Changing a Wedding Date (How To Inform Your Guests)

It’s not as common now to change a wedding date as it was in the pandemic of 2020. Yet, changes happen, and our checklist will help you get through this as smoothly as possible.

The coronavirus pandemic moved in and impacted every facet of our lives.

And weddings are no exception.

You planned the date before this all started, and now you’re wondering when it can happen.

As one minister kept reassuring a certain bridal couple, “Don’t worry, you will get married. Maybe not right now, but it will happen.”

What to do first when you change your wedding date.

With so many different guidelines in different states, the first thing to do is tell your family and closest friends with a phone call.

Your minister, bridal party and caterers should be included in the phone calls.

Don’t assume they’ll expect your wedding to be canceled because “everyone hears the news and knows the virus will change our plans.”

Those closest to you will feel reassured to get a phone call.

You should call even if you don’t have a date set, and don’t know when you will.

The best would be to tell them the date is to be determined and you will let them know as soon as you know.

So keep this list of “first-to-know” people, because when you set the date, you’ll make these calls again. So Much More Fun than the first one!

Guests who will make travel plans should also be on this first list. Many airlines are offering free ticket changes at this time, but it’s best if your guests know before they buy the tickets. Some of these you’ll call, but some of these can be first on the email or text list.

When all the first to know people have received their phone calls, proceed to the next tier of guests. Everyone needs to be told, some just need to know sooner than others.

For this next tier a short text or email is fine. Again, don’t worry about the whys and hows and whens, just say something like, “Due to uncertain conditions in the world right now, we have postponed our wedding. The date is to be determined. We will be in touch when we know.”

A Paper Change the Date is a special touch.

If you wish to go the extra mile and make your invited guests feel special, send a paper change the date card.

This card should match your wedding invitation suite.

In other words, if your invitation is all white with black print, don’t send a bright floral change the date card.

Keep the wording simple.

Something like, “__________ and ___________ wish to inform you their wedding date has changed and is TBD.”

The cards don’t need to be the same quality or size as the invitations.

An RSVP size card is fine.

What to do when you set the date.

Set off a round of fireworks!

Uh, well, maybe not.

Get out that “first-to-know” list of family and close friends and do the phone call thing. And yes, let them know how excited you are!

And on down the guest list you will inform everyone, personally, with a text or email, about the new date.

If you sent out change the date cards, it’s not required to send a card with the new date.

However, if quite a length of time has passed, and you love the paper touch, go ahead and do a small card that matches your wedding suite. You’ll have something to add to the memory book for your ancestors!

You can use the other paper products you bought with your original wedding date.

Don’t just toss them without thought.

Some can be salvaged with a little imagination.

If the table numbers had your names and the date you can glue a sprig of something from the florals/greenery you’ll use on your new day over the old date. Don’t try to glue a new date on top. That invariably looks tacky. Sorry not sorry. Just don’t. It’s better to ignore the old date.

Do the guest pages have the original date?  Get crafty here, too, if the old date bothers you. If your theme is rustic or country, glue a few strings pulled from burlap and tied in a tiny bow over the date. Or get tiny burlap flowers to glue on top.

If your theme is more glitzy, glue pearl strips over the old date. Or find some elegant swirl stickers.

Maybe your pages are all white with black print as noted above. Black matte stickers in dash-dot-dash design would work, or do your own lines with a fine black marker.

There’s so many great ways to save your already purchased supplies. Don’t rush off to buy new ones unless you simply can’t reuse them. It’s not as important to your guests as it is to you, so do what you’re comfortable with.

One thing that is important to have the correct date is the programs. Many guests will save these as a keepsake, so reprint them with the new date instead of doing a cover up.

Another important thing is the Welcome sign or bulletin board that greets guests when they first come in. Don’t cut corners and make do with this.