First off, I'm sending you love at this time, we are all in this together! 

The world is a scary place these days. With the crisis of the Coronavirus (Covid-19), there is no doubt that panic has begun to sink in. If you are getting married in 2020, you are in for a rollercoaster of emotions over the next few months.

If you’re here, you’re either thinking about or have made the tough decision about rescheduling your wedding date.
I’m here for you— I completely support you during this hard time and I will do everything I can to help on my end! 
I’m sure with all of the Covid-19 discussion you may be wondering about some of your wedding details as there’s growing concern. In the air of open communication, I would like to inform all my amazing valued clients the measures I am taking should your wedding be affected. ALL I ask is that you work with me to find a mutually available day/weekend that is free (this year or next if needed) prior to booking a new venue or date so I can remain your trusted photographer and so that it works with everyone’s availability.

For weddings beyond April, there is much uncertainty surrounding whether or not you should or can proceed, if your venue or vendors will cancel, and if you're out of town guests will be able to travel. Weddings in Ontario have officially been banned (at time of writing this) until further notice, and it is now legally impossible for you to have the wedding you’ve been dreaming of for the past several months. All that work, all those plans, they’ve unraveled in an instant and no doubt your emotions are on overdrive.
(stay calm and stay positive, you’re love isn’t cancelled)

Let me begin by saying, I am truly sorry for your loss. And honestly, that is what this is: it’s a loss, and it’s ok for you to be angry, sad, and need time to grieve. You have been waiting for this day for so long and something as trivial as a “flu” has seemingly crushed all your dreams in an instant. It is devastating and you need the time to process and feel all the feels that come with it. Please know that your vendors are also grieving this loss for you - we were just as excited as you were to see your dreams come to fruition.

I understand that this is stressful and trying time for you. Being forced to make the decision to postpone is not an easy one but before you make any firm decisions, I recommend you review and consider the following to prepare you.

TIPS

Contact your Vendors

Contact your venue to see what policies they have put in place around postponing, their leniency on guaranteed numbers or food and beverage minimums and last-minute adjustments, and ask for all available dates, in the event you need to postpone. Understanding the potential cost and all available options to you will assist in making your decision.

Should you need to postpone your wedding to later in the year, I highly recommend considering a Friday or Sunday (heck, even a Wednesday would be amazing) to avoid disappointment over the lack of Saturdays available in 2020. Yes, it will be inconvenient to some of your guests and some may not come, but it has a better likelihood of your dream team of vendors all being available and you losing as little money as possible.

Rethink Saturdays in 2021 — Fridays & Sundays are great options too!

I know it seems like an easy decision to move to from one Saturday in 2020 to a Saturday in 2021, but the reality is that you might face additional fees to move to 2021 - and this is not because your vendors are trying to take advantage, it is because they have to do this in order to stay in business. Every single business on this planet is facing hardship right now and the future is uncertain for many - especially small businesses in the wedding industry.

Your vendors are very small businesses who are being impacted greatly during this time, and many cannot afford to move your wedding to 2021 without a price increase. I know this is a hard pill to swallow but truly think about this: if they move your wedding to next year, they will have no revenue in 2020, and they will not be able to attract new revenue in 2021 because their Saturday's in prime wedding season will become transfers from 2020. There are only 52 possible Saturdays in a year, and of those, only 26 are considered “ideal”, and each full-time vendor has budgeted for those sacred 26 Saturdays. The likelihood of many of them going out of business as a result of this is very high and with each and every demand for a 2021 transfer, the hole is dug deeper and deeper in their fate.

Food for Thought

Keep in mind that while this is one of the first major milestones of your life, it is only one of many that you will share with your love over the years. Postponing to a new date will not have a negative impact on your wedding - you will look back fondly on that day, no matter what day it fell on. With the right vendors that you love and that are there for you, postponing should be a breeze and allow you more time to finalize those details!

Q & A

I’VE BOOKED AN EVENT WITH YOU, NOW WHAT?

If you have booked an event with me and due to Covid-19 you are forced too cancel or postpone it to a later date I am happy to transfer the coverage to another booking within a 12 month window.

WHAT ABOUT YOUR ENGAGEMENT SESSION?

Should there be a quarantine that impacts your engagement sessions coming up (I will be following the government guidelines) or if you’re uncomfortable having them, I am happy to transfer those to 1 hour extra coverage the day of your wedding or a post wedding session on a weekday (could even be a 1 year anniversary session or family session the following year). Please advise me in writing via email about this choice as soon as you can. I am quite flexible about the timing here— so if your engagement session is in April, May, June, July or even beyond in 2020 and you’d like to make that swap now— I am totally okay with that!!

WHAT ABOUT THE SECOND SHOOTER?

My second shooters who run their own photography business are also in the same situation trying to find their couples dates. I did want to mention this as it is a possibility that only myself will be shooting your wedding. If it does come to this point where they do not feel comfortable due to Covid-19 or have their own wedding clients to help during this time and I cannot find a replacement. I am happy to work the second shooters extra coverage the day of your wedding, example an earlier start time to cover the split in the morning OR I can remove the second photographer/extra coverage and put the cost of the second shooter towards your final invoice.

