BALTIMORE — Brides are having to move their weddings due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Restrictions on public gatherings has forced many to postpone their upcoming nuptials, including Erika Brannock, who was supposed to get married on March 28, 2020.
Brannock said she made the tough decision several weeks ago to postpone her wedding for a few months.
“As hard as it was for me to accept the fact that I wasn’t going to get married on the date that I originally picked, I know that it’s a safer option for us right now. A lot of our guests are either older, or have compromised immune systems so that became a really big concern for me and I didn’t want to put their health at risk,” said Brannock.
Fortunately, her venue and vendors have been accommodating, but some things you just can’t change.
“Our wedding favors have March 28th, 2020 [on them],” said Brannock. “So, we’re like okay, this is going to be a funny story later on I guess.”
For Brannock, her wedding is a celebration of not only her love, but how far she's come and the support she's received from her fiancé, Steven Moon, after losing her leg and almost her life in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings.
Brannock’s disappointed, as any bride would be, but she says it’s important to remember that it’s still going to happen.
“My advice would be to remember how solid you guys are, and that you’re doing this to get married, it’s not about a specific date,” Brannock said.
And as a consolation, certain guests will now be able to attend her special day.
“The woman that saved my life, Amanda North, wasn’t going to be able to come on the 28th and I was devastated about that. I couldn’t imagine getting married and not having the woman who saved my life there. So now that we’re able to push it back, and we can wait until everyone is safe and healthy, she can be there,” said Brannock.
The Knot has a guide on steps to take when postponing your wedding. They’re advising brides to:
- Let your vendors know about your decision as soon as possible
- Read through your contracts to know what your options are in regards to refunds
- See what wedding insurance will cover, if you have it
- Come up with a plan on how to notify your guests
- And still find a way to celebrate the day, even if it’s not the day you originally planned
For the full list, click here.
The Knot and WeddingWire have also partnered to provide brides with a help hotline. The hotline can be reached at 833-998 2865, or by email at help@weddingwire.com and help@theknot.com.
A spokeswoman with The Knot said brides can expect to hear from wedding experts on their customer service team and event planners working every day of the week.
“We know this isn't easy, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. No matter what phase of planning they are in, couples are encouraged to reach out to our experts,” she wrote.
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