What to Do if You Get Sick Before Your Wedding

Cover photo by Classic Photographers

Your big day is just around the corner, and all of the hard work you and your partner put into the planning process is finally coming together – from the flower choices to the menu selections, your dream venue, and all of the details in between. And in the midst of running around and checking things off your to-do list, the worst happens: you start feeling sick.

With all of the time and money invested into this event, what should you do if you feel under the weather right before your wedding? We rounded up some industry experts to share their advice and ideas for formulating a plan B if needed.

What you should do first

First things first, take a deep breath and take inventory of the situation. While it may feel like your best-laid plans are crashing down around you, that may not necessarily be the case.

If you feel yourself getting sick the week of your wedding, photographer Colton Simmons advises to,

“mobilize your wedding crew to step up in the days leading up to your wedding. There are numerous tasks and responsibilities to be handled that week, and the assistance of your bridesmaids or groomsmen can provide you with the crucial rest time needed for recovery. This rest period could be the determining factor of your condition on the wedding day.”
Colton Simmons, wedding photographer

Take into consideration what type of illness you have and how contagious it might be as well, suggests Sarah Chianese of Mangia and Enjoy! For example, if it’s the common cold, you may be able to push through.

“In that case, the wedding can still go forward with a good dose of Emergency-C and other immune boosting supplements, scheduled doses of a daytime cold reliever, as well as adjusting plans to not be in any contact with [your] wedding party, family, guests or wedding professionals.”
Sarah Chianese of Mangia and Enjoy!

How to let your guests + vendors know

The next step is letting your guests and vendors know, even if you’re in the early stages of sickness. Having to reschedule is another thing, but it’s better to communicate as soon as possible either way.

In terms of spreading the word (and not your cold!) to your vendors, Kelley Nudo of Momental Designs says,

“As a stationer, it can be as easy as a simple text update to the invitation to change the date. However, for some vendors, it could cause a major issue, so it is important to communicate any changes to the wedding plans as early as possible to give the vendor enough time to potentially be able to accommodate the date change or, in the worst-case scenario, allow you enough time to secure a new vendor that has the date available.”
Kelley Nudo of Momental Designs

As for your guests, Simmons notes: “You want to maintain honesty and transparency with your wedding guests leading up to the wedding day. Depending on the severity of your illness, you want to let anyone who may be at risk of getting extremely sick from you know your condition. This will allow them to decide whether the risk is worth it or if they should stay safe and pass on your wedding.”

The good news: here are your options

Whether your illness is severe enough that you’re bedridden or you’re just dealing with a few minor symptoms, just know that you have options.

If the show must go on, Leo Sotelo of Story Alley Photography recommends adjusting the timeline and/or nixing the pre-wedding festivities if needed, such as the welcome party or rehearsal dinner.

“Couples can [also] make the ceremony shorter. Do you have a three-reading ceremony? Skip one or two. Start the toasts and first dance at the reception earlier than you originally planned. Usually, the couple stays until the end of the reception, but if you’re not feeling well, you can choose to leave early and go to bed.”
Leo Sotelo of Story Alley Photography

Chianese adds, “If you aren’t shy about showing yourselves sick in bed, you can also arrange for the actual ceremony to be streamed live on a large screen set up at the ceremony site. Although far from ideal, you can opt to have the officiant or celebrant (perhaps donning a clear facial mask) marry them while you’re in your PJs, in bed.”

Rest assured that you aren’t the first person to ever get sick before their big day. Rely on your vendors for guidance, and treat your health as the first priority; the party comes second!

Meghan Ely is the owner of wedding PR and wedding marketing firm OFD Consulting. Ely is a sought-after speaker, adjunct professor in the field of public relations, and a self-professed royal wedding enthusiast.