Our Wedding Story

Nick and I got engaged in September 2019 – well before the term “COVID-19” even existed. I’m Type A to the core, so almost all the big plans for our September 12, 2020 day were lined up by the start of the new year. COVID arrived in our area in March, and the weight of uncertainty began to sink in. 

For a while, it was incredibly hard to do anything wedding-related. There was this odd sensation of doubt mixed with hope. We would find ourselves thinking there was no point in planning if we would eventually have to call it off, yet we couldn’t bring ourselves to cancel with so much time to go and so much unknown about this virus.

A perk of living in a small town is that we weren’t hit nearly as hard as many parts of the country – at least right away – so by mid-summer, there was a silver lining. Case numbers were going down and bans on large gatherings were lifted. We were in the clear – yes!

Wedding showers and bachelor/bachelorette parties were thrown. Invitations were sent out and 200 RSVPs were received. Times and details were confirmed with vendors. Everything was a go!

And just like that, it was the Thursday evening before the big day. I was at the nail salon with my girlfriends getting pampered and on cloud nine. My phone rang, and it was Nick. I didn’t answer, because my hands were preoccupied with being beautified (of course!). But then it rang again – and again it was Nick. My heart began to sink, as I immediately knew something was wrong.

When I answered, I could hear sniffles on the other end, and finally, the words came: “One of my groomsmen has COVID, and he was around my best man and another groomsman. I don’t know what to do.”

Talk about gut-wrenching.

When I arrived home shortly after, I was welcomed with the open arms of parents who already knew the unfortunate turn of events. Needless to say, it was a long, emotional night of talking with Nick, his parents and our pastor.

Ultimately, our biggest concern was that if our wedding party had it, other guests could very well too. It would only be selfish to put our loved ones at risk. So, we came to a decision, and the next morning we sent out messages detailing our change of plans.

Our ceremony would be held as close to normal as possible. Masks were now required and anyone uncomfortable coming inside could listen via radio in the parking lot.

We canceled our reception and, instead, held a drive-through at the church after our ceremony. We handed out the cupcakes that would have been our dessert and were able to say a brief hello to those who came to celebrate with us.

That night, we enjoyed a homemade taco bar with our wedding party, immediate family and a few close friends inside Nick’s family’s shop.

The biggest surprise for me was that, with a little help, Nick spent that whole morning transforming the shop into a replica of our reception venue. The tables were set up just how we planned, and there were Edison lights strung everywhere. When I walked in, I couldn’t help but burst into tears.

In that moment, everything I already felt in my heart was confirmed: the sadness and pain we endured in the days leading up to our wedding was so small compared to the excitement of getting to start a life with a man who loved me so much and who I loved so much.

We were able to take pictures around the family farm and our home. We had fireworks and released paper lanterns into the sky. And we danced the night away with so much laughing and smiling.

Plus, it rained most of the day - and if you know the saying, it means we’re sure to have good luck ahead. 

Although it wasn’t what we had planned, there was still something so special about it. It was magical, intimate, charming and totally unique.

A few years into this journey and tears still fill our eyes reflecting on the emotional roller coaster we endured – literally to the last moment. It would be a lie to say there isn’t a part of us that says, “Why us? This just isn’t fair.”

However, Nick and I are people of faith. In the midst of all the confusion and blindness, we had confidence that God already had a plan and knew the road ahead. Placing our trust in Him truly was what kept us strong and sane throughout the whole process – and what allowed us to still find joy in it.

You see, we decided early on that we weren’t going to allow COVID-19 to steal our joy, and finding out plans had to change less than 48 hours before ‘I Do’ wasn’t going to change that.

Our story is one that includes bits of sadness, frustration and hