With so many weddings postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, couples have questions. The harsh reality is that the postponements will have a ripple effect in the wedding industry for at least the next year as people look to reschedule with their venues, services and vendors. Businesses are also figuring out what course to follow and how to best serve clients during this unprecedented time. We checked in with seven local wedding industry professionals for their takes on what couples should do if they’re postponing or if they’re just beginning to plan.
The Wedding Planner
Ciera Pope, lead wedding coordinator, The Hive Wedding Collective
Richmond Bride: With large weddings on hold, what are you doing these days?
Ciera Pope: I had nine weddings between March and June — most have been rescheduled for the fall. One is going to 2021. Fall is going to be crazy for all of us.
RB: What’s the first step if a couple has to reschedule?
Pope: Start with the venue first, because it’s literally first come, first served. You can’t drag your feet. You have to make a decision sooner rather than later. We understand the stress and apprehension, because you don’t want to change your date, but you should start looking at new dates immediately.
I have one client who was supposed to get married early May, with a full wedding weekend. My clients wanted that full wedding weekend experience, but the venue only had one Saturday remaining in 2020. So we moved the wedding to a Friday, and I was able to negotiate reduced rates for the space and lodging, since they’d have to check out earlier than usual on Saturday morning. Having a planner involved when you have to reschedule is a help because we can talk with the venue and vendors. There’s some flexibility in accommodating us based on our relationships.
RB: Are people coming to you with new wedding plans?
Pope: Inquiries are coming in more slowly, and they are all for 2021. We’re not getting too many for 2020. Venues are booked [for this year]. Really, 2020 is a wash, unless you are doing something very, very small.
Looking ahead, we may see double-header or triple-header weekends due to postponements. Sometimes, if planners have a relationship, couples can split some of the costs, like for a tent or restroom trailer or marquee. That’s a venue by venue situation.
RB: What’s happening with honeymoon travel?
Pope: With weddings, you want to be proactive. It’s the reverse with travel: You have to be reactive. Travel companies are locking people into something in the future, and they do not want to lose out on this money. They really want you to do a credit. If you don’t have insurance, you have to wait for a certain date when you can request a travel voucher. Because there are so many millions of people who are traveling, the refund process is taking a long time — I was quoted 90 days for one trip that cost more than $8,000. The better approach is to rebook the honeymoon once you have your new date.
RB: How are you reassuring couples?
Pope: I have some clients who were already planning to get married in the fall, and they are worried because the situation is literally changing day by day. I’m telling them we’re going to deal with it when we have to deal with it. Once people get over the trauma, the tears, the frustration, they are sad, but they are calmer. They have a plan, and they’re happy to have new dates.
This is a time when it’s really empowering to be a wedding planner. Our clients are looking at us to handle the details, and we will. Our motto is “Breathe, let us handle it.”
The Florist
Bron Hansboro, owner, The Flower Guy Bron
Bron Hansboro, aka The Flower Guy Bron, is making the most of his unexpected downtime. “Nothing we did” created the pandemic, he says, so his strategy has been to let go of the anxiety — as much as possible — and “reimagine, reassess and rest my creative mind.” Hansboro, known for his luxe floral arrangements, has been working with clients whose wedding plans were abruptly upended. “Coronavirus is not preventing people from getting married, for the most part. It is preventing the pomp and circumstance that we have created around getting married,” he says. “What makes a wedding is the joining of two people. I am encouraging people to remember that.” We spoke with Hansboro about what couples should know when selecting their wedding florals now and in the coming months.
Richmond Bride: Are weddings still taking place?
Bron Hansboro: We still have weddings scheduled in July, but most summer weddings have been postponed, and we are monitoring the situation daily. We started very early encouraging clients to reschedule, not cancel, because of the impact of canceling to their investment. The key now is for all vendors to work together as a team, to be flexible and as realistic as possible.
RB: Should couples put wedding plans on hold?
Hansboro: I am encouraging my clients to continue to plan, because we all need a sense of hope and something to look forward to. As responsible Americans, we need to be aware of the situation, but I don’t think that should be the focus for people who are planning weddings. We have to think of all of this as a supply chain. We all need to do our part to keep the supply chain going.
RB: Are flowers still available?
