To all of my incredible couples: wedding planning is stressful enough. What’s been going on in the world and has made its way now to New York is something none of us could have anticipated.
Although I work from home already, I am no stranger to the air of tension and uncertainty that all of this has been stirring up.
My heart absolutely breaks for all of my brides and grooms and customers out there who are going ahead with planning their weddings but are unsure about when they will actually get to have them. My heart breaks for all the small business owners who are struggling to stay afloat and might have to shutter their windows for an undetermined amount of time while all of this passes.
This is not a time for fear mongering, this is not a time for panic, and this is not a time to go doomsday shopping. But this is the time to be kind and compassionate to everyone you encounter, to FaceTime your mom to chat and tell her that you love her, and to hunker down at home and wait out the storm while we try to keep those who are most vulnerable to this enigmatic virus safe.
We will learn a lot of lessons from this situation, and one that sticks out the most in my head is how long we have taken for granted the concept of “regular life” or “business as usual”. The idea of driving into town and grabbing a coffee and getting your nails done and taking a stroll around the block to meet up with your bestie at your favorite restaurant. It’s a freedom I don’t think any of us ever thanked the universe for, nor was it a freedom we ever anticipated not having.
I am discovering that the feeling of being safe and certain about the future is something I have been taking for granted. The idea that I could hop on the Northway and visit my family at any second was always in the back of my head, and now that things are different the distance between me and all of my loved ones feels wider than ever.
Let’s try these next few weeks to close that gap & flatten the curve by having all those conversations we’ve wanted to have - from home. When all of this is over (and yes, it will be over) let’s all gratefully return to "life as usual” in celebration of an extraordinary world we once thought to be “ordinary”.
During hard times like these, it is easy to feel anxious, underprepared, and hopeless. In the age of 24/7 news and social media, you don't have to go far to see the ugliness of humanity and to see it often.
I encourage you to look for the silver lining. The beautiful things. The videos of Italian neighbors singing together from their balconies. The online posts of your neighbors offering up extra supplies to those who could not get them in time or who cannot leave their homes. The grocery stores opening up their doors for exclusive senior shopping hours.
As Albus Dumbledore once said (and yes, I am bringing a HP quote into the mix)...
“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”
If you are getting married in April or May: I encourage you to have an open dialogue with your venue and vendors. Get a backup date. Have a plan. Ask what your vendors are doing to stay healthy and what their plan is for your event should something go badly.
And our final note is to stay safe, stay home, and stay healthy. I wish all of you the best in these uncertain times and I pray that they are over soon.
xo & all the best,
Hannah Kuzinia