Coronavirus

Coronavirus and Weddings 2: Effects on Weddings and Plan B

Image: Cosmopolitan

Originally published on Meidän Häät website.

When I wrote my previous post "Coronavirus and Weddingsit was Thursday afternoon and though I had become much more worried about the pandemic and its effects on weddings it’s clear that even in a few days the situation has become worse and the effects are likely to be more dire than I could predict back then.

Our wedding is still several months away but no one can tell what the future brings at the moment so we’ve started thinking what scenarios are possible and how would they affect our wedding should they arise.

So, as we have thought about these scenarios in relation to our own wedding, I thought I’d share some ideas for all the situations above. Possible scenarios on how the virus can affect upcoming weddings (that I can think of right now) and some ideas in case they become reality :

  1. The wedding will have to be postponed 

I would imagine that most couples are willing to move their wedding at least inside some time period. For us the end of the summer and early fall are still ok. For some people, however, the venue might not agree to this. If you have to, or choose to, postpone your wedding by a lot, you can think about having a small ceremony on your original wedding day and a proper wedding later on. That is, if moving the wedding is possible and the couple is willing (if it is a matter of choice).

A small ceremony on the beach is possible in Finland too. Picture: Wedaloha

2. The honeymoon will have to be postponed

Postponing the honeymoon by some months is not a big issue for us. On the other hand, it’s probably not a matter of choice. If traveling is banned until time X, than that’s how it is. Then again, if it’s not banned but not recommended there’s a difficult decision to make. We are quite committed to spending our honeymoon abroad but for someone else a honeymoon in Finland can be a great option – if traveling inside the country is allowed. The money you would’ve spent traveling abroad (if that was your plan) can get you something really nice in some of the amazing places in Finland. Personal recommendations include Lapland and the Järvisydän hotel. 

3. The honeymoon will have to be moved to a different country

In this scenario it all comes down to what countries are safe to travel to. If there are several safe countries I’m sure we can find a place we like. In fact, it could be a good idea to travel to a place you never would’ve thought of otherwise. On the other hand, honeymoon can be a big investment so going somewhere you’re not so excited about makes no sense. In that case, going on your honeymoon on your one year anniversary, for example, can be an option. At least there’ll be something exciting to look forward to.

4. The timing of the bachelor(ette) party will have to be moved, traveling or gathering wont be allowed

I would like to go abroad for my bachelorette party so this is a tough one. One option here is to have the bachelorette party after the wedding if weddings are safe but traveling before the wedding isn’t. Then again, if traveling is not allowed, some of our guests might not be allowed to Finland either and that’s likely to make us move our wedding anyways. Generally speaking, though, there’s no need to travel to have a great bachelor(ette) party. If different venues and activities are open there’s so much to do in Finland. If none are open, but small gatherings are allowed, it gets a bit more tricky, but not impossible. Here are a few ideas. I’m not gonna lie, they’re not that great, but I’ll keep thinking 😀 a) Singstar (karaoke) and a DIY cocktail class, where the recipes are taken from online sources b) Playstation olympics with the games you like c) Cooking class, where each participant teaches their favourite recipe d) Burlesque class with an online source. May require a lot of wine… e) Outdoor games, such as tasks for the bride/groom to find and complete f) Picnic g) Kalsarikännit. There’s no word for this in English, for my friends abroad I’ve translated it as ”underwear drunk” 😀 It means sitting at home in comfy attire, usually alone, and getting drunk. Can be done with friends via Skype too. 😀 I highly recommend you find a way to get it on video and you’ll have fun the day after too. h) Sauna night either at someone’s own or the apartment building’s sauna i) Yoga and meditation at someone’s house utilizing online videos j) A good old fashioned house party! Put a disco ball on the ceiling, cover lamps with colorful tissue, mix some jungle juice and get some earplugs for the neighbors.

That feeling when you can finally have your wedding. Picture: baypointeinn

5. There is no ban on having a wedding but it’s not recommended

This would be a difficult situation, we would probably ask our guests how they feel. At the moment, I think we would postpone the wedding to minimize risk. 

6. There are no bans or recommendations against throwing a wedding but some of the guests are sick, the couple getting married is sick or several people can’t to attend due to the fear of catching the virus or due to travel regulations

Obviously if we’re sick the wedding would be postponed. Otherwise, it would depend on the situation. Probably if this were the case, large gatherings wouldn’t be allowed anyways.

7. There are no obstacles against having the wedding on the original day but the wedding planning was put to halt and there’s no time to get everything ready

We prepare for this by continuing with our wedding preparations as usual. Even though it can be difficult in the current situation, I recommend the same for others too. There are a few exceptions to consider though. If there are some services you haven’t committed to yet, it’s a good idea to discuss the terms if the wedding day changes from the original. In addition, postpone ordering any decorations and other products that state the wedding day to the last possible moment. One of our best men told me that when some royal wedding was moved to a different date, the paraphernalia with the original date became very sought after and valuable among collectors. I’m confident our wedding crap with the wrong date would receive equally excited reception among collectors 😀

Image: equallywed

It’s obvious that there are a lot more serious matters at stake with this pandemic than anyone’s wedding. Wha worries me the most are matters completely unrelated to our wedding. That being said, I do have empathy for everyone who’s wedding the situation has affected, it’s totally understandable to be sad about it. As this is a wedding blog, I discuss the matter from a wedding perspective only. The most important thing for me, and I’m sure for everyone else, is how people and societies will survive the crisis. I wish good health to everyone and let’s take care of ourselves and each other. When life finally calms down, there will be a great need for something as wonderful as weddings.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

en_USEnglish