Sit Down And Talk
First of all, sit down with your partner and talk. Because the dream wedding you've been planning for months has to be held off due to a global pandemic, and both of you have slid into panic mode. And it's totally, 100% OKAY.
One could say that the threat outside your door is bigger, but always know that your feelings matter as well. And more importantly, do not think of it as a bad omen. It's just a little setback, and you need to deal with it and get past it as you have always done throughout your relationship. Talking to your partner is definitely going to help you cope with the situation in a better manner.
Later on, talk to your family and close friends; it helps too.
Be Realistic About The Time Frame
It has been only ten days since COVID-19 outbreak emerged in Sri Lanka. Like we stated previously, so far there have been 59 positive cases, and unfortunately, this number will only grow in the upcoming weeks as there are many untested and untraced cases.
The government and the relevant authorities have been imposing curfews and travel restrictions, declaring special holidays, suspending on arrival visa, and temporarily closing down public places as a method of encouraging self-quarantine. With these precautionary steps, hopefully, Sri Lanka will be able to get a handle on this situation within the next few months. Therefore, unless your wedding is due within the next three months, there is no need to be too stressed out about this.
None of us knows about what's to come after three months, but it's always good to keep your spirits up, positive and hopeful. At the same time, do keep in mind that the situation is changing fast, and it's highly unpredictable. But always know that it's still not the time to let go of your plans.
Contact Your Vendors
Given that you've decided to postpone the wedding, the first set of people to inform would be the vendors that you've hired/booked, including the venue. Chances are that they're already expecting this, and even if it's not, be flexible and patient. They can provide you with the necessary guidance on what your next steps and options are, and how to proceed later when you decide the new date.
Thoroughly Understand Your Contracts
Pandemic or not, bugging your vendors about whether you can get a full/partial refund of the non-refundable advance payment you paid to book them is bad manners. Thoroughly go through the contracts you signed with the vendors and understand your options and terms that both parties agreed upon, and respect them. This is a hard time for everyone.
Inform Your Guests Immediately
A lot of couples these days seem to use social media platforms like Facebook to invite people to their weddings. Usually, it's done through a private Facebook event created by the couple, which comes in handy as the invitees can RSVP easily then and there itself. Some couples do it through a group thread on Messenger/WhatsApp as well.
However, how you break the news about your decision to postpone the wedding should be a bit more traditional than that. They're family and friends who matter to you; they must be in the process of making arrangements to be at your wedding too. Therefore, they should be informed properly, preferably via a phone call or a well-written, personally-addressed email.
It's gonna be a bit of task with long guest lists, so split it with your partner and family, and buzz them up. You have to do it as quickly as possible too. The sooner you inform, the lesser they have to do to cancel the arrangements/plans they've made for your wedding.
Save What's Usable
It's the same wedding you've always wanted; you're having it on a different date. Therefore the cake boxes, invitations and many other elements that you've arranged so far are perfectly reusable. You can easily change the dates on your wedding cards and cake boxes by printing the new date on a similar/almost similar piece of paper, cutting it out as small as you can and glueing it on over the old date.
