Wedding venues, vendors, couples deal with date shuffles as COVID-19 pandemic continues

When Kate Ryan became engaged to Matt Figueroa, she knew she wanted to host the ceremony and reception in Windsor.

Born and raised in LaSalle, Ryan spent much of her life in Windsor-Essex, only moving to Toronto for work after graduating from the University of Windsor.

Though wedding planning was equal parts stressful and fun especially having to coordinate bookings from Toronto Ryan and Figueroa were able to finalize all of their arrangements, deciding on Sprucewood Shores Estate Winery in Amherstburg for their venue.

Once the COVID-19 pandemic hit Canadian shores, however, Ryan knew she needed to take decisive action to reorganize her plans.

"I kept thinking like I was in a movie, a really bad movie that, for some reason, I couldn't get out of," she said.

Reaching out to every vendor working on her wedding including Sprucewood's wedding and event coordinator Melissa Krech Ryan successfully moved her wedding to later this fall, with many vendors even waiving their customary cancellation fees.

"Telling my parents I think was the hardest part, because I'm an only child and this has been their dream as much as it's been mine," she said. "I think hearing both of my parents cry on the phone and not being able to comfort them, I think that was just it was devastating."

According to Krech, Ryan and Figueroa aren't the only couples who have been forced to make new accommodations for their big day.

"We've actually been able to postpone them, which has been great," Krech said. "We had some dates in the winter months that were still available, so we've easily just moved these couples over."

Krech said she's even been able to reschedule April and May weddings.

"We've been able to be there and support them," she said.

At the same time, Krech said there are currently three May weddings scheduled at Sprucewood, adding that her organization is offering a "soft hold."

"Our couples are able to look at some of our dates that were existing in the winter months and into 2021, and just kind of pick what works for them," she said. "We have continued to hold those dates, and then also their original dates, just in case things lighten up and they're able to go forward with their May weddings."

And while the ongoing pandemic has forced many couples to postpone, Krech said she still receives calls from curious couples asking if they're able to get information about possible wedding dates.

I think people need to understand these businesses are struggling too ...- Kate Ryan

"They understand that we are going to have to be looking at potentially rescheduling a few more weddings from the 2020 season," Krech said.

For her part, Ryan said she also understands why some might not think having to postpone a wedding amid a pandemic is a difficult thing to do.

Still, she said she'd like people to understand that "weddings are made by small businesses."

"People think it's a wedding and it's a frivolous thing, but our florist is a small business, our photographer is a small business," she said. "I think people need to understand these businesses are struggling too, and I would love to see more recognition for what they're going through."

And though Ryan said it was difficult moving her wedding date, she said there is a silver lining, pointed out by fiancee Figueroa.

"He really reminded me, funny enough, we got engaged in the fall of 2018, and we had always wanted a fall wedding," she said. "Now we get our fall wedding."