Many couples who have contacted me recently have asked what my backup plan is in the case of Covid disruptions… And it’s a totally valid fear. One and a half years in, and we’re still living with the dreaded C word. But the good news is – the longer we live in this new “Covid normal”, the better we become at adapting. So here are my thoughts and strategies on how to manage Covid disruptions around your wedding day.
Romantic storytelling for modern lovers
What if Covid messes with our wedding?
Tips from a Byron Bay wedding photographer
June 15, 2021
Border closures
I live in Northern NSW, but I work far and wide, and I’m no stranger to a state border crossing. Snap border closures have been a nightmare for the wedding industry, but we have managed to rally together to help each other out. (And our beautiful clients, of course.)
The photography community is a supportive and tight-knit crew. In the event of border closures, I have a close circle of photographer friends who I can call upon to capture your wedding as an "associate shooter", if I'm unable to get there. This means they would photograph your wedding on my behalf, and I would take care of everything else - planning, correspondence, editing and delivery.
Throughout the course of the pandemic, I have only had to call in an associate shooter once. But it went off without a hitch! Sarah & Michael’s wedding was in Brisbane, at a time when Queensland’s border was shut to New South Wales. The wonderfully talented Stories By Ash stepped in as my associate shooter for their wedding day. I arranged all the details with Sarah & Michael, and Ash captured all the images just as I would on the day. Then she handed over the files to me, I took care of the editing and delivered the gallery to Sarah & Michael. Et voila! Crisis avoided. You can take a look at Sarah & Michael’s sneak peek gallery here. Ash did a beautiful job!
I will do everything within my power to be there on your wedding day, or to secure a suitable associate shooter to be there on my behalf.
Forced postponement
The other Covid scenario you might face is a forced postponement due to a snap lockdown. In this case, I’m more than happy to facilitate a postponement of our photography booking, at no extra cost. The most important thing in this instance is communication!
It’s very important to coordinate with all of your vendors to secure a new date that works for everyone. It can be a bit of a logistical challenge, but the effort is worth it to keep your whole day just as you had planned. You don’t want to lose anyone, and lose your deposits in the process!
The best approach is to contact each vendor to ask for their availability in a certain time period, and then cross reference the available dates to determine the best one for all involved.
Why not consider a weekday!
It’s also a great idea to consider weekdays! Many wedding vendors book out their weekends well in advance, and you’ll have much more luck securing everyone on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. (And who wouldn’t want to take a few days off work to celebrate a wedding!)
As always, I’m here to guide you through any hiccups in your wedding journey. I’m on your team and happy to help.
Jess xx
A LITTLE ABOUT ME
My name's Jess, and I'd love to tell your story...
With 8 years of experience as a wedding photographer, and more than 200 weddings captured, it’s my pleasure to share some of the things I’ve learned along the way, to help your day run smoothly. If you have any questions, get in touch!
