Hi friends!
If you’re in the process of postponing or changing your original wedding plans, know that you are far from alone. The past year or so has required an immense amount of flexibility and grace from everyone in the wedding space, from vendors to the couples saying, “I do,” to their families and guests. But that’s okay — we’re all in this together, supporting one another as much as we can.
With that in mind, the better informed you keep your guests as details change, the better equipped they will be to go with the flow of things. Here are a few simple pieces of advice to consider when it comes to communicating wedding plan adjustments to your family and friends.
Call immediate family members and members of your bridal party.
If you’ve decided to postpone your wedding or make another significant change to the plan already laid out for your loved ones, start with courtesy calls to those actively involved in your big day. The way I think about it is if they’re going to be wearing a corsage or boutonniere or carrying a bouquet, they should hear about the change directly from you. The nuance of a phone conversation makes it so much easier to connect genuinely, share why plans are changing, discuss how you feel about it, and acknowledge how much you care that they be involved. The personal touch matters and makes everyone all the more compassionate.
Email the entire guest list.
An email might sound a little business-like, but it really is one of the best communication methods for notifying everyone about a change quickly. It’s especially helpful when your changes require people to adjust flights and accommodations, as it gives them the biggest window of time to do so. Take some time to craft your email like a letter, offering as much detail as you want regarding the change in your plans and reminding everyone how you appreciate their love and support. It’s also an excellent opportunity to link to your wedding website for additional details.
Pro tip: Use BCC when adding all your contacts to this message to prevent an unwanted chain of reply-all responses.
Send some snail mail.
Once you’ve completed your phone calls and sent your emails, feel free to get creative with a “change the date” mailer or postcard. This communication brings the fun back to the wedding planning process, sharing one of your favorite engagement photos for people to post on their refrigerators and officially setting a new day to get excited about! It can be as simple or as fancy as you like — as long as it clearly presents the new information for your guests, you’re good to go.
Notes for Smaller Changes
Now, if you’re not postponing your wedding and need to notify your guests of another change — say, you decided to go with a different venue or you moved the ceremony time up a few hours — these communications can be much simpler. An email with the new information (and again, a link to your updated wedding website) will likely suffice. And it can’t hurt to call immediate family members and members of your bridal party to make sure they received the new information and that everyone is on the same page. Just do your best to share the news as soon as the changes are official so guests can update their plans accordingly.
Please know that I am here to walk this walk with you. While we are seeing an upswing in weddings that are back to a more “normal” celebration, many people are still not ready for large celebrations. If I can help in any way, give me call. Together, we’ve got this.
Happy Wedding Planning!
Sarah Keenan, Photographer
Knoxville, Nashville, Asheville
Johnson City + Chattanooga
Travel Photographer
