Priti Raichura gives Pukaar Magazine readers her expert advice on dealing with wedding planning during Covid-19.
As couples wanting to marry are facing the Covid-19 pandemic, taking the right actions and navigating through this global scenario has proved to be challenging. Remember you’re not alone. So many weddings have been postponed, and we know it’s a challenging time for so many couples impacted by this pandemic. We at Priti Raichura Events want to be there for you every step of the way. We have made ourselves available for couples who may feel the need to reach out to us and may need extra support and help.
If you got engaged during the pandemic you might feel overwhelmed by the thought of starting to plan a wedding. But even with social distancing protocols, there is still so much you can do sitting in the comfort of your home. Many suppliers have now adapted their businesses to help couples get started on planning their dream day, and many meetings can be set up virtually to help you get started. To help you along, we’ve put together a quick guide to where you should start.
Your Budget
The first step is to sit down with your partner and determine a budget. These discussions will help you direct your attention to what venues to start looking into and possibly bringing on a wedding planner. Even though large gatherings of people are on pause now, venues still book weddings 12-18 months in advance. It’s best to move forward with looking into event spaces sooner rather than later, especially for summer and Saturday weddings which often get booked up fast.
Pick a Date
Although it might feel a little nerve-racking to pick a date given the uncertainty of the pandemic, choosing a day far in advance will help ensure that you get the venue and vendors that you want most. Venues and vendors are still booking weddings, so as soon as you pick a date you can move forward with planning duties.
Discuss Your Ideas
Once you have a date and a budget, identify what you would like your day to look like. You can then list what you need to make your vision come to life. This is the fun part! Chat with bridesmaids and search on the net for ideas. Plan date nights with your partner to start shortlisting ideas you really love. Even if you feel like you need some help, having preliminary ideas will help your suppliers or wedding planner to execute your ideal vision and help to identify the suppliers you will need to execute your dream day.
Start Researching Suppliers
When looking for suppliers, a good place to start is asking friends and family for tried and tested recommendations. If you choose a wedding planner, they will have a comprehensive list of suppliers that can help make up your wedding team. Securing suppliers for everything from flowers to catering sooner during this unprecedented time means you’ll get their expert advice and support from the start.
Meet with suppliers virtually
In order to confirm your wedding team, organise virtual meetings to get to know your potential suppliers. Being able to talk with them will help you make an informed choice to create your perfect day. Once you have secured your suppliers, ensure you keep frequent contact and transparent communication throughout – an especially important step in planning a wedding during Covid.
Take Digital Venue Tours
Plenty of wedding venues are now offering virtual tours to help couples find their dream venue without leaving their home. Virtual tours allow you to see the venue for yourself and still provides the opportunity for ‘face to face’ questions without any risk to health and safety. We would also encourage you to invite guests, such as your wedding planner or parents, to join the virtual tour. Why not pop a bottle of champagne to really celebrate while you look around!
Look into Wedding Insurance
Some wedding venues require insurance, however as expert wedding planners and due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, we would always recommend that couples look into buying a policy no matter what. Since there are a variety of insurance policies that cover different situations, work with your planner or an insurance broker to find a premium that’s best for you.
Still looking for some help?
We’re here for you! Priti Raichura Events are an award-winning luxury wedding and event planner. Regardless of how the pandemic will impact weddings, we’re here to help and support you from the start right through to your big day. Our team has been working tirelessly with couples who have had to postpone their wedding due to the ongoing crisis. Having a professional on your team who can inform you of other couple’s experiences with Covid-19, what steps you may be able to take to prepare yourselves should your wedding be affected, and knowledge of how certain suppliers are choosing to handle postponements is invaluable. We can help by recommending suppliers, working with you and other parties to come to agreements, and helping work out and address any issues upfront. We can help by providing detailed venue information so you can make the best choices even if you cannot currently visit, and much more to ensure your wedding planning experience is stress-free and positive. Contact us today and we’ll be glad to offer you our expert advice to help you have the perfect wedding day!
E-mail: hello@pritiraichura.com
