Should you continue to plan your Fall/Winter Mitzvah?
Needless to say, planning a Bar or Bat Mitzvah during COVID-19 has some very unique challenges. Many families have been left in a sort of a “holding pattern” where they are nervous about signing contracts and putting down deposits due to the uncertainty of what is to come over the next few months.
We get it! You are right to feel nervous about moving forward with your plans and you are not alone. Clients engaged in planning just about any type of event have shown their hesitation to move forward in the process.
But, venues are starting to re-open and vendors are adapting to the new normal. Our advice is to re-start your planning and begin moving forward – carefully. What follows are some important factors to consider.
Bar and Bat Mitzvahs that were scheduled for spring have already started rescheduling their events with their venues and vendors for fall and winter. This is putting tremendous pressure on Mitzvah vendors. If you decide to hold off on making plans too much longer, you run the risk that your favorite vendors and locations will be booked.
To protect yourself and stay flexible, discuss your questions and concerns with your event planner or individual vendors. For example, what would happen if your event needed to be rescheduled due to another stay-at-home order? Each vendor likely has a slightly different policy. Would you still receive a full refund if you were unable to reschedule your event with them? What terms are open for negotiation and does your contract reflect what was agreed upon? Open communication and mutual understanding from the start is key. Most vendors anticipate and understand your fears given all the uncertainty. They want to make you happy and they need your business.
Now, more than ever, it is important to do business only with strong, reputable vendors. The unfortunate truth is that many businesses will not make it through this pandemic due to sudden and complete loss in income over the past few months. Strong vendors will become even more popular, so you should consider finally putting down that deposit to ensure they will be there for you and your guests when your event rolls around. We also suggest leaving your deposits on a credit card to give you some extra security and peace of mind, just in case.
These are just a few of the many factors to consider when planning your Bar or Bat Mitzvah as we come out of this crisis. It is important to start working with your planning professional now to help you manage a process that has become even trickier since the pandemic and ensure a wonderful Bar or Bat Mitzvah event for everyone!
