As wedding photographers, we know how stressful it can be to plan a wedding and especially during a global pandemic. We know how this tough period might affect weddings, honeymoons, and all other important events. Try to keep calm and don't panic, we are all in this TOGETHER and our team is here to help whenever you need us. Right now, you might be wondering what you should do and have hundreds of questions and worries about how to set up a backup plan for the potential that your wedding may be affected, whether you are planning for a local wedding in Montreal or a destination wedding.
To help you prepare for what you should do and navigate that process, we have tried our best to answer some of your questions that you might have for us and our step-by-step wedding guide below. We understand that whether your wedding in Montreal, your hometown, or abroad, this is a global pandemic that's affecting most places in the world currently and we do understand that you might need to reschedule your wedding/event to a later date. You are probably worrying about your guests might not be able to attend your wedding/event or the pandemic lasts longer than a few months.
First thing first, we believe it is crucial to keep calm, inform yourself about the current situation with reliable sources whether you need to postpone your wedding/event or not to a later date. Lead with your heart - Postpone, Postpone and Postpone! Don't cancel! Because, at the end of the day, all your loved ones, your wedding vendors would still want to see you say "I do" whether it will be two days, two months, or 12 months from now.
While we can’t tell you when this will all be over, here are some tips to help you be proactive and feel like you have a little bit of control in all this.
It’s hard to know what to do in this situation. The current trend seems to be making a call 60 days before your original wedding date, and you shouldn’t be pressured into changing it if you’re not ready. However, if you think there is a chance you may not be able to go through with your scheduled date, it is better to decide sooner than later. It's always better to have a back-up plan ;)
2021 is already looking like a busy year for weddings, and now many 2020 dates are being rescheduled to 2021. If you were already planning a 2021 wedding but have not booked your venue, we recommend doing that as soon as possible. If you are thinking about rescheduling your May, or June 2020 wedding, then you should move on it quickly as well. The longer you wait, the fewer options you will have. If you have many guests coming from out of province or out of the country, you may also want to consider this factor.
It is likely that you may end up with a Friday or Sunday date, BUT Friday and Sunday weddings are AWESOME! Please don’t get discouraged if that happens to you. You will have many more options available to you if you’re open to non-Saturdays - plus if you have a Friday wedding then you have two whole days to recover ;)
Step by Step Guide to plan your wedding in the midst of COVID-19:
Step 1) Check with your insurance if you have. They should be able to talk you through the position that is specific to your policy if the government declares a lockdown if the wedding has to be postponed or cancelled due to COVID-19.
Step 2) Don't panic, talk to your Fiance about the current situation. Share your thoughts and feelings with your partner.
Step 3) Consult with a professional - talk with your event planner before making any decision. Because we are all here to help during this difficult time.
Step 4) Understand the financial and re-think about your budgeting.
Step 5) Act fast and call your venue to let them know once you have made your decision and send out an email to all your wedding vendors before choosing a new date. Find a mutual date that works for all wedding vendors. (Event Planner, venue and florist are the most important and first vendors who you should be in contact with). Have some flexibility and consider weekdays(Monday-Friday and Sunday) or/and winter weddings, keep in mind that not all venues still have availability on Saturdays. Set up Calendly account to avoid back-and-forth and zoom if you need to set up meetings while taking "social distancing" measures.
Step 6) Notify your Guests - Send out invitations to your guests for the change of date.
Step 7) Rethink the details - Think about whether you still want to keep the same wedding theme and all the little details.
If you need more advices and suggestions, we strongly suggest you to watch the following video from VIP collective Video Podcast.
Here are some common questions that we are trying our best to answer for you, don't forget we are here to help in any way we can.
Are you still open for business during "Social Distancing"?
Absolutely, we are currently working from home for the safety of our team and clients as we are practicing social distancing measures as advised by the Canadian Health Officials until further notice. Please rest assured that our team is still working and operating our business as usual and will try to make ourselves even more available for you especially during this difficult time. We will be available through calls, emails, and offering online appointments and meetings.
