In the last few weeks, California wedding vendors have been impacted immensely (understatement of the year) with the unprecedented hits to the special events industry from COVID-19.
I’ve been a little bit intense about consuming content, absorbing any and all information I can find regarding the wedding industry’s response to the pandemic. Most notably, we’re all double- and triple-checking our contracts (force majeure clause, anyone?) and in deep discussion about refund requests and postponement policies.
I can really only speak for my own experience in the Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo wedding vendor communities, but I felt compelled to compile a collection of the resources I’ve found to be most useful in this time of incredible uncertainty.
I hope these resources will be of assistance to you as you navigate the unfamiliar territory of running a small business in the face of a global pandemic. (What a strange sentence I would’ve never imagined writing.)
Harper’s Bazaar article for clients on what to expect from their wedding vendors
This is an excellent resource to share with clients; it puts them in the shoes of each and every one of their wedding vendors and helps them understand what to expect and why.
What to say when…
Sample client e-mail templates for preventing cancellations in favor of postponements, explaining contract and refund policies, and more, via Honeybook + Rising Tide.
Negotiating refunds and being flexible in the event of client cancellation
Small Business Administration guidance + loan resources
If you’re in need of some financial support, this is a great place to start. I was especially attracted to the Paycheck Protection Program, which offers assistance for keeping your employees on payroll for the next couple of months. So helpful!
Contract guidelines for clients AND protection for your business
Now is absolutely the time to revisit and revise any nebulous clauses in your client contracts; make sure the terms are clear for brides and grooms booking your services, and establish and/or clarify policies that are right for you and your business. Check out Christina Scalera’s “The Contract Shop” for creative business owners to access attorney-reviewed contract templates!
I’ll continue to update this post as I encounter additional helpful resources! If you have any to share, please e-mail me at emily@annadelores.com.
**Full disclosure: the link for The Contract Shop is an affiliate link, so if you make a purchase, I may be eligible to receive a commission, BUT these are resources I do use for my own business!**
