Each Wednesday, we tackle wedding etiquette. At times, it’s a reader question or one from a colleague, friend or family member and other times we’ll cover a popular issue. (Note: Questions may be edited for clarity and brevity.)
Question: My fiancé and I have already mailed out save-the-dates, but we have to postpone our wedding due to the coronavirus mandates. We don’t yet have a reschedule date. Everything is up-in-the air. How do we tell our guests that we’re postponing our wedding?
Answer: I’m so sorry for you and the many couples who are going through this right now. First, call your immediate family and wedding party. Second, inform your guests who were planning to travel so that they can cancel flights and other travel plans. Most airlines are waiving fees right now, but your loved ones might have to eat hotel costs, so brace them for that possibility. Be sure to update your wedding website as well. Under normal circumstances, word-of-mouth is a great way to get wedding updates and news out to guests, but with cancelations, try to personally connect with everyone via phone or email. If you email, ask for confirmation and if you don’t hear back within a day or two, follow up with a phone call. Most guests will have expected this news by now and they won’t be surprised. Once you have the rescheduled date, it’s fine, given the situation, to call and email, rather than send another save-the-date. You’ve already likely lost a considerable amount of your budget do to rescheduling. Good luck and stay positive!
Do you have a solution to share or a wedding etiquette question? Respond in the comments or email Melanie@MyNewOrleans.com.
