A Q&A WITH EVENT DESIGNER MEGAN GAINES
If you're facing the decision to reschedule your wedding day, you aren't alone. To all the couples out there who have already postponed their day or are only just now considering it, you're amazing.
One of our very own was set to celebrate her big day on April 18 but ultimately decided to postpone the wedding and have an intimate ceremony on her original date.
Keep reading for our Q&A with Event Designer Megan Sauder Gaines.
What were some of the deciding factors when it came to postponing your wedding?
We started thinking about postponing the wedding when we realized not all the guests we wanted to be at our wedding would be able to be there, and it most likely wasn't the safest situation to gather that many people on our original wedding date.
Cancelling was never a question for us because we had already made a big financial investment into the event, as well as lots of planning hours. Another reason we did not even think about cancelling was because I've been imagining my wedding for a while, and, being the family-oriented people that we are, we still wanted to eventually have the big celebration with all of our loved ones.
However, we didn't want to wait any longer to be married and start our lives together, so that led us to the decision to still have a private ceremony with immediate family on the original wedding weekend in the backyard of my childhood home. In September, we are going to do everything as planned, from the rehearsal dinner to the ceremony to the reception!
How have you been feeling throughout this process?
This process has definitely had its ups and downs. The vision I had for the day has changed about four times, but, at the end of the day, I focused on the fact that I would still be getting married and nothing else really matters. I have had an amazing support system around me, from family to coworkers to vendors and friends, and that has helped too!
Something good that has come out of this is the slower pace of life. It's allowing me to get settled into my new home and married life a lot sooner than I would have thought. It also looks like it is going to rain on my original wedding date, so that is a little bit of a bonus as well!
How has going through this personally help you when communicating with your couples about rescheduling their weddings?
I've been able to relate to my brides in a personal way and feel the disappointment with them. A lot of my brides who know I'm getting married have been asking about my experience and seeking guidance for their own day.
I hope that as a bride, as their planner, and as an industry professional, I've been able to offer peace of mind and advice for ways they can still make their day special.
What would your advice be to couples considering cancelling or postponing their wedding?
Focus on you and your fiancé. This is about you and do not let other people's opinions sway what you and your partner want. No one has navigated this type of thing before so there is no right or wrong way to do things. It is simply what you want.
Also rely on your planner for advice. There are so many people going through this and asking your planner what some other brides are doing may strike a chord with you. You may resonate with something that you hadn't thought of before!
Photos by Molly Peach
