Coronavirus, Emergencies & Your Wedding Day
It’s impossible to open any social media platform without seeing all the news surrounding the current coronavirus outbreak. So it’s no surprise that couples everywhere are concerned about how this will affect wedding day plans. As a photographer, I can’t help ease minds regarding the virus, but I can reassure you regarding your wedding day. For updates on the virus, I recommend visiting the CDC website.
Coronavirus vs Wedding Day Insurance
A good friend and fellow vendor did some recon for us this week regarding wedding day insurance. This is a snippet from her post in our Seattle Wedding Network group:
“I just got off the phone with Wedsure and Wedsafe. You can’t cover your wedding for Coronavirus. It’s not possible. Insurance companies do not cover anything that’s a KNOWN CIRCUMSTANCE. Both companies said they’ve been flooded with people from Washington trying to buy a policy. They are keeping a very special eye on this state and will do extra work looking into any cancellations on policies that happen this year to prevent fraud. The purpose of insurance is to cover unknown emergencies. They’ve also never covered pandemics. Travel insurance also doesn’t cover pandemics.”
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While it’s always a good idea to have these insurance policies, I highly recommend double checking what they cover so you’re 100% sure of what you’re getting. It’s safe to assume that there may be delays in the near future for those who are submitting claims, due to the companies need to review each claim in detail. I’m not saying to skip the insurance by any means. Rather: be prepared to wait a little longer for insurance payouts if you need to postpone or cancel your wedding in the next 12-18 months.
Guest Counts, Alternative Plans & Vendor Chats
So what options do you have? Postponing or cancelling is going to be costly. Depending on your vendors contracts, you may be forfeiting part or all of your retainer and if your wedding is coming up in the next 30-60 days, you may still owe the balance of your package even if you postpone or cancel. Check your contract and chat with your vendors. A few of us will allow retainers to be used towards your new wedding date, however even that varies greatly from business to business. Another thing to keep in mind: many vendors are starting to book 2021 and 2022 already. Dates may go incredibly fast if 2020 weddings are postponed until next year.
Continuing to have your wedding isn’t a bad thing at all. Guest counts might be lower as older relatives choose to stay home and families with tiny children avoid risking exposure. This works in your favor though, as your catering bill will be lower. Consider using the extra money to hire someone to livestream your wedding ceremony (or hire a videographer if you haven’t already)! A livestream would let all those family members who couldn’t make it physically still “attend” virtually.
If you haven’t already: ask your vendors what their policies and plans are if they get sick. Do they have backup plans? When will you know if they’re sending someone else? What constitutes sickness for them?
My Emergency Policy
Over the past 10 years, I’ve had my fair share of emergency situations. Family deaths, kids with broken arms, sick kids and even myself getting the flu. In the past there has been nothing that kept me from successfully capturing a wedding I was hired for. I even photographed an elopement six days after my last csection. Knock on wood, everything has always worked out.
The truth is though; I’m a planner. While pregnant, I brought a third photographer to weddings where I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to perform up to my own standards. I have a list of photographers I can call upon at a moment’s notice (not just one or two because they all have their own businesses, but a LIST of them) to photograph the wedding. In most cases, they’ll upload the photos so I can do all the editing and delivery. This ensures you’ll still get photos that are cohesive with my portfolio, even if I didn’t photograph your wedding.
My main goal? No surprises on your wedding day. Whenever possible, you’ll be aware no less than 72 hours in advance UNLESS it’s an emergency or I suddenly get really sick during that time. I strive to provide the name of who will be photographing your wedding, so you can check out their website and get to know them before they arrive.
Thankfully, I’ve never had to use this policy but there’s a first for everything. Your wedding day should be a time of celebration, so keep calm and wash yo hands. Coronavirus or no coronavirus, everything will work out.
