It is April 6th, 2020 and we are on lockdown because of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Many of you know me as a family member, friend, DJ and business owner. Some of you are my wedding clients – people that I’ve gotten to know over the last year or so and that have trusted me to DJ your wedding.
Some of you, whether you’re working with me or not, are expecting to get married soon – like this April, May, June and July.
There’s a lot of uncertainty right now. You’re probably feeling nervous about not knowing if your wedding is going to happen. You’re probably upset and feeling like this isn’t fair. You’re probably worried that you’ve wasted all of this time and money on something could potentially be cancelled. You might even be just bummed out about your honeymoon being delayed.
I want you to know that I feel you. I completely understand and I’m with you.
I created this post to hopefully ease some of those nerves and give you three tips on how handle your current situation and how to approach your wedding plans if you’re expecting to get married this April, May, June or July.
The three tips are simple. Number one is Be Optimistic. Number two is to Be Flexible. And Number three is to Be Proactive.
Tip #1: Be Optimistic
I’m sure you’re saying “easier said than done Eric.” But hear me out…
There is so much good that come from this and it’s important to remember that. It’s also important to remember that your wedding isn’t just about the time of year or the money or the location – It’s about you guys. It’s about love. It’s about celebrating. And you can do that anywhere, anytime.
Also, when you are in a positive mindset, you’re more likely to be creative and come up with unique ideas to make your wedding that much better.
Tip #2: Be Flexible With Your Date
You may have expected to get married on a Saturday, but the reality is if you have to make the tough call to postpone to later in the year, the chances of all your vendors having the same Saturday available in 2020 are going to be slim.
Be flexible and open-minded to the idea of having a Thursday, Friday or Sunday wedding. I think Friday weddings are actually kind of cool, especially if you have guests coming in from out-of-town. That gives you more quality time to spend with them AFTER the wedding. You know, brunch the next day – or going out on the town on Saturday to celebrate some more and relive and reminisce about your wedding day.
Tip #3: Be Proactive
Even if you’re in that grey area, of not knowing if you’ll have to postpone or not – those mid-late June and July weddings — start contacting all of your vendors now.
Ask them for their available Friday, Saturday and Sunday dates for the rest of the year and find ones when they all match up. I actually made a list of all my available dates for the rest of the year and have sent them to most of my clients. The sooner you can come up with that backup plan, the smoother the transition will be should you have to postpone.
Conclusion
Even though these are tough and uncertain times, it’s important to know what to do about your wedding plans. My three tips again are:
-
- Be Optimistic
- Be Flexible (with your date)
- Be Proactive (contact your vendors and have a backup plan)
I hope these tips have helped ease the stress even just a little bit and given you some practical things you can do right now to prepare for any changes that may come.
~ Eric Rhodes
(Note: Main image in this post is courtesy of Ampersand Studios.)
Eric Rhodes is the owner of Rhodes Entertainment in Boise, ID. He has always had a passion for entertaining people through music. Eric officially started mixing records at the University of Idaho in 1999. After college Eric moved to Boise where he started making a name for himself in the local music/club scene with his unique sets of House, Indie and Hip-Hop tracks. He started his business in 2011 after realizing that his career in TV news just wasn’t for him. Since then, Eric has been following his dream by building his mobile DJ Company.
Aside from music, Eric has a passion for fitness, personal development and, most importantly, raising his young family. He was also the President of his local Toastmasters Club and President of the Idaho Event Professionals group.