CONTENTS
Since Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at noon and for a period of 15 days, France, deeply affected by the coronavirus epidemic, is placed in confinement. All events, including the marriages and baptisms, are therefore cancelled until further notice.
Faced with this unprecedented situation, the wedding world is at a standstillFuture brides and grooms and event professionals are living the epidemic day by day while waiting for more lenient news.
It is therefore difficult to find that delicious joy at the prospect of this unique day in which you have invested all your time, money and love. However, life will resume its rights and your celebration will be all the more beautiful. I know how difficult it is today to project oneself into life after, such is the exceptional situation that has overwhelmed us all. We are living in a totally surreal moment that will have to initiate radical changes in our ways of living and consuming.
While waiting for the life after, I have a moving thought for all the caregivers, police officers and gendarmes, who work every day to ensure our health and safety. The best way to help them is to stay with us and to show our support from our balconies, every evening at 20 p.m.
And then I think of all of you, future brides and grooms and wedding professionals, who must have asked yourselves so many questions. I would like to be strong enough to relieve your fears and calm your doubts. My only strength is to continue to share your beautiful stories and to give some advice in the organization of your wedding.
Today, I offer you a little overview concerning theThe impact of Coronavirus on your wedding.
The questions to ask
Before making any decision, assess the situation:
- What date is your wedding?
- What options do I have if I have to postpone?
- Am I able to make the right decisions without panicking?
- What would be the financial losses and inconvenience caused in the event of cancellation?
Does Coronavirus constitute force majeure?
In a detailed article by Vincent Fouchaux, here are some answer keys:
"In French law, there is force majeure in contractual matters when an event beyond the control of the debtor, which could not reasonably have been foreseen at the time of conclusion of the contract and the effects of which cannot be avoided by appropriate measures, prevents the debtor from performing his obligation.
Unpredictability must be assessed on the day the contract is concluded. The event must also be irresistible, both in its occurrence (inevitable) and in its effects (insurmountable). "…"
Regarding the coronavirus epidemic, for contracts concluded before 2020:
- The criterion of unpredictability is not in doubt : the arrival of the virus could not be predicted,
- The criterion of irresistibility (insurmountable circumstance) will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. : inability to hold the event on the original date"
Translation. If your wedding takes place during the lockdown period or the ban on gatherings of more than 100 people, the case of force majeure is proven. Likewise if one of the bride and groom or one of your service providers is affected by the coronavirus. On the other hand, if you prefer to cancel your wedding early, you will not be able to invoke the case of force majeure if your wedding date is outside a proven epidemic period.
In conclusion, the epidemic cannot be the only reason given to cancel the execution of a contract. You must prove the unpredictable and insurmountable nature of your decision-making. If there is a dispute between the two parties, only a magistrate will be able to decide on a case-by-case basis. You will also need to assess the work that was done during the preparations by your various service providers. Keep in mind that you must stay united and that wedding professionals are your allies. It is therefore essential for everyone to be accommodating and to find an agreement with the entire team.
In the event of proven force majeure
Several options are available to you:
- Suspension of the service i.e. the postponement of the wedding without a specific date. Your wedding is then on hold while waiting for better visibility. The risk is that your hired service providers will no longer be available on the new chosen date. If this is the case, the contract will be cancelled and they will have to return the deposits received in proportion to the work carried out before the wedding.
- Cancellation of the service either because the epidemic is not ending (Stay at home!), or because you no longer wish to get married in 2020. In the second case, it is no longer a case of force majeure.
My advice : If your wedding is taking place in the next few weeks, cancellation will be a given. If you are getting married in several months, take the time to think about it and discuss it with your team of service providers. If you have a wedding planner, she will be able to advise you best. Humans can move mountains.
Postpone or cancel your wedding?
For all of you who have spent over a year planning this special day down to the smallest detail, it will be heartbreaking to cancel your wedding. The couples of March and April will certainly have no choice. Rather than a frustrating and costly cancellation, my only advice would be to postpone your wedding to a later date. It will be a lesser evil and will save you financial inconvenience.
Steps to Postpone Your Wedding
- Contact your venue to arrange a new date in the summer or fall. You may have to make some concessions on the season or choose a new date during the week, accept this change and adapt.
