Okay, I am specifically talking to the couples who don’t want to follow COVID regulations for their wedding day here. And by “talking to” I mean more like “begging”.

How bad can it be to make an exception for ONE day, really?

First off let me say, I get it. I completely get it. I 100% understand why you wouldn’t want to follow restrictions on your wedding day. Your wedding planning process has been rocked by this pandemic in ways no couple would ever dream of dealing with, and you just want this one day to be what you’ve always dreamt it would be. You want everyone to walk down the aisle without masks on. You want photos of everyone huddled close together, or eating dinner next to people from across they country they haven’t seen in ages. You want that epic dance floor at the reception. So you throw the restrictions out the door because it’s one day. How bad can it be to make an exception for ONE day, really? You deserve it, and if people decide not to come, that’s on them, right?

Honestly, you’re not wrong. And if I were in your shoes, I’d probably be wrestling with those same feelings. I’m not far off from feeling that way myself. Two of my sisters are currently planning weddings, a very close family friend is as well, and of course all my couples. I see it from all sides.

But I am begging you to reconsider and to do your part to obey the restrictions, and here’s why:

You are putting every single wedding vendor at risk of not only getting this virus, but of losing out on even MORE income, when most of us have already lost half or more of our income for the year, and preventing us from serving the clients that come after you.

Let me explain… if I come to your wedding that has 0 restrictions (because look, I’m going to show up regardless, this is my career and I’m not interested in backing out on my couples), and I get COVID, I then cannot perform (at least) the next two weeks’ worth of weddings. Meaning that while I’m fighting off that virus, and hopefully successfully so, I have to find, hire, and then pay at least $1000 to another professional to show up and shoot those weddings, for each wedding. That’s at least $2000 I’ll be out on top of the $20K+ I have ALREADY lost. And to be frank, I’m on the low end of what vendors have lost.

Not to mention, if I didn’t develop symptoms in time and performed the next wedding, I would then be unknowingly exposing everyone at that wedding (even though I’ll wear a mask).

Also, and this isn’t a surprise, there’s my actual life that’s being put at risk. Which believe it or not, is much more important to me than all these things put together. I want to be around to continue shooting weddings, but I can’t do that if I get COVID and don’t survive, all because you decided not to follow the rules for your one day. I’m not being dramatic in the slightest here. The number of young healthy people that have died from this virus already is absolutely terrifying.

I am taking every precaution possible to not get this virus, on behalf of my life, and on behalf of my couples. When Fall wedding season kicks back in in a few weeks, I’m barely going to see my family for 2-3 months. I have extremely immune compromised members of my immediate family and to prevent possibly exposing them, I’ll be self quarantining post-weddings as much as possible. But all of my precautions can be thrown out the window at just one wedding where proper precautions weren’t taken. Even if you’re just checking temps when people arrive, or asking all your guests to self-report symptoms and stay home if they feel off at all, any precautions are truly better than none.

So as someone who has worked their butt off for 5+ years to get to where they are today, only to watch it slowly crumble thanks to a pandemic no one could have prepared for, I am begging you to think about others before you throw a raging party that has no masks and no social distancing, or inviting people that have recently had the virus or who have had symptoms but haven’t gotten tested (yes both of those things are ACTUALLY happening at weddings in the US right now).

Yes it’s just one day. But to me, and to all the other vendors out there, your one day is our entire lifeline.

Look, I know it sucks. It really freaking sucks for all of us. But the wedding and event and services industries have gotten the short end of the stick here. Not only have we watched our income for this year disappear, but we’re then going to be living on half, if not less, than we normally make for next year as we fill up our dates with this year’s couples.

So I am begging you, from the bottom of my heart, please think about the repercussions. Yes it’s just one day. But to me, and to all the other vendors out there, your one day is our entire lifeline, and the effects can spiral out of control in an instant. This job is what pays our bills, feeds our families, puts clothes on our backs, and allows us to serve you on your special day, and we have more than just you to serve. We absolutely love what we do, and I know you have so much on your plate, and I know this is so mentally exhausting. You’re not alone, friend. I promise. But I truly cannot put into words how much it would mean to us for you to consider this, to help us not only protect our lives, but protect our LIVELIHOOD and all our other couples as well.

XO,

Paige

P.S In case you didn’t believe me, check out this DM I got on instagram from a past bride moments after sharing this blog. This is happening everywhere: