Let me start by saying this, I know you've all heard it before, I know you unengaged ladies think it will be different for you, I know you married girls are sitting there like "mhm I told ya so" but here I go...
Wedding planning is NOT easy.
Planning a wedding during a global pandemic, LOL. Didn't sign up for that.
But before I get to the wedding planning, or should I say at this point, re-planning, let me tell you a little about our pre-pandemic plans. We're set to exchange our vows this September at a gorgeous church on the Upper East Side, followed by a celebration of over 250 guests overlooking the New York City skyline. Of course, this sounds like a dream come true under normal circumstances but under COVID-19 circumstances, it's a recipe for postponement.
I'd rather not be social distancing from my loved ones on a day that is all about bringing friends and family close together. While I can admit I have been praying for an excuse to chop the guest list, I certainly don't want to be forced to do so because of regulations. And finally, walking down the aisle with a custom ITES beaded mask just isn't the look I was going for.
We got engaged within 5 days of me starting to run ITES full time. Remember when I said planning a wedding isn't easy? Well planning a wedding within a year in NYC is next level. Planning a wedding when you just quit your salaried corporate job to run your business full time, that's a challenge I could have done without and one that I will elaborate on at a later date. Now, replanning the whole thing due to a global pandemic, checkmate. I'm out.
While I definitely have ITES vision boards galore, I've never made one for my dream wedding. In fact, it took me about 6 full months to figure out what kind of bride I wanted to be. Who knew there were so many aesthetics to consider? Am I a Metropolitan bride? Chic bride? Ethereal bride? Bohemian bride? Luckily by the beginning of March I had finalized my vision just in time to be told I was nothing but a... Corona Bride.
I mentioned in my first blog post that I am a bit of a control freak. I also am a very decisive person. You could ask me to make any business decision and I will do so without looking back or second guessing. Something about making decisions for our wedding was different. I guess I put a lot of pressure on myself to make sure it would be perfect, especially because we would only plan a wedding once in a lifetime. Little did I know, I shouldn't have been so worried because I am most definitely getting to plan this wedding twice, thank you corona.
Interestingly enough, while the stress of being a brand new full time entrepreneur made the stress of wedding planning even more overwhelming, owning my own business gave me a helpful perspective in the process. I knew off the bat I wanted to work with people who were striving to provide the best service and most importantly wanted to make our day special. I was looking to surround myself with a team of vendors for the wedding that run their businesses with the same values that I run Island to East Side. Now, as I embark on the replanning process, I'm humbled to experience how amazing some vendors and fellow business owners have handled these unprecedented circumstances. For the most part, everyone I've spoken with has been immensely understanding and helpful in terms of cancellations and postponements. Unfortunately, I have experienced firsthand working with some businesses that have a pretty disgraceful tone about this situation. It's disheartening to hear and experience this, both as a business owner and as a bride affected whose wedding is impacted by COVID-19. I hope to be a sounding board for all of you and to help my ITES brides navigate this situation. I look forward to continuing to shed some light on my own experiences, both favorable and unfavorable.
Above all, I'm writing to tell you that I, too, am in the same uncertain boat that so many of you, our customers, unfortunately are in. Since the start of the pandemic in early March, I have watched hundreds of emails roll in each week from our ITES brides requesting to have their wedding bags remade with new dates inside. Truth be told, six weeks ago I thought my biggest challenge was going to be sticking to the wedding diet through quarantine. I didn't think I'd eventually be in your shoes, but here I am! I guess on a brighter note, I don't have to be so worried about the wine I am drinking daily and the explosion of cooking and baking that is happening over here.
I think that last statement best describes my outlook. We have to find the bright side, the silver lining, to all of this. It's a hell of a lot to process and I just want to say, I hear you and I'm here to remind you that it's going to be ok. I have already connected with several of you on this topic over Instagram and invite you to continue to reach out to me as your COVID-19 wedding saga continues. I can promise you I will share an update on mine. Until then, as you keep changing your wedding dates on your calendars, we will keep changing them on your bags.
With so much uncertainty, I'll leave you with this. I have absolutely no idea when we will get married, all I know for sure is that when I do, my bridesmaids are going to have some gorgeous bags.
