On March 11, the coronavirus outbreak was officially designated a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). The U.S. has subsequently banned travel from Europe, meaning weddings based in Italy and countries within the European Union, have been postponed or canceled. The same scenario is playing out in the U.S., especially in densely populated regions like New York City and Seattle. As of Sunday, March 15, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a guidance for group gatherings, addressing weddings and other related events in the next two months.

“Therefore, CDC, in accordance with its guidance for large events and mass gatherings, recommends that for the next 8 weeks, organizers (whether groups or individuals) cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States,” officials noted in its update.

The circumstances have been devastating for both couples in the throes of planning, and for wedding vendors and planners local to impacted areas. “We need to accept that this is a global situation,” says Giovana Dualibe, the CEO of Belief Wedding Creators, an international community for wedding planners. Overall, pros are advising clients to follow the directives of local government and health officials.