Anything But Gray Events is here to help you with Wedding planning during Coronavirus and beyond! To start off, let’s all take a deep, collective breath. Our world as we know it is struggling right now in the midst of the Coronavirus. It might be cold comfort to hear, but you are not alone in your fears, concerns, and daily uncertainties. As a community, we are all feeling the same. Unfortunately, this pandemic is larger than life. It is affecting all people, places, and situations. As hard as it is to hear, what is going on in the world is bigger than your wedding. Our goal now is to bring back the smiles, spirits, and colorful celebrations as best we can.

During what should be a wonderfully exciting time preparing for a wedding with your partner, is now a time of transition. With that, we want you to know we’re right here with you! Our business and what we are doing to help our clients is transitioning as well. We are educating ourselves on best practices and problem-solving techniques to navigate through this global pandemic and the ripple effect it has on the events industry through webinars, community support, and educational information. Whether you are planning an LA or destination wedding, we got your back!

With the onset of the Coronavirus in the Spring of 2020, our pandemic world is now changing day by day! Wedding and Event Planners are navigating the onset of postponements due to the pandemic on a daily basis. We have gone from planning weddings and events to triaging them. Cue the needed confetti, streamer, and copious amounts of champagne!

First off, I want to stress how we are encouraging couples to postpone not cancel their weddings and events. Small businesses are the life-blood of our economy. With the lack of financial resources for small business at the moment (the Paycheck Protection Program has reached its financial limit and the SBA Loans have not yet been issued), we are counting on our clients to continue moving forward with planning their celebrations even if they have to be pushed to 2021 or beyond.

In moving forward, I want to equip engaged couples navigating wedding planning in 2020, 2021 and beyond with the knowledge of what to plan for, how to do it, and who can help throughout this process. While the current world can feel like you are stuck in a bounce house of #netflixandchill, let’s get to some Q & A!

What if we have to move our wedding date?

I am not going to lie, that is a totally valid concern and definite possibility. Over the last month, Anything But Gray Events has postponed 8 weddings. In that process, we have helped our clients move to new wedding dates in the future. It’s a combination of working with venue managers to secure new dates, communicating with the vendor teams to reschedule within their contacts, and keeping everyone involved in the loop makes postponements possible.

Think of it as one giant game of wedding Tetris. It’s a challenge but it can be done with the right strategy, positive outlook, and an experienced wedding planner! Our goal is to keep the integrity of the original wedding plan, successfully postpone to a new, safer date, and make clients feel heard and taken care of through this difficult time. We know postponing totally sucks but your love is what makes your wedding special, not the actual date on a calendar.

What if there is another COVID-19 Outbreak?

Man oh man, I wish I had a crystal ball for that one. All I can say is, yes, it might happen. It might not. But you know what, here at Anything But Gray Events we are prepared for whatever happens! As your wedding planner, we are there to guide you every step of the way. I continue to advise you to follow the CDC and Government’s recommendations to ensure safety measures are property taken.

If the last month has taught us nothing else, it’s that experience and relationships will be what get us all through any challenges that arise. Wedding Planning is stressful, but it’s even more pressurized during a pandemic where uncertainties abound. The value of hiring a strong, confident, and experienced wedding planner to be on your side will make all the difference.

Does Anything But Gray Events offer payment plans?

Yes! We are now offering our 2021 Wedding Planning & Design couples to split up our service investment into 6 payments (as opposed to our normal 4). We want engaged couples to not have to go through wedding planning alone, especially during this time. Wedding Planners are worth their weight in gold, but we also know finances are tough. By extending our payment plans we hope to soothe a bit of the financial stress of hiring a professional wedding planner during Coronavirus Palooza 2020!

Why should I hire Anything But Gray Events NOW for a 2021 wedding?

The general rule of thumb is to hire a wedding planner 12-15 months before your wedding. Now with our current global situation, the recommendation is now to hire one as soon as possible! Many couples, understandably, are concerned about moving forward with planning their 2021 weddings. They don’t know where to start, so they don’t start at all. Sound familiar?

It’s human nature to hunker down and take a pause during unforeseen turmoil. We totally get that! But for those engaged couples who are forward thinkers, they understand the value that a seasoned wedding planner brings to the table especially now. Instead of laying back and binging Tiger King on the couch, (Carole Baskin totally killed her husband!), they are proactive in planning ahead to the future and securing our services earlier rather than later. I can assure you that 2021 is going to be a busy year!

Our venue won’t let us book yet. What can we do?

While many venues are putting a pause on booking 2021 clients during this time, that gives you all the more reason to hire a wedding planner NOW! Having a wedding planner to communicate directly with venues and venue managers as soon as availability and venue bookings open up is an invaluable resource. We can help you pre-plan before the planning process even begins.

What are some event issues because of Coronavirus?

The biggest issue, from an event professional standpoint, is that with so many 2020 couples needing to postpone their weddings to 2021 and some to even 2022, we have now limited the number of available dates for both venues and vendors from 2 total years (2020 & 2021) to 1 year. That means hiring now instead of later is your best bet! Weddings that were to happen in 2020 are scrambling to be moved to prime Friday, Saturday, and Sunday available dates with their venue and vendors. This rush ultimately means that sometimes couples have to compromise and take a weekday instead.

Wedding planning can be stressful because of so many factors, but Coronavirus takes it to new levels. With the number of dates limited, so are your options. Hiring a seasoned wedding planner earlier rather than later will help secure your ideal date, venue, and vendors with ease. While putting on pause on wedding planning can seem easier in the moment, it will make the process harder in the long run. Do yourself a value favor and use this time to be securing the elements that will make your wedding possible in 2021!

Trust us, we want to be there to celebrate your love with all your family and friends just as much as you do! During a time of confusion, let Anything But Gray Events show you the way! Please contact us through our contact form to set up a complimentary video consultation and connect face to face!