Updates are at the bottom of this blog: March 16

This 4.9 minute read will shed some light on how postponing weddings and events and not canceling them will help save the events industry and help prevent an economic crash during the Coronavirus Pandemic.

The Coronavirus has brought on a very fluid situation that is changing the landscape of the event industry by the day and sometime by the hour. As a person who makes a living within this space, I’m watching everything like a hawk and trying to come up with ways that we can all get through this together.

In San Diego alone, there is a ban on gatherings of over 250 50 people until the end of March (as of March 16).

We have been strongly encouraged to NOT have gatherings of  more than 250 50 people in attendance.  We have also been told that there must be at least 6 feet of social distance for larger events or gatherings.

You can only imagine within the events industry here in San Diego County and beyond, that there is massive concern about this ban and the recommendations being provided to us by the county and state.

If you’re in the events industry, I’d like to highly encourage you to do the following!

Encourage Event Postponement… Not Event Cancelation

While some may want to cancel an event like prom, weddings, workshops, etc. it is truly best for everyone to start encouraging and educating clients that wish to cancel on the benefits of postponing an event over canceling it.

By postponing an event, you’ll be helping to actually save the events industry!

When I hear that proms across the country are being canceled instead of being postponed- I’m straight shook!

Canceling events is NOT the answer.

Canceling events will cause many small businesses to include venues, dress and suit makers, designers, planners, florists, caterers, photographers, cake bakers, calligraphists, car services, local Airbnb’s, and even hotels will potentially go out of business.

This will have a MASSIVE trickle down effect on the local and even national economy.

We should be postponing events like proms, weddings, concerts, sporting events, workshops, and big gatherings- not canceling them!

Events such as weddings, proms, workshops, conventions, concerts, sporting events, and company wide off site meetings help grow the local economy and help the national economy thrive.

If an event is postponed that means deposits and retainers are still in place – the event will happen once it’s safer to do so and refunds won’t be given.

Cancelations and Refunds will result in those businesses not being able to pay mortgages, they won’t be able to cover health care expenses, or even put food on the table. If they have staff, that means they will have to also lay more people off, which then results in a much larger economic crunch.

Resources To Help Small Businesses

If you’re not sure how to accurately postpone or talk with your clients about their event, check out the awesome work HoneyBook’s has done to provide a ton of copy that you can easily use to communicate specifics about the Covid-19 situation with your couples.

If you’re in the events industry or an entrepreneur with a service or products business and you’re looking for additional guidance on how you can safeguard your business during the Covid-19 “Coronavirus” pandemic, please check out Preparing Your Business For Cancelations During The Coronavirus

Big businesses and small towns are already taking a hit!

With Coachella and Stagecoach being postponed- local area hotels and other local businesses are expecting a potentially loss in April of about about 1 million. The Homewood Suites by Hilton La Quinta expects revenue to be down a whopping 60% … amounting to about $500k in total revenue.

Now imagine that type of hit for your local wedding and event venue, photographer, planner, florist, hair and makeup artist, cake baker, catering company… get the picture.

We need to continue to support local businesses during this Coronavirus pandemic. Shop locally, eat locally, and help to take care of those in need.

Remember… we need to spread the word through out not only the events industry but within our own circles. Cancelations will effect us all, economic struggles effect us all.

Updates:

March 16 @ 8:50am

The Orange County Clerks Offices have closed till the end of the month. No Marriage Licenses will be issued until they reopen.

Postpone Don’t Cancel!

Share this blog with others to help spread the word. Use #postponedontcancel in any posts or caption you write in order to help spread the word.