- Contact all your service providers to find out their availability on the new planned date.
- Request an amendment to the contract for each service provider stipulating the new fixed date.
- Contact the professional who takes care of your stationery and goodies to change the date.
- If your wedding changes season, consider making some decorative adjustments, especially regarding flowers.
- Send an email to your guests to let them know about the postponement. If necessary, call those who don't answer. An email can quickly get lost. Some "polite" guests will cancel their attendance, but the most important thing is that your closest friends are there for you. An intimate wedding is so great!
- Take a breath, it's done and it's a wise decision!
A summer wedding, should I postpone?
The news is constantly changing, it seems to me far too early to consider this hypothesis. Stay informed and communicate well with your providers. You will be advised in due time.
Editor's note
It's normal to feel anxious and stressed about this unprecedented health crisis. Today, we are ALL impacted. The current priority is to stay home and not give in to psychosis. It's a good time to take advantage of this break to slow down, take care of our loved ones and love each other more than ever. My goal is this beautiful celebration of renewal that I will organize with all those I love in the garden! And you, how are you managing?
Take care of yourself.
Big hugs,
Clementine
The Editorial Survey Dedicated to Wedding Professionals
In order to measure the impact of the Coronavirus, I propose to wedding professionals to respond to this survey:
https://forms.gle/QE9mPty7TjganPbC6
The data will remain strictly anonymous and I will share the main points of the survey later. Many thanks to all!
#takecare
Photo credit – The Pinckards
+ more info on www.temporel.fr/info-coronavirus
TO BE CONTINUED…
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A WORD FROM THE EDITOR
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Depret
Hello, in my opinion this is unfortunately incorrect, for cancellations, the third criterion is that the situation is temporary, and not definitive, so it is not a case of force majeure, weddings can be postponed. If no agreement is reached on a new date, the service provider is not required to refund the deposit, or can collect the entire service. Here is my source: https://www.29biseditions.com/home/646-le-photographe-le-coronavirus-et-les-commandes-annulees.html (free item, just order it)
Clementine
DepretWhether it's a storm, a fire or a virus, the notion of temporality doesn't really matter. Unless your client signed the contract during an epidemic and therefore was aware of the danger. On the date of the wedding, if weddings are banned due to confinement, this is indeed a case of force majeure. Similarly, if tomorrow, as a photographer, you are affected by the coronavirus and you cannot provide the service, this is also a case of force majeure.
Each situation will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and only a magistrate will be able to decide. It will also result in the reimbursement or not of the deposit. But before getting to that point, it seems to me more intelligent to discuss it calmly with your clients. It is up to the bride and groom and the professionals to show humanity and good faith. Personally, receiving money for expenses and work that I did not do would make me uncomfortable.
Alice Raoult
Thank you for this article which I find very well done.
It perfectly complements the little email of support that I send to my brides and grooms.
Great job!
Clementine
Alice RaoultThank you Alice! I have received many messages to this effect from professionals but also from future brides and grooms who feel lost. As you do so well, it is up to us to accompany them in this very unprecedented moment. I hope that we can be lighter again in the coming months. Good luck to you!
Camille
Thank you for the article which helps to shed some light on this great period of uncertainty. I am getting married on June 20th and I admit that the situation is stressing me out a lot. For the moment I am simply anticipating the different solutions that could be available to me. But I have not yet lost hope that the situation will improve to allow the wedding to go ahead.
Clementine
CamilleCamille, it's quite normal to be stressed and you are absolutely right to consider several hypotheses, especially if it reassures you. Don't lose hope, June 20 is still far away. Good luck to you,
Clementine
Nolwenn
Thank you very much, we are due to get married on May 2, 2020 and now we just have to wait. Our planner and I are waiting with bated breath for government announcements.
Your article (especially the point of force majeure) enlightens us a lot. Thanks again.
DJ ALVYN KAPLAN
Excellent advice, very useful and well explained! For my part, I am a DJ around Aix-en-Provence and I have posted an article with some information for my 'future bride and groom' customers regarding the Coronavirus and the case of cancellation / postponement of wedding: https://www.mariage-evenementiel.fr/actu-epidemie-coronavirus-covid19-annulation-mariage-organisation-evenement
ANNABEL DAVID
Hello Madam,
I am coming to you regarding the sentence you wrote, attached:
"Personally, receiving money for expenses and work that I have not done would make me uncomfortable."
