Postponements

What happens when something falls through the cracks and you actually have to postpone your wedding ceremony?   For example, say, the weather prevents travel if someone is coming from a distance and plays an integral part in the wedding.  Or, Heaven forbid, there is a death in the family and you are too bereaved to carry on.  Or bride or groom is seriously ill, or called away to the Armed Forces, or any other of a number of possibilities.  What happens and what do you do?

First, contact your vendors right away, explain and see if you can reschedule at a better time.  Use your best judgment in setting a date that will allow you to avoid or compensate for the initial problem.  Most professionals will be understanding of such unavoidable delays, and may give you a portion of your fees in return if they cannot reschedule you.  You probably won’t be able to get all of your fees back, as there are expenses for the professionals as well, but they will likely offset some of your losses.

You are probably, however, going to have to deal with the loss of fees from the venue and your caterer (sometimes the same company), unless they happen to have a waiting list that is tentative enough to fill your spot.  Again, you may see a portion of your fees refunded, but probably not the entire amount. 

Your decorations and dry goods investments can certainly be saved and used for later unless by some bizarre twist of fate, you have already decorated a church or hall when the crisis occurs.  Even at that, you can still pack decorations away in boxes, most carefully, and reuse them when the ceremony can take place.  Take care not to flatten fragile items and you should be ready to go.  Live plants can be kept for later as well, so your entire investment is not lost.

Just a reminder, also, your Marriage License may have to be reviewed.  Most are good for thirty days following application, so if you must postpone, check to make sure you have not got an expired license.  If so, go to the County Clerk’s office and ask for a new one.    

The greatest challenge in postponement is loss of your investment, but with careful planning and cooperative professionals, not all of the investment will be lost.

Preparing for the Unexpected

You’ve got all your ducks in a row.  The vendors are confirmed for your date, their bills are paid and your instructions to them are clear.  The venue has been decorated, the tuxes rented, gowns are pressed and every last detail has been arranged.  Still, there are some eventualities for which you cannot be prepared.  Last minute surprises can make or break the best-planned wedding.

How do you prepare for something you can’t predict?  What kind of indicators can give you a head’s up?

Consider Murphy’s Law, which states that if anything can possibly go wrong, it will.  What kinds of things can go wrong?  The flower girl steps on the train of the bridal gown and tears the dress.  Your maid of honor is a basket of nerves and gets so sick she can’t come.  The groomsmen are so hung-over from the bachelor party, they show up an hour late.  The florist delivers your order to the wrong venue.  The wedding cake slides off the cart en route and a new one has to be made.  The minister is tied up by a fender bender.  All of these are possibilities.

The best way to deal with any of these little crises is to roll with the punches.  Being delayed is the worst case scenario as the result of any of these situations.  While some fees may be tacked on to cover the late start, the ceremony can still go on.  And often, if the delay is beyond your control, late fees may be waived.

A torn dress can be tacked together with needle and thread.  Most venues have the changing room stocked with such supplies.  Sick maid of honor?  Chamomile or peppermint tea works wonders.  Hung-over groomsmen?  There is not much to be done after the fact, but a firm warning that such behaviour will result in the appearance of a bridezilla may be a sufficient deterrent.  Double-checking all deliveries so you confirm the address will hold faux pas on delivery at bay.  Last, accidents do happen, even to wedding officiants, but allowing plenty of travel time should avert distractions leading to a fender bender.

All in all, delays are uncomfortable, may be costly, and should be avoided whenever possible.  But they aren’t the end of the world, and the presentation of your ceremony can proceed in all its splendor in the long run.