Hi Y'all!  So we all know that wedding planning is super stressful in the best of times.  Now in the middle of a global pandemic, wedding stress gets a little crazier.

The rules for gatherings are in a constant state of flux.  Guests may or may not want to travel to your wedding.  And even attending a wedding is a life or death decision for some people with health risks.  Top that all off with changes in food service, availability of some items such as special flowers, additional lead time needed for ordering items.  It's enough to make you want to pull your hair out...well don't do that!  We have some tips for saving your sanity while planning your wedding during these crazy times.

1.  Take at least one day each week and make it a NO WEDDING day.  That means no talking about the wedding, no stalking instagram and pinterest, calling your wedding vendors.  NO WEDDING related items.

2.  Date Night - Remember why you are getting married.  Date night may look different right now and that is ok - make dinner together, go for a long walk, watch a movie you haven't seen, binge watch your favorite tv show together, "netflix and chill" is always a great option!

3.  Set boundaries with family and friends.  It's ok not to want to talk about the wedding every waking moment.  And even though they usually have the best of intentions..it's ok to step back.

4.  Let your wedding planner help you!  Your wedding planner is going to have the most up to date information on venue guidelines, federal, state and local rules, travel restrictions and more.  Your wedding planner is a huge resource of information.

5.  Self-care - this could be something different for everyone - a hot bubble bath, an exercise class (virtually or in-person), girls night out, a mani/pedi, a massage, binge watching Gilmore Girls for the 100th time.  Whatever works. 

Recently this wedding planner was looking for something to help with stress, that could be done at home, and it didn't cost a fortune.  

I stumbled across Yoga with Adriene and can you imagine how excited I was when I saw that she had a pre-wedding yoga practice.  I am still working through all of her beginner videos, and videos for neck and shoulders. 

There are 13 practices all designed to help with the unique stress and anxiety associated with wedding planning.  Click the link below to check it out.

Yoga for Anyone Planning a Wedding!

*please note that I have not received any compensation for sharing these videos, nor is it an official endorsement.  It's just something that I found that may help!

 6.  Talk to a licensed therapist or counselor.  It is ok to reach out for help.  We are living in unprecedented times.  And during this strange time, you are trying to plan your dream wedding.  Sometimes, a neutral, third-party can help you sort through some of "noise".  My therapist has been on zoom-speed dial since lockdown in early March.

7.  Turn off the news and stay off social media...Covid will be here for a while.  Your planner will keep you updated. Constant watching of the news and "doom-scrolling" wont suddenly change things.  

8.  Take up a new hobby.  Coloring books, virtual painting classes, reading a new book, petting your dog or cat, journaling, knitting...all receive rave reviews for helping calm stress and anxiety.

It's so important to take care of yourself while wedding planning in normal times.  Well, we aren't in normal times, so taking care of yourself becomes even more important!

Stay well my friends!

Jen

Hey Y'all!  It has been a hot minute since blogged.  And let's just say that life in the last 8 months has absolutely bonkers!  When I say bonkers, I mean who would have thought that in our lifetimes we would be experiencing a pandemic...it's just crazy!

I wanted to take a few minutes to share some thoughts on stepping back into events and weddings.

We are constantly learning about safety and new safety measures and yet still providing incredible experiences for our couples. 

And for some of us, even the decision to work in groups of people - no matter the size - is difficult and has health implications for our families at home.  There is no one-size-fits all answer. You don't know what is going on in the family of your vendors.  Some may choose not to work in large groups due to family members with health concerns.  Some may choose not work in large groups due to their own health concerns.  Some may choose to work, no matter the size of the event.  This is a very personal decision that each vendor has to make.  

These last 8 months have been a struggle, but one thing I have been reminded of on a daily basis..."Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about."  

We have been blessed to have multiple weddings recently and still have a few more to close out the year.  We have adapted and adjusted and learned each time.  We have become therapists to our brides who need a shoulder to cry on, we have become experts on which hand sanitizers smell nice and don't dry out your hands, we have learned to talk loudly through our masks.   And most of all, we have learned that "We can do hard things...and we are doing them everyday."

We are excited about the future.  We are excited for our current 2021 couples and can't wait to meet more 2021 couples.  We are excited about 2022 weddings.  

Celebrations will continue.  Love will always be celebrated.  Memories will be created.  

We are here to answer questions, give guidance and be there for you!

Stay safe, stay well!

Jen

Photo credit: Art Photo Soul Photographer

Rentals:  Atlas Event Rental

Hey Y'all!  We hope you are all well and taking the recommended precautions to stay well!

At this time, we have rescheduled any remaining March weddings and all April weddings.  May weddings are being evaluated on a case by case basis at this time.  We wanted to share a few tips on how to navigate this difficult time.

We are working with all of our couples to navigate through this process.  

All client interactions are via telephone, Facetime or Skype for the foreseeable future.  We are rescheduling weddings for Summer 2020, Fall and Winter 2020 and into 2021 depending what dates work for you all.

We highly urge you to postpone and not cancel.  You have put your heart and soul into your wedding day.  You will still get to celebrate your love and commitment with your friends and family...it just may be a different date.  Your friends and family WANT to celebrate with you...they want to share in your joy.

If you have friends who are getting married and they don't have a planner, please share these tips with them...

1.  Contact your venue - questions to ask

a.  What is your policy on date changes, postponement and cancellation as it relates to the Coronavirus?

b.  Will I still need to meet my food and beverage minimum if I have a smaller guest count than anticipated?

2. Room Blocks

a.  If you signed a contract guaranteeing a set number of rooms to be booked, can that guarantee be waived?

b.  If I schedule to an off season time will my room rate reflect the lower costs?

3.  Contact all other vendors and ask about rescheduling and transferring deposits or refunds if they don't have your new date available.

4.  Marriage licenses - They are good for 60 days from the date which you apply (go to the clerk's office and get the license).  If you have to reschedule and your new date is beyond those 60 days you will need to obtain a new marriage license from the County Clerk's office.  As of this time, you will need to pay another $93 fee.  The clerk's office has not announced plans to waive fees for expired licenses and rescheduled weddings.

5.  Try to stay calm - It is perfectly normal to feel sad, disappointed, angry, and frustrated.  This is uncharted territory for all of us.  None of us knows how to feel from one minute to the next. And that is OK.