4 Ways You Can Support Small Wedding Businesses During COVID-19

It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every aspect of our lives. We can only gather virtually, and for many, seeing family and friends can only happen through the screen of a device. During this time, many small businesses that base their income on weddings are struggling to stay afloat. These are the vendors who work with you to make sure your special day is everything you want it to be and more. They’re the ones that go that extra mile to see you and your wedding guests celebrate you and your partner’s new lives together.

In these trying times, lending a hand to these small wedding businesses and their staff could make a world of difference. Here are a few ways you can do just that.

Discover 4 ways you can support small wedding businesses in times of need:

1. Donate.

Giving is a fulfilling and powerful way to help not only those you’re giving to but also the small businesses you’re working with for your wedding. It fulfills an immediate need and also gets the word out that the vendor is in business and working within the community.

Help your florist by donating the flowers you ordered to a nursing home, a women’s shelter, or any of the non-profits that will take your floral donations and repurpose them. Donate your catering order to any of the various food banks or shelters in your area. Find the local chapter of a nationwide food bank — they can assist you with your food donations, ensuring that your generosity reaches the most in need.

2. Share and promote on social media.

During this time of global crisis, many of us are spending more and more time on various social media platforms. We share ideas, photos, and connect with each other despite being unable to see one another in person. Use these platforms to support the small wedding businesses you’re working with for your big day.

• Share photos from your photographer’s Instagram or Facebook page.

• Link to your caterer’s website and promote how they’re doing home delivery to help others during the COVID-19 crisis.

• Write a post or review about how fantastic your wedding planner has been in helping you navigate our new, albeit temporary, normal.

• Share everything your wedding band or DJ is doing. Share your DJ’s music or promote the incredible shows your wedding band has played in the past.

• Is your venue one of the thousands that signed up to help the healthcare community during this time? Give them a shoutout on your social media channels.

Even if you’re already married, you can still support your vendors! Sharing your wedding photos and reviewing the great work your caterer, florist, or venue did will help them drum up even more business when we’re able to gather again.

Remember, these vendors have been with you from the beginning, and you want them to still be there when we get back to normal.

3. Pay vendors early/on time, even if you postpone.

Many small, non-essential businesses are being forced to close indefinitely, but there are still ways you can support them with your business. With many forms of revenue drying up for those small wedding businesses, paying vendors on time — or even early — will help ensure that they’re still in business when your wedding day comes.

Work with your local small wedding businesses during this downturn to see how you can help — they will be extremely grateful that you’re there for them during what could be the roughest period of their career. If it’s financially possible for you, consider sending your payments ahead of time, or, if you postponed your big day, at the same time you were originally scheduled to.

4. Support small wedding businesses with business outside of weddings.

Your wedding vendors can do so much more than weddings, and a great way to support them during this time is to utilize them for things beyond your big day. Ask your caterer to set you up with pre-prepped meals for you and your loved ones to enjoy while you’re quarantined. Set up time with your photographer to take family portraits, or other milestone photo shoots, at a later date. Ask your bartender to send you pre-poured cocktails for your next Zoom happy hour. The options are endless.

Not sure if your vendor offers any services during this time? Check! Many business are offering services that they didn’t in the past. A simple peek at their social media or website, or an email or phone call, could make all the difference.

If you can, now’s the time to support small wedding businesses!

We are all going through this unprecedented time together, and we can help each other. By supporting your local wedding businesses, you’re giving hope and providing a future to many of the businesses in your community that are forced to close at this time.

A little can go a long way during times like these. If you’re willing and able, use the above tips to support the small wedding business you know and care about.

Up next, check out our 16-step wedding postponement checklist and discover what to do with your registry after postponing your wedding. And if postponement hasn’t been an issue for you, check out 15 ways to continue wedding planning during quarantine.