Once that bling is placed on your finger it's like the sound of a gun and off you go! Your wedding planning race has started and it's a whirlwind of craziness until everything is signed away, paid up and scheduled and phew, finally the finish line. You feel pretty confident that your wedding will go off with few if not any hitches...until the unexpected happens.
A few weeks before your wedding you contact your venue and guess what? No venue, it's out of business! To make matters worse, they can't refund your money either. Nightmare? Read on for ideas and articles on how to fix this mess!
It's no joke that many companies are suffering from economic crisis, and wedding venues and banquet halls are no exception. My friends and I have exchanged articles about brides who were given only a few short weeks to find another wedding venue.
If your venue closes you will feel as if you are out of luck. You'll need to set aside a day to rant, rave, throw-up, mourn, and THEN get to thinking of an alternative plan. Every situation will have different outcomes, and not every bride will be able to fix their saga easily, but here are a few ideas that may get your wedding back on track.
Call other local venues around the area, and see if they'd accommodate your wedding. Most brides have another venue they were interested in before they booked the "one". They may even offer a discount if you decide to transfer your wedding to their establishment as they may be already aware that your venue closed. Read about a wonderful wedding venue that saved some lucky couples after a venue closed in MA. Click to read: wedding savers!
If you weren't able to get your money back, or it gets tied up in an impending court case, you'll need a cheap alternative to your big fat expensive foreclosed reception hall. It may be the crappiest thing to ever happen to you, but you can design a modified reception for your guests that will work. Many local bars or small restaurants will rent out their space for a relatively cheap rate. Try to negotiate a fair price with one of the bar or restaurant spaces to accommodate your guests. If your ceremony time is flexible, you may want to have a shorter "evening" reception with cocktails and appetizers at one of these places. Offer a coffee bar as well, which goes famously with wedding cake and is not going to break the bank. You may not have enough money for a sit down dinner but you can definitely still have a chic, fabulous cocktail reception and be the trendiest bride around.
More of a outdoorsy type? Why not have a huge back yard wedding bash? Go informal, get out the kiddie pool, and have a BBQ. It's inexpensive and who doesn't like a hot-dog? You could even ask guests if they'd bring their favorite dish with them as a wedding gift. A wedding potluck is unique and fun. We bet none of your guests will miss the stuffy, mechanical country club feel when they are allowed to let loose and have fun. As long as the neighbors don't mind-blast the music, dance, eat and forget your cares! It's your wedding day!
One word of caution. Let the guests know as soon as possible that the wedding location has changed, especially if invites already went out. Fastest way to get in touch with people, (especially family), is word of mouth. Put down the laptop and pick up the phone girl! Have your bridal party or parents help with getting guests on the phone. Let them know where the new location will be. You can even send out notes or even a mass email for the tech-ie guests (okay fine, use the laptop).
Bottom line is to not panic or get caught up with being upset about your original venue. Remember why you are having a wedding in the first place. If you truly love the person you are with, you'd marry them anywhere and in any situation. It's really about the two of you and the promise you make to one another.
Want more help? Read these great blogs to find out how wedding planners, and real brides dealt with venues closing.
Comments