"a job that I have not done" most of the work is not done during the rental or very little. There is all the maintenance work at all levels put in place all year round so that the estate remains attractive during visits and before welcoming tenants at the weekend.
Indeed, collecting a benefit without having honored it is not very justified and honorable, if I may say so. I understand that and we would prefer not to have to experience this kind of delicate episode to manage, on a case-by-case basis...
Only it is an observation and a conclusion a little, a lot, shortened to say:
"Personally, receiving money for expenses and work that I have not done would make me uncomfortable."
The rental of an estate, that is to say its turnover, allows the future bride and groom and their guests to be welcomed in the best conditions.
What is the purpose of the amount of services paid by the landlords, often future spouses in my case:
To be settled:
_ annual operating costs (water, electricity, heating, telephone subscription, internet, SACEM for televisions on the site, etc.),
_ maintenance of premises (repairing a roof, renovating a wall, gravelling or tarring paths, etc.),
_ the maintenance of outdoor spaces which generates costs for gasoline, maintenance of tools and equipment, such as a lawn tractor, brush cutter, etc., possibly an electric cart, the renewal of equipment at the end of its life, annual flowering, the salary of an employee or external service provider for pruning, mowing,
_ the payment of current loans requested for, firstly, the acquisition of the premises, the completion of renovation work undertaken with the aim of offering more accommodation on site, for example, the extension of a room, the creation of a second room in order to accommodate the future bride and groom and their guests in better conditions in the event of uncertain weather during the cocktail party or the secular ceremony, etc.
_ taxes such as Housing, Property
_ mandatory annual safety checks (fire extinguishers, electricity) such as SOCOTEC,
_ maintenance of all the equipment in a professional kitchen, renewal of equipment, etc.
Oh yes I forgot, possibly a SALARY and therefore social security contributions to pay for the manager. It's true we are also entitled to a DEFERRAL of contributions but NOT TO A CANCELLATION (300 euros monthly per employee)
A CANCELLATION is a net loss of turnover for this year on all rentals concerned. This has a direct impact on all projects also to beautify the place for the current year and the following one especially. For 1 month, it is 4 rentals lost and if it lasts 2 months, it is 8 dates lost. The wedding season generally extends from May to the end of October, i.e. on average 24 rental dates for the year (16 dates honored ...), it is our turnover which is reduced and therefore consequently services (transformations, renovations, renewal of furniture, etc ...) sold for the following year which cannot for some be guaranteed, we will also have to grant compensation for the unfulfilled promise, it is double punishment ... because we also suffer like each of you.
A POSTPONEMENT is a net loss for this year and a reservation that we will not sign for next year since we will instead host a wedding postponed from this year... imagine that we had to postpone 8 dates, that is not without consequences; for this year but also for next year...
All this to give you some small details which I think will allow you to better understand the behind the scenes and especially what use we make of the money collected.
Thank you for taking the time to read these few lines.
TO DAVID
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Clementine
ANNABEL DAVIDMadame,
Thank you for this long comment which highlights your reception venue issues. What we need to understand now is that there will necessarily be concessions to be made for everyone. We are going through a major crisis in the global economy and we are absolutely all impacted. Hence the need, it seems to me, to take a step towards the other. No one should have to pay the price for this health crisis, except that the economic crisis is here and we need to manage it. Let's accept for this unprecedented situation to reinvent ourselves differently. I have spoken with several reception venues that have absolutely the same issues as you and who find clever solutions for their clients. With a postponement of course, a financial commitment to a new date, a length of stay reduced to one night to make room for other services, a staggered payment of deposits if necessary, weddings during the week. I understand that for you it is not ideal, but it is not ideal for your client either. You are not responsible for it, nor is he. So let's support each other and move forward. It's the only smart alternative.
And I stand by what I said above, ask a total collection of the service without having performed it is not a fair solution. Wedding professionals have other options but it requires a little strategic thinking. By setting the framework, your client will adapt.
I wish you lots of courage for this period.
Clementine
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