What do I do if I need to reschedule my wedding date?
Should the government recommendations of social distancing and quarantine lead you to postpone your wedding, whether as a result of the venue, planner, other vendors, or your own personal choice, we understand and respect your decision. We are aware that the situation is evolving rapidly and you are likely going to play this by ear. We know that the last thing you want to do is reschedule. We won't pressure you to make this call sooner than you have to, so please know we are on your team and we will work together with you to accommodate any changes made to your wedding day. Get in touch with us info@luxurymomentphotography.com
Please note that beginning immediately, as we recognize the severity of this situation, we will do our best to accommodate all changes and bookings. Therefore, there will be no fee in regards for rescheduling your wedding as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but please do consult with us prior to changing your date.
What if I have a destination wedding?
We will be following and paying close attention to guidelines, rules, and predictions from CDC and WHO to decide whether or not it is safe for our team to travel for your wedding. All destination weddings occurring within the next 8 weeks will have to be rescheduled with our team. Once again, please verify our availability before choosing a new wedding date.
What if my wedding is not in the next 3 months, but still in 2020?
CDC currently recommends no gathering of more than 50 people for the next 8 weeks(As of March 15th, 2020). We are currently rescheduling weddings that fall under that timeline till further notice. Our team is following the situation closely and will be reviewing our decisions on a weekly basis. As things unfold, we will work together with you to accommodate changes made to your wedding day.
We were planning on booking with you for our wedding in 2021, are you going to be filling up quicker due to COVID-19?
Yes, a lot of weddings will now be rescheduled until later in the year or will be moved into 2021. We recommend booking your date with us as soon as possible so that we can ensure your wedding day on our calendar. Please fill in our Contact Form now to get in touch with us.
Will you still be photographing our wedding?
Yes, absolutely, our team still plan to photograph and film 100% of the weddings we have scheduled for this year, as long as your event carries forward and we are within any limitations set by the government of Canada. We have already self-isolated ourselves, are washing our hands more vigorously than normal, and are staying as healthy as possible to ensure not only our health but the health of your families and friends for when it comes time to photograph your day.
What happens if my photographer or 2nd photographer gets sick?
If by any chance either one of us were to contract COVID-19 or were suspected to have, we would do our best to find replacement photographers and/or videographers for your wedding/event. We are in regular and close contact with a large network of amazing photographers both locally and internationally and as it currently stands, we have all agreed to support and cover each other if need be. We are fully prepared to deal with the most challenging situations.
Will production times be pushed back?
As many events and weddings are being moved to a later date in 2020 or to 2021, we anticipate a busier post-production work towards those times. But we will still do the best to meet our expected delivery time (Photo: 6-8 weeks, Video: 3-4 months).
Any other questions?
If there's something that we did't cover in the above, please free fee to reach out to us. We are on your team and want you to have the most fabulous wedding you can possibly have. We are here to help you however we can.
Please know that our commitment to you and your safety is our top priority. We appreciate all the support we have received so far in this difficult time. We believe that our community is stronger as one. Let us be kind to one another and tackle this issue all together! Sending lots of love and virtual hugs to everyone!
Stay Safe and Healthy
Luxury Moment Photography Team - Your Montreal Wedding Photographer and videographer
Welcome to our Montreal wedding photography blog. Please visit our wedding portfolio here and my engagement portfolio here. We are an international award-winning, published Montreal wedding photographer also specializing in portrait, corporate, maternity and boudoir photography and deeply passionate about destination weddings. We shoot primarily in the Greater Montreal and Toronto area but also love traveling for work! Some destinations we have shot in are Quebec and colorful Mexico as well as California, Las Vegas/Nevada, New Orleans, and Asia. Since 2016, we have shot over 100 weddings and continue to love what we do so very much. When you’re always surrounded by love, happiness, and contagious, happy energy, what’s not to love? We are currently booking for 2021 weddings, so message us soon with any inquiries you may have about your portrait or wedding photography. Contact us here or email us info@Luxurymomentphotography.com.
Much Love,
Luxury Moment Photography
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