Hansboro: Our supply chain has been terribly interrupted. Right now, it’s hard to predict what’s available and when it will be available. Previously, I could say I could get any type of flower any time of year. Now I truly I cannot predict what kind of flowers I can get, unless they are locally grown. But it’s important for me to continue to order so I can do virtual demos. And I am encouraging people as much as possible to go to small farms, local farms, American farms, where we know they are likely to be able to produce flowers. River City Flower Exchange and Wind Haven Farm are two local operations that I feel are going to be inundated for locally grown flowers.
RB: Should couples consider silk flowers?
Hansboro: At this point, my plans are not to move into the silk realm, because I’m not asking my clients to change their investments. I’m planning to exhaust every international resource I have to fulfill expectations. But there are some flowers that could be easily mixed in with greenery and other products so we could get the volume that we expect and deliver.
RB: What changes do you expect to see in the coming months?
Hansboro: With so many spring and summer weddings impacted, availability is a big issue right now. Most couples want to keep their calendar year, which is fair, but in Virginia, fall is our busiest season. I think we’re going to see weddings take place all throughout the week, that the stigma of having a weekday wedding will fade away, because that’s what will be available. I can also see couples sharing wedding dates, flowers, decor, sharing the day with other couples that have smaller parties. There are ways to be creative and create alternative conditions so people can still get married.
It’s a human need to be around other people … and all of my livelihood is based on people gathering, but I’m more concerned about public safety and people being well instead of my own financial need. I think we need to sit at home until it’s truly safe. I know better than anyone that the economy needs to open, but it can’t open at the expense of American citizens and their safety.
The Venue
Jimmy Harris, director of catering, The Jefferson Hotel
The nearly 125-year-old Jefferson Hotel in downtown Richmond has served as a setting for nuptials since its earliest days, with one of its first events being a wedding party. In early November 1895, just days after opening on Oct. 31, renowned architect Stanford White hosted a celebration at The Jefferson for prominent couple Irene Langhorne and artist Charles Dana Gibson, who later used his wife and her sisters for his “Gibson Girl” illustrations that idealized the feminine modern American woman. Richmond Bride reached out to Jimmy Harris, director of catering for the Forbes Five Star and AAA Five Diamond award-winning property, for an update on weddings in the time of coronavirus.
Richmond Bride: Are couples canceling or postponing weddings?
Jimmy Harris: Couples are opting to postpone their weddings rather than cancel. Most have already chosen a new date, and their existing wedding plans have been successfully moved. Others have asked that we place a tentative hold on a new date and will confirm as soon as they can. It is not uncommon for us to host two weddings at different time frames in different event spaces on the same date, so that tradition will be continuing.
RB: Are any weddings being rescheduled for weekdays?
Harris: A few couples have rescheduled for a Friday when the Saturday of their preferred weekend was not available. At this time none have opted for a weekday.
RB: What about weddings in 2021 or 2022?
Harris: Availability for 2022 is still very good. Popular dates for 2021 have begun to fill, but we have been able to accommodate most new and rescheduled date requests thus far.
RB: What is The Jefferson's cancellation policy for new bookings? Has that changed because of the pandemic?
Harris: Our existing cancellation policy has proven to be flexible and accommodating for even this pandemic, so we have not made any changes at this time. Canceling or postponing a wedding are such unimaginable actions, so there must always be a degree of consideration in place for couples forced to make that disappointing decision.
RB: How has the process of planning a wedding at The Jefferson changed?
Harris: The planning process has not changed a great deal thus far. A telephone call or a video chat and lots of shared images allow us to keep the planning process moving forward. We do miss having face-to-face time with our couples and their families at the hotel. Nothing truly replaces the feeling as you walk through the grand ballroom or down the grand staircase with them. But we know we will be able to return to those traditions as soon as it is safe to do so.
RB: What do couples need to know now about planning their special day?
Harris: Couples should know that there is a knowledgeable and passionate group of wedding professionals in Richmond that are dedicated to providing them with wonderful memories. Couples should find those vendors who are the best at their craft. Those are the people who will create the magic on their wedding day, and that will make planning during this unique time the fun and exciting experience that every couple deserves.
We are encouraging our couples to make the decisions they are most comfortable with at this time with the knowledge that we will be here to support them on their big day whenever it can safely happen and however that day may need to look when the time comes.
The Stationer
Heather Bautista, owner, Riot + Revel
With weddings being postponed and canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, Heather Bautista, owner of custom stationery business Riot + Revel, says she’s been lucky to have maintained steady work. “I’m actually busier now [in late April] than I have been in the past couple months because, one, it’s either people are needing my services because they’re already a client of mine and we’re having to send a whole new communication out to their guests saying things are changing, and/or stationery is one of the first things that you do when you start wedding planning,” she explains. Even so, with uncertainty about the state of the wedding industry in the near future, Bautista knows to prepare for a slowdown. Richmond Bride spoke with her about what couples should do if they've sent invitations or plan to in the future.
Richmond Bride: How should couples communicate changes to their guests when the invitations have already been sent?
Heather Bautista: There are lots of innovative ways we've done it before. Let's say somebody sends out their entire suite, and then their venue is flooded, and they find out like two months before that they can't host at that venue and have to find a new venue. We've done fun stuff where, to cut down on costs but still be able to communicate to their guests, [we] sent a postcard with some fun language like, “Whoops, change of location.” … I'd say 95% of brides these days have a website to go along with their paper goods, but no one is going to look at their website for that type of information. Once guests have already been to it, they don't know to go look at it again. So sometimes you send something out that's like, “Hey, make sure you’re keeping an eye on the website for updates.”
What we’ve done for this pandemic, if they are close to their wedding date, is to send out another mailer … that says, “Please visit the website,” with a way for them to update their RSVP on that and a way for them to provide their best email address so any further communications would all be done via email at that point.
RB: Should couples hold off on sending out new invitations if they’re concerned about potentially rescheduling again down the road?
Bautista: You don't need to have a new date confirmed before you reach out to your guests. If you do, great, let's put it on there; if you don't, no big deal, because you're going to continue to keep them updated on the website, and then you're going to continue to reach out to them via email as things change. And things might have changed for them, too, right? So somebody might have RSVP’d they're coming, but now with your new date they might not be. It's kind of a two-way thing, so it's really important to have some sort of web presence where just as much as you need to keep in touch with your guests, they need to keep in touch with you.
RB: If someone wants to send out brand new invitations, as far as cost, do they have options, or would they have to pay all over again?
Bautista: They wouldn't have to pay all over again, because let's say they paid for a full invitation suite. That initial amount also includes my concepting time and design time. The cost they would incur by reprinting would just be the print cost, the materials cost and a minimal design fee. But I have been waiving the design fee, because we're not completely redesigning your invitations. We're just changing a little bit of language and the date, but the core of it is still there.
RB: Is there anything that couples should keep in mind as they go through the process of replacing their stationery?
Bautista: I would use your communications to your guests via post mail to be more about visiting your website. And honestly, make ‘em fun. My whole company is built around fun and merriment. They don't have to be somber. For example, they could say, “In the wake of today, we wanted a way to connect with you guys, and oh, by the way, the date’s changing.”
The Insurance Agent
President, GFH Insurance Agency
Gerald Hemphill, president and principal agent of GFH Insurance Agency, has nearly three decades’ worth of experience helping people secure coverage for special events — including weddings. But insurance coverage, just like other nuptial services, has had to react to changes brought by this year’s global pandemic. In fact, the Professional Insurance Agents association, of which Hemphill is a former state affiliate president and former national director, has had to reschedule multiple summer meetings of their own. On a local and national level, the association has continued to provide resources to assist members with navigating industry changes stemming from dealing with everything from Gov. Ralph Northam’s executive orders to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. We spoke with Hemphill about how the insurance industry is responding to impacts from COVID-19.
Richmond Bride: What coverage is relevant for weddings?
Gerald Hemphill: There’s liability and cancellation insurance, and they are two different things. Liability insurance is typically required by the venue, because they want coverage if somebody or something is injured or damaged. An event liability policy protects the wedding party from being sued by the venue or somebody else. Cancellation coverage provides reimbursement in case the wedding is canceled due to illness or sickness or some unforeseen event, such as the dress shop burns down a week before the wedding, or if the luggage is lost when people are traveling to an out-of-town wedding. There are specific coverage triggers, and clients have to understand what those triggers are. For example, some carriers include grandparents as immediate family, so if Grandma gets sick and is in the hospital, the coverage would apply. But other carriers don’t include grandparents as immediate family.
