Covid-19 and Weddings – what to do?

I finally have some new information regarding weddings over the next while.

If you need to change your wedding date, please contact me ASAP! We will work together to get you a new date – if you can get all of your vendors moved to your new date, please be flexible with your ceremony start time – this will make your life easier as I will be able to fit you in, just maybe not at your first choice of time slot. 

Here is some advice for postponing your wedding:

1. Contact your venue first to ask them about a new date.

2. Contact the rest of your vendors, starting with your top 3 priority vendors ie photographer, caterer, and hair & makeup artists – or whatever is most important to you – they book the whole day for you, I book 1.5 hours for you, and can do 5 weddings in a day, so it is easier for me to fit you in my schedule than your bigger vendors.

3. Review your contracts! My contract includes a clause for changing dates so you don’t need to worry about me – your deposit will simply be applied to your new date and I will update my book and your file to reflect your new date. I understand there are some venues and vendors that have refused to budge on their contracts – please have a lawyer help you if you are going to lose a lot of money on your venue or other vendors.

4. Be kind. Vendors are managing many weddings at one time and as your wedding crumbles, our businesses and livelihoods are crumbling at the same time. I do my best to make every couple feel like they are the only couple I have, and in reality I currently have 45 couples all worrying about their weddings. When you are talking to your vendors, please remember it is human nature to go above and beyond for people who are nice so don’t be shy about pouring some honey on the situation!  All of my couples have been fantastic so I know y’all are out there being super cool with your other vendors too and I thank you for that!

5. Accept that you might not get a Saturday wedding – I do have a few Saturdays open but at this stage I have mostly Fridays and Sundays. Your other vendors are likely in the same boat. Consider November and December if you have your heart set on a Saturday wedding.

6. Your dress! Find out when it is now due to arrive and how many weeks will be needed for alterations. Depending on where your dress is being shipped from it might be weeks or even months before it arrives. Factor this into your new date decisions. 

7. Flowers are seasonal and if you move your wedding a few months you might not get the flowers you want. Great news tho…autumn flowers are spectacular!

The government has not said whether clergy is an essential service or not – and they have said churches are to direct their officiants accordingly. In case you didn’t know, every officiant is ordained in a religious organization of some sort that must be recognized by the province of Ontario. The exception to this is a judge, justice of the peace, and municipal clerk. At the bottom of your licence it asks which one your officiant is – we mark registered religious official. Yes I am ordained, yes I am clergy. No you don’t have to have a religious wedding to use my services.

My church has directed me to follow the rules of law when it comes to gathering for non-essential events. Limits of 5 people at a time and social distancing – this means once the worst of this has passed, (hopefully within a few weeks) I MAY be able to perform small, outdoor ceremonies while abiding by all of the safety precautions we have been following lately. This means social distancing, bringing your own pens, you handle the rings, and sealing your licence in a ziplock bag for my protection etc. Until then I will not be able to perform marriage ceremonies except under the most dire circumstances (like an ICU or imminent death wedding for which there is no fee as my first role is as Pastoral Chaplain and to serve my community in the best way possible).

Until further notice we will be gathering in a groups of no more than 5 of us to abide by the rules and guidelines the government is asking us to follow for everyone’s safety and protection.  The earliest I predict we will be able to perform marriage ceremonies is May 1st and this date may change over the coming weeks as the government makes decisions about how we as a society can operate and function. I can make no date guarantees and as I take bookings they come with the caveat that the date might need to be changed without penalty to you, or me.

I am currently booking for late 2020 and all of 2021.

I will be handling ceremonies like this on a case by case basis – and asking a lot of questions before we commit to make sure I am not putting myself at any risk.

I have been told by my local town hall they will help people get marriage licences. It is by appointment only and only if you have a wedding coming up soon – like April or May. If any of my couples need to get their licence, please message me so I can get you the name and number of the person you need to speak to.

As far as funerals go – at this time I am only performing graveside services and will follow the guidelines of the Bereavement Authority of Ontario of which I am a licenced member.

I hope that helps! I know many of you are worried about what is going to happen with your weddings – and I am working with every couple to make the transition seamless and smooth. Dates are being changed quickly and easily and we all just need to work together to create a new plan for you.

Don’t forget to follow me on my social media:
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I hope to see you soon and until then, please stay safe!
Avril xoxo