Stay safe, stay sane.
xoxo
Christina
Comment below if you would like me to get more into detail about any wedding related planning, topics, or postponement tips.
Ramos Octavio
I unknowingly lost $379,000 worth of btc through a terrible Bitcoin investment deal. I was at a loss and got confused and started to think on what to do. I thought I had forfeited all of my savings, but thankfully I came across reviews for SPYHOST CYBER SECURITY COMPANY, an experienced cyber hacking organization that assists in recovering lost bitcoin investments. To my utter surprise, after working with SPYHOST CYBER SECURITY COMPANY, I was able to recover all of my lost funds within a short period of time. Having them on my side was really great and beneficial, in my opinion. You don’t need to be afraid or concerned if you have been taken advantage of by dubious investment schemes since SPYHOST CYBER SECURITY COMAPANY is here to help. Reach them directly at,
Email; Spyhost@cyberdude.com
Whatsapp; +1(571) 478-7636
Wilfred
I’ll advice you to use the services of a reliable IT expert / Recovery expert to help you retrieve all your lost or stolen bitcoin on the bitcoin network from scam brokers and fake investment platforms (Websites, blogs and forums). Her services are outstanding and you can contact him at Lisatheo225 @gmail com Perfectly quintessential service. She can help you track and monitor a suspected cheating spouse.. She can help you recover all stolen and lost funds. recovery is the real deal.
Fiona Preya
RECOVER ALL YOUR LOST CRYPTOCURRENCY WITH THE HELP OF CAPTAIN WEBGENESIS.
At CAPTAIN WEBGENESIS, They stand behind their commitment to provide unmatched expertise, cutting-edge technology, and ethical practices for crypto recovery. Your trust to Captain WebGenesis means everything, and they are dedicated to staying up-to-date with the latest advancements in the field.
By entrusting your crypto recovery needs to Captain WebGenesis, you can rest assured that your assets are in capable hands, ready to be recovered and restored. Their proven track record of success and focus on transparency and client communication set us apart as the gold standard in the industry.
To learn more about their services and how Captain WebGenesis can help recover your crypto from scams, please feel free to contact them through the following channels:
WhatsAp/Text: +1(501)436-9362
Email: Captainwebgenesis@hackermail.com
Website Link: www.captainwebgenesis.com
Fiona Preya
RECOVER ALL YOUR LOST CRYPTOCURRENCY WITH THE HELP OF CAPTAIN WEBGENESIS.
At CAPTAIN WEBGENESIS, They stand behind their commitment to provide unmatched expertise, cutting-edge technology, and ethical practices for crypto recovery. Your trust to Captain WebGenesis means everything, and they are dedicated to staying up-to-date with the latest advancements in the field.
By entrusting your crypto recovery needs to Captain WebGenesis, you can rest assured that your assets are in capable hands, ready to be recovered and restored. Their proven track record of success and focus on transparency and client communication set us apart as the gold standard in the industry.
To learn more about their services and how Captain WebGenesis can help recover your crypto from scams, please feel free to contact them through the following channels:
WhatsAp/Text: +1(501)436-9362
Email: Captainwebgenesis@hackermail.com
Website Link: www.captainwebgenesis.com
Fiona Preya
RECOVER ALL YOUR LOST CRYPTOCURRENCY WITH THE HELP OF CAPTAIN WEBGENESIS.
At CAPTAIN WEBGENESIS, They stand behind their commitment to provide unmatched expertise, cutting-edge technology, and ethical practices for crypto recovery. Your trust to Captain WebGenesis means everything, and they are dedicated to staying up-to-date with the latest advancements in the field.
By entrusting your crypto recovery needs to Captain WebGenesis, you can rest assured that your assets are in capable hands, ready to be recovered and restored. Their proven track record of success and focus on transparency and client communication set us apart as the gold standard in the industry.
To learn more about their services and how Captain WebGenesis can help recover your crypto from scams, please feel free to contact them through the following channels:
WhatsAp/Text: +1(501)436-9362
Email: Captainwebgenesis@hackermail.com
Website Link: www.captainwebgenesis.com