RB: Have you received any claims due to wedding cancellations as a result of the pandemic?
Hemphill: No. Right now, most folks have postponed their weddings, so their coverage is in place. May and June weddings have been pushed to the fall, and my carriers are not having any trouble at all carrying those policies; they are willing to work with new dates. I have one couple who decided to get married in a small ceremony and will have the party later. They are still going to make it a big deal, but they will already be married. The carrier was very willing to facilitate that date change, because the couple wasn’t looking to be reimbursed. It’s going to be a challenge if anyone tries to put a claim against a policy strictly because of this pandemic.
RB: Are cancellation policies still available?
Hemphill: Carriers have suspended our ability to write cancellation insurance, because we don’t know about what might happen later this year. Typically, policies rely on triggers, and normally a pandemic is not a trigger. But at this point, there is too much ambiguity. I imagine carriers will start putting in very specific policy language about exclusions. Until carriers can wrap their heads around how they can handle the uncertainty, we won’t see cancellation policies being offered. I do think they will come back, just in a few months.
RB: Are couples still contacting you for coverage?
Hemphill: I’m not seeing the call volume I was in early March, but people are still planning weddings. They’re saving dates, but they’re not calling the planners yet. A lot of venues aren’t even available to talk right now, they’re so busy rescheduling events. There’s an unspoken strain on the whole process right now. Everything is kind of on hold. But we’re still getting emails and questions.
RB: What’s the best way for couples to protect themselves?
Hemphill: People will buy a policy and think anything and everything is covered, but that’s not the case. You have to understand the policy and understand the triggers. Because more venues are requiring liability coverage, that’s pretty commonplace now. I would ask for a specimen copy of the insurance policy. That’s a sample policy — a contract — that gives definitions, who’s covered, the triggers. It’s important to read that carefully. The carrier should not have a problem forwarding it. That way, you know what you’re getting and what you’re not getting. With insurance, knowing what you’re not buying is just as important as what you are buying.
The Baker
Keya Wingfield, co-owner, Candy Valley Cake Co.
For Keya Wingfield, who co-owns Candy Valley Cake Co. with her husband, David, the 10th anniversary of her business hasn’t been the celebration she thought it would be. Postponements, supply issues and an uncertain future have put a strain on what would otherwise have been a booming wedding season. Wingfield specializes in dessert bars, including her famous cake pops, and she creates wedding cakes. She's taken a humorous approach to the current situation by creating mask emoji cake pops and toilet paper roll cakes and cake pops, all for pickup. She says she wanted to create something that “people would enjoy or get a good laugh out of.” Richmond Bride spoke with Wingfield about what couples should keep in mind as they plan to serve cake and desserts at their weddings.
Richmond Bride: With the postponements you have received, are you still honoring contracts as you would have before the mandate to cancel large events?
Keya Wingfield: Everything stays the same unless the bride changes her mind about the color scheme or something like that, but the contract will just kind of stay as is.
RB: So you’re essentially extending the contract?
Wingfield: Any weddings we have or events, we told them that they have up to a year to maintain the same thing. After a year, we would revisit and kind of redraft the contract and talk about what the needs are then.
RB: For couples who are having to postpone, what’s the first step they should take when it comes to their baker?
Wingfield: Let’s say I’m a bride and I’m talking to my baker, and we’re postponing the wedding. So my questions to my baker would be, “How long can we extend this contract? Will there be fees or penalties for changing designs down the road? Will you be able to provide the same structure and design as we've talked about? And will there be any fees to kind of redo the contract later on?”
RB: Do couples have any options if their baker shuts down permanently?
Wingfield: I think this is a question they should ask any vendor who they are talking to about postponing: “In the event that you're not open, what happens, and will there be recommendations?” Because I think the wedding planner is going to be a key person at that time, obviously, to figure out what the backup plan is.
RB: Is there anything else people should consider as they reschedule?
