It’s unavoidable to see updates throughout the day of the COVID=19 virus impacts across the globe, and our hearts go out to everyone who has been directly effected or experiencing the ripple effect of the virus. We know that when planning a wedding the last thing on your mind is social distancing and hand sanitizer, and our focus is on supporting our couples and wedding-pro friends through this.
While our local area has not had any positive cases - we are keeping a close eye on CDC and World Health Organization recommendations for gatherings. Please see the most current update as of March 15th regarding social gatherings of 50 guests or more. (click here for direct link to CDC update)
It should be noted that the current CDC recommendation is not an official ban, but that could change, pending updates from Governor Newsom. In the meantime for couples who have an upcoming wedding in the next 8-10 weeks we encourage you to take time and discuss with your family about what is right for your wedding and loved ones.
With that being said we have compiled the following tips regarding some of the main questions that couples may have:
Will my event/cancellation insurance cover COVID-19
Each policy writer will have specific clauses relating to provisions and exclusions, so it is important to review your policy documents and refer to the company’s website for further instructions. Please note that we have seen strong advice to not attempt to purchase any new cancellation policies related to the COVID-19 outbreak, as a known occurrence at the time of purchase would be excluded from coverage.Are vendors cancelling any dates?
As of now, the consensus we have seen from the majority of vendors is the intent to honor all dates and will make adjustments as they relate to hand washing, sanitation, staffing, etc as recommended to take every precaution for your safety. There may be fees for moving your date, refer to your vendors/venue agreement for clarification.Will my guests be able to travel to my wedding?
Travel impacts are expected however we are seeing several updates indicating that domestic air travel is relatively safe due to cabin air pressure and at this time we haven’t seen airports specifically discontinuing flights. We do expect guest counts to be lower in the earlier months of wedding season especially with older groups or families with small children.
We will continue to stay updated on press releases as well as local impacts to assist our couples and the local wedding community. If you have an upcoming event and do not have a planner to assist you, please reach out as we will always offer a complimentary time to discuss your plans & how we can best help you.
Our team will be working to reach out to all of our scheduled couples and their vendors to establish a working plan B as well as taking precautions so that our whole team stays healthy in order to best serve our couples. This will include scheduling virtual meetings with our couples and vendors for the next few months.
Stay well,
The 530 Bride Team