Over the past week, we have received an unprecedented number of enquiries from concerned individuals and businesses regarding the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and how it is now beginning to impact on wedding plans.
These are deeply unsettling, uncertain and worrying times for all whom this concerns. As a team, we feel strongly that we need to acknowledge this situation through our website and social channels and let you know what we are doing in response to support the wedding community and industry.
Whilst none of us know what’s going to happen, or have all the answers, we are busy co-ordinating a response for those of you worrying about your weddings and wedding businesses. We are currently talking with legal contracts experts, boutique owners, designers, planners, venue experts and service suppliers and we will be publishing their advice and guidance here on Love My Dress very soon.
To Brides, Grooms and Couples Planning Weddings
We’ve got your back and we promise you all that we are absolutely 100% here for you, hearing you, providing a voice for you and supporting you.
We are aware that many of you are very anxious about your upcoming weddings and uncertain of what to do for the best.
We know that you have many questions and we want to help.
Please be reassured that we are working actively behind the scenes, talking with experts and advisors to obtain advice on your behalf that we will publish this advice to Love My Dress as soon as we can.
Please use the form below to submit any questions you might like us to pass on, or to leave any comments or queries in general.
Our most important message to those of you worrying about having to postpone your wedding right now is this; cancelling bookings does not mean that your wedding is cancelled. It means your wedding is being postponed. This pandemic will pass eventually and your wedding will happen when the time is right.
Please kindly take a moment to consider that the wedding industry has been built largely by people who have set up their own businesses in order to try and do something better, and make both their lives and the lives of others richer and fuller. These people are giving so much already. That everything they have worked for is now teetering on the brink of something that absolutely nobody could have foreseen, is extremely frightening. Livelihoods are at risk. Please bear with your suppliers at this time, as they do their utmost to respond to your concerns. I guarantee your suppliers will be doing everything that is humanly possibly to avoid causing you any unnecessary stress.
Brides, if you haven’t joined our closed group for brides and newlyweds yet, you can do so here. We are a nearly 5,000 strong community of individuals and the vibe of the group is and always has been safe, trusting, inclusive, non-judgemental and supportive. There are lots of discussions taking place around this matter with brides sharing their own individual experiences.
To suppliers everywhere in the industry
We have your back and know that many of you are anxious about how this is going to impact your businesses. We do not underestimate the anxiety you may be experiencing. We know that the next few days, weeks and potentially months are going to be difficult – that there will be shell shock, uncertainty and confusion for some time to come.
This a time for us all to be kind and good to one another, to lean in to our peer groups and Facebook communities, to share, listen, step up and do what we can to support one another.
We will keep working with and promoting you. We’re ready to do what needs to be done. We promise that whatever else is happening or being said, whatever noise is filling our worlds, that your voices are still going to be heard and your wonderful wedding brands and businesses continue to be shared and celebrated.
To our beloved partners, advertisers and directory members – we are going to be getting in touch over the next couple of days to share our plans.
And a final note to everyone
None of us know what’s going to happen or the full extent of the impact this pandemic will have on our lives, businesses and wedding plans. Whatever unfolds in the coming days and weeks, we will continue to publish on a daily basis, because what we do know for certain is that regardless of what’s happening in the world, we all need a place we can go to feel a sense of escape, belonging and love.
We will be publishing again on this matter shortly with words and advice from a number of trusted industry experts – if you have any questions for these people, please use the form below (which has been created so that you can submit questions anonymously if you prefer).
The biggest virtual hug to you all – remember, we’re are all in this together.
Annabel x
Annabel View all Annabel's articles
Founder of Love My Dress. Passionate Podcaster and Editor. Annabel lives in rural North Yorkshire with her husband and business partner Philip, their two daughters and menagerie of furry hounds. She loves photography, meditation, walking, being outdoors and star gazing. She is fierce when it comes to championing talent within the wedding industry and when she's not working on Love My Dress, she supports her husband Philip in the running of the family's sustainable flower farm and floral design business, Moonwind Flowers. In 2013, she became a published author.
