Friends. I know I have been saying this every time for the last few months, but… here we (f**king) are. It’s the end of 2020, it’s the last of our COVID Couple’s Planning Open Thread posts for the year, and we’re rolling into a new year with all sorts of changes, fear, and hope. Or… at least I am.
Let’s start with the good news: We have just about made it through 2020. And, sure, the calendar date doesn’t actually matter, but also… can we just jump up and down for a second and appreciate that we have indeed made it through all 68 months of 2020. Also, actual (like, legitimate) good news exists in the conversation around vaccines. According to the New York Times, there are 7 currently approved for emergency use and 13 that are in phase 3 of testing. Of course, we also know that it will be available in tiers and not to every person we know and love immediately, so patience is still key—but hey, maybe your grandma and great uncle will have access to it before your small outdoor wedding? (Or… that’s my hope.) On a personal note: I think we found our venue, and have picked a risky but hopeful date for a tiny celebration in 2021. Am I being too wishful? We’ll see. (And we’re lucky it’s a private outdoor space… which is very much part of our plan.)
In more difficult life and wedding planning news: Have y’all been struggling with venues and vendors who simply won’t book anything until pandemic stuff settles down? I found myself in tears no less than 5 times last month when I would talk to someone and hear “call us back when the guidelines change or there’s a vaccine.” Me to me: ‘Ummm… what? I can’t be the only person you’ve told that to. Can’t I put a soft hold on a date? No… okay.’ And, with some of the highest daily death and infection rates, to date… I know I’m not the only one who finds herself just sitting in sadness and funk about it all. It’s hard to plan a wedding, an exciting joyous day, while the world continues to crumble outside my door.
How are you holding up? Have you been wedding planning through this holiday season, so far? Or have you left it to pick back up come January? What have been your wedding planning wins? Have any big questions or struggles that we can try to help within the comments? We’re in this hot mess together. (virtual) hugs.
