Has your wedding day been postponed due to covid restrictions? If so, I can't imagine how heartbreaking this is for you. Know that you aren't alone, and that this won't last forever, but in the meantime, give yourself permission to feel all the feels. The disappointment, the sadness, the lack of control, the uncertainty and of course, the sadness.
As a celebrant, I'm hearing from stressed out couples who are pivoting plans, postponing or cancelling all together. These are uncertain times, and it is so hard to plan your wedding when there is so much uncertainty in the world around us.
Here are some tips for those who are affected, and specifically, for those who have a date coming up that was supposed to be their wedding day, which is now, just another day...
Celebrate the day as a day dedicated to you and your relationship. Name it something that resonates... eg. "Our Un-wedding Day", "Postponement Day", "Supposed to be Wedding Day"... if you think of something cooler, let me know so I can share it and together, we can inspire others!
Have a sleep in and cook a yummy breakfast together. Crack a bottle of bubbles and start the day off in style.
Get dressed up... full face of makeup, do something special with your hair, put on a fancy suit, wear a beautiful dress... make yourself feel awesome.
If the budget allows, contact your florist and see if they can deliver a bunch of flowers with some of the flowers you had chosen for your wedding. Pop them on your dining table or somewhere visible to bring some joy and good vibes.
Spend the morning together, or even spend it in separate rooms and FaceTime/Zoom your wedding party. Chat about how you would have spent your wedding day morning and all the things you will do when it's the real deal (and even the things you don't want to do on the actual day - this will help you consciously create your dream wedding morning when the day comes.)
Have a scrumptious picnic lunch someone special in your home. You may even be able to reach out to your caterer to see if they can deliver some of their yummy food for you!! Spend this time reminiscing on your favourite memories together so far. Talk about your first date, how you felt, that moment when you knew you'd found your perfect forever love.
Spend the afternoon together chilling... play a board game, some cards, or lawn games if you have them. Enjoy each other's company and make fun or relaxation your mission.
When it's ceremony time, have a chat about how you think the ceremony would have gone. Would one of you have been "fashionably late"? Would you have been feeling nervous? You could even share your vows with each other... (or if you're super romantic, you could write each other a letter to read sometime today).
In the evening, you could organise a group chat with your family and/or friends for cocktail hour, and share your day with them. Tell them how excited you are for when the day actually arrives, and have some virtual drinks together. Open the floor for "Postponement Day" (or whatever you decided to call it) for speeches.
You can't change the direction of the wind, but you can adjust the sails. You can have a terrible day of depression and sadness, or you can take the opportunity to make it fun and memorable - just the two of you (or if restrictions allow it, with some close favourites.)
One of the best quotes I've seen so far is this... "We isolate now so when we gather again, no one is missing". You'll have your date beautiful souls... and it will be everything you've ever dreamed of.
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