OK LETS GET DOWN TO WEDDING TALK

I'm so excited to document your day and I’m sad to be reaching out during these circumstances, but I am staying positive that thanks to social distancing, things will get back to normal soon! <3

In case they don't, I've put together a policy for couples that need to reschedule their wedding date.

I'm not charging any of my couples to move their dates so you don't have to worry about that from me. 

I’m happy to show as much flexibility as I possibly can with rescheduling your date if you need to during these circumstances. What I’m offering right now to my 2020 couples is a no-fee date change to any available date in 2020 up to December 2021, should you need to. In the event that I am unavailable for your new wedding date and you proceed to change it to that date, unfortunately the original retainer will not be refundable.

This is due to the fact that I’m being as flexible as I possible can with already missing out on 2020 income as well as 2021 income if new prime wedding dates are booked up and this would be the only way to keep my business afloat.

Under these circumstances, to balance both the needs of my small business as well as your needs through this time, this is what I’m offering to all my couples that need to reschedule their wedding date:

For couples who wish to move their date within 2020 or 2021:

• Couples who wish to reschedule within 2020 until end of April 2021 may do so without additional fees.

• Couples who wish to reschedule to a weekday, Friday, or Sunday date in 2021 may do so without additional fees.

• Couples who wish to reschedule to a Saturday date during May - October in 2021 will need to pay a $995 prime date rescheduling fee

If I am not available on your new 2020 or 2021 date, there are no refunds of retainers. (Couples are encouraged to try rebooking to Friday or Sunday, or even Monday or Thursday dates since most of the industry has many of those available and by being open to those dates, rescheduling would be at no additional cost to you or small businesses)

The $995 prime date fee is only there to help me cover my business expenses for losing another prime date and wouldn't be income. My intention is to take care of you two first and my business second since I know if I do that, somehow I will be ok! 

If there is a reason that a Saturday prime date is the only option for you, and you are unable to pay the $995 rescheduling fee, just let me know and I will see what I can do. My hope is that we compromise to help each other out here, but sometimes, others need more help and my number one priority is to support you through this in any way I can <3

I'm here if you guys need to chat and there is no rush here on my end to make this decision. I have your date booked in no matter what. I just wanted to reach out in advance in case you are working through figuring out what your next steps will be <3

What if your Ill/isolated etc. who will shoot our wedding?!

Should myself or associate shooting your wedding be Ill/isolated etc. as outlined in our agreement I will make every reasonable step to find someone to cover your day (taking that stress and legwork away from you) with your photography planning and images still edited by Jessica Silveira Photography. 

What happens if we change our wedding coverage from 12 hours to an intimate 6 hour day - would our contract be revised to reflect the different type of day?

Yes, if we need to change your existing package I will cancel your old contract and adjust your new package to reflect your new invoice and contract. (I can only go as low as the retainer fee as that is non-refundable).

My wedding date has changed, is my final payment still due?

No, I will honour our contract and have your final payment still due 30 days before your new wedding date. If you’d like to continue making smaller payments or follow your original payment plan— this helps my small business out so much but would never expect anything more then what you can do. ♡

Can I place a hold on this date?

I will be continuing to follow and use my standard policy. This is in place due to lost wages of holding and switching dates.

Unfortunately, I am only allowing one “soft hold” per couple. To keep it fair for both myself and my other 2020 couples if another couple does inquire about a date that is on a “soft hold” (the couple who placed the soft hold) you will have 1-3 days to confirm and sign a one time transfer date contract. If you cannot commit to signing a new contract the date will become available on my calendar immediately and available for booking.

All Soft Holds requests must be submitted in writing via Email as conformation. Please note that your soft hold date is not 100% guaranteed until a new contract is signed, again you will have 3 days to confirm by signing a one time transfer contract.

Why do your Saturdays have a rebooking fee between May 2021 to Oct 2021?

No one could have ever expected this and with 28 weddings postponed so far (more coming) I might not recover until 2022 with so many things being postponed to the following year. I will not be able to take on any new couples leaving me out another full year of work. Some weddings are out of the country which do require me to leave from Friday to Sunday that take up two other possible weddings dates.  There are only 52 possible Saturdays in a year, and of those, only 26 are considered “ideal”, and each full-time vendor has budgeted for those sacred 26 Saturdays. I am offering many options that do not require a booking fee however I have put this rebooking fee in place so that my doors can stay open to documenting your love. I hope you can understand with me leaving as many Saturdays open in 2021 this will help me get back on my feet again as quickly as possible. I’m just asking for you to be open to Friday & Sunday dates between my high season— May through October.

Please keep the questions coming so that I can add them to the list

I have listed my availability below from August 2020 to June 30th 2021. Dates will change quickly and I will try my very best to update you every 24 hours but I cannot guaranteed the date you see below will be available as things are moving very quickly.

Please note that your rebooking date is not 100% guaranteed until a new contract is signed.
I can place one soft hold per couple as dates are limited but this does not guarantee your date until a new contract is signed.

2020 Availability

Friday, Saturday or Sunday with no rebooking fee

2021 Availability

Saturdays from May 2021 to October 2021 a rebooking fee will apply, price is dependant on month/date requested.
There will be no added rebooking fee for Friday and Sunday dates in 2021

If the date you’re interested in has a “Soft Hold” please inquire to see the status of the date.

Calendar is up to date from May 1, 2020 onwards

Photo Over Date = Taken
Blank Dates = Available