your guests in the loop. It’s always been important to communicate effectively with your guests. For example, if you’re planning a destination wedding, send out Save the Dates as early as possible. During Coronavirus, this became more important than ever, with couples having to send out change-the-dates and postponement notices. For your 2022 wedding, it’s important to have a communication plan in place, just in case anything changes. A wedding website is always a great idea for having a central hub of information. Just be sure to keep it up to date!
Hire a professional wedding planner. With so many moving parts to consider, it’s more important than ever to have a pro on your side! A good wedding planner will stay cool, calm, and collected when unexpected challenges crop up, they’ll help you make a Plan B (or C or D!), and they’ll have the contacts and experience to pull it off.
Be intentional. The pandemic has taught us all to focus on what matters, so take that lesson with you as you plan your 2022 wedding. Only include details and traditions that speak to you. Make it a personal experience for you and your guests. Focus on your priorities as a couple. It’s YOUR day, after all.
Review contracts carefully. Before you sign anything, have transparent discussions with vendors about their terms and policies, especially relating to Covid. Make sure you understand what is due and when, what is and is not refundable, and their cancellation and postponement policies. Also, ask about their safety requirements. Be sure that you get all these agreements in writing so everyone is on the same page from the start.
Create a wedding emergency fund. This is always a good idea for couples to do, but it’s especially wise for a 2021 or 2022 wedding. Set aside a portion of your budget for unexpected expenses. This could be anything from stationery changes to costs around safety measures that may have to be put into place. We can’t know exactly what 2022 weddings will look like yet, so it’s a good idea to be on the safe side, budget-wise.
Need some help planning your 2022 wedding? Get in touch!
xoxo,
Mindy
Image by Carrie King Photographer