Wingfield: Keeping a little perspective and kindness would be nice, because it's not just one person — both parties are going through really major changes. It's horrible that a couple has to postpone their wedding. It's terrible that the vendor has to lose the business. So, it's just a lose-lose on both sides. I think being flexible is very important. Safety obviously, you know, let's say the time comes and the wedding is on, but the baker still isn't comfortable opening up their business and doing the work. So, what then? I think it’s just a matter of taking it day by day or making decisions as you go.
RB: For couples looking to book a baker now, are they able to do so?
Wingfield: Absolutely. We actually have done it many times. We provide curbside pickup on wedding cake samples, and then I schedule a Zoom call with the bride to talk about what it is that they're looking to get. So that process is ongoing for us.
RB: Is Candy Valley Cake Co. resorting to any other tactics to reach clients?
Wingfield: What we're doing is, let's say there's going to be a virtual wedding in say a month's time. We would ship out cakes to their guests, and the guests would get to eat the cake on the day the wedding is happening virtually and join in through the internet. We must celebrate one way or the other, and we have to adapt to a changing industry, so if this is what it takes, then this is what it takes, and we’ll make it happen.
The Caterer
Ellie Basch, founder and co-owner, Everyday Gourmet
Like many wedding industry professionals, Ellie Basch, who co-owns catering company Everyday Gourmet, is taking things one day at a time. They have been offering catering drop-offs and continue to offer their boxed meals service, but until restrictions on large gatherings are lifted, their income has diminished. “I feel for the brides and grooms planning a wedding during the pandemic or immediately post-pandemic,” Basch says, “because none of us know what’s gonna happen, when this is gonna end, so everyone’s stress level is higher.” When we talked with Basch, she shared some advice on what couples should think about as they navigate the unclear future during this unprecedented time.
Richmond Bride: For couples who already had their caterer booked and are now having to postpone their wedding, what are the first steps they should take?
Ellie Basch: The first thing they need to do is they need to be realistic, like, “On my guest list, are a lot of people from out of town?” Because that would determine whether or not you're gonna postpone, reschedule. Are you gonna cancel, or are you just going to have a very intimate 10-people wedding? That's the first thing they gotta do. … Because when you reach out to your caterer and the event planner and the venue, you kind of need to know whether or not your wedding is going to be happening or when.
RB: Letting your vendors know there are changes and staying in touch is key.
Basch: Yeah. Another piece of advice that I would give is we as vendors understand that weddings are a big expense, but we also need them to understand that for vendors, this is also our livelihood, so we both need to be understanding. We relaxed a lot of the nonrefundable deposit, if we can reschedule, hold the dates or move back or whatever, but they’ve gotta understand, especially for caterers, we’re just like restaurants, it’s cash flow, so the deposit they paid us, it’s already more than likely being used for operation, so give us time to return your money.
RB: What should couples do if they’re worried about their vendor’s survival through loss of business?
Basch: With all this uncertainty, I don’t think it’s wrong for the bride and groom to ask realistically, “Hey, Everyday Gourmet, are you still going to be in business next year?” I'm a believer of being straightforward with people and be honest about it. … I think asking it upfront should not be a taboo. … To be honest, for me going forward, I would rather work with a bride and groom who would be understanding and said, “OK, we'll take it step by step, month by month, with a confidence that we will survive,” but who knows? If we do cease operations, we will return your money and [figure out] how much is being held [based on work completed].
RB: Do you have any advice for couples who are looking to book a caterer now?
Basch: I think for those who are newly engaged, do your homework first. Like what is your A scenario when the sky is blue, there's no COVID-19, everything is perfect, this is my dream wedding? And then scenario B is what if we have to downsize because of COVID-19, what’s the post-pandemic plan, because it’s hard if you book a caterer, and the caterer said, “OK, this is the menu proposal for 200 people,” and then you couldn’t find the venue that you want to accommodate that 200 people. Every time a caterer has to change something, that is an amount of hours that is not paid. And it’s the same, I think, not just for caterers, but they really have to think about it for all the vendors.
RB: Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Basch: Things can change quickly, and it already is stressful, it’s a big commitment of time and money and energy, and then you add this additional stress that none of us have any control over. I feel for [couples], but I think being open and communicative — and kindness — will go a long way to make the process a little less stressful.
