In March 2020, life as we know it changed. The coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S. and we unwittingly dived head first into uncharted waters and a world of uncertainty. If you are a corona-couple then this global pandemic is hitting you hard right now. The wedding industry as a whole has been devastated by this crisis and 2020 couples are scrambling to figure out what to do about their weddings. As of right now there are 163,539 cases in the U.S. and 80% of the nation is under shelter-in-place orders until at least May 1st, 2020. That means that all of April weddings have to be postponed and rescheduled, and most of May weddings will probably follow. The industry is hoping that June and July weddings will move forward as planned, but for many, that is more a wish than an expectation at this point.

Couples whose wedding date falls in August or later, probably feel a small sense of relief as their plans feel safe from the current circumstances.

If you’re planning your 2021 wedding, you might feel like you’re out of the danger zone, but that isn’t actually true. The pandemic will be contained by then but the consequences of the virus will fall on these couples. Here are some ways your wedding may be affected.

There are 2.4 million weddings in the U.S. every year. In 2019, there were 137,709 weddings in NYS, let’s assume that’s the average. Of those weddings, 37% occur from March to June, if we flatten the curve. That means this year alone, roughly 888,000 weddings have been affected in the U.S. and 50,952 in New York State.

Here are the options for these couples: reschedule, cancel, or elope. With vendors booked and contracts signed, most couples are looking to reschedule. So that means, 50,952 weddings will be rescheduled to new dates from September 2020 into the end of 2021.

What you can do:

Book your wedding vendors ASAP.

The first two wedding vendors booked are typically the venue and the photographer. The top vendors hired for weddings overall are venues at 92% and photographers at 89%, followed by caterer, cake, beauty, DJ, rentals, and florists. Most vendors have a cap of 30-45 weddings they do per year. By now, vendors have booked roughly 15% - 25% of their weddings for 2021. Gilbertsville Farmhouse has 17 weddings booked for 2021 already. Stories by Victoria has 10. That means that vendors have roughly 30-35 available dates right now for couples planning a 2021 wedding plus all the couples rescheduling their weddings affected by coronavirus. In N.Y., there will be almost 1.4x the amount of weddings being serviced by the same amount of vendors. Do not hesitate to start reaching out and snag your first round draft picks (for you sports fans out there.) Many vendors are offering video tours, photos and reviews to help evaluate their services when you cannot travel to meet them and see their work.

2. Get Wedding Insurance.

Many venues require liability insurance, but wedding cancellation insurance should be considered too. This reimburses you for costs if you have to cancel or delay your wedding because of extreme weather, injury or illness in the wedding party or the bride or groom’s immediate family, or for other reasons beyond your control. Please check with your insurers for premiums on pandemics or what exactly they cover in their policies. If you have to reschedule your event, this coverage helps pay for the cost of a new ceremony and reception. Many wedding cancellation policies also reimburse you for a single deposit if a vendor doesn’t show up, even if the wedding goes on. Here are the top 4 wedding insurance providers: Travelers Wedding Protector Plan, The Event Helper, WedSafe, Wedsure. Guys, it’s literally $200 dollars for the peace of mind. Be smart, be safe.

3. Shop Local for Vendors and Decor.

Shopping local is always a great idea but in cases like these where travel is difficult, it’s nice to have vendors, planners and decor vendors that are nearby and able to travel quickly and readily in case something is happening in another part of the country, or in cases like this where state-to-state travel is not recommended. This tip may also apply to dress shopping. Shopping off the rack or straight from a local retailer/designer, secures that your dress is within arms reach and can be delivered or picked up in cases of shipping disruptions like the one caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Now listen up, this article is here to educate and not to instill fear or pressure. Being prepared is the #1 way to overcome logistical and emotional obstacles that interfere with your big day and it’s planning. If you follow these 3 easy steps you will find that when life or an Act of God happens in the midst of your wedding, you and your fiancé will be able to navigate the solutions with peace and the security of proactive thinking.

This article was co-written with Stories By Victoria.

How the COVID–19 Pandemic is Affecting your 2021 Wedding, and What You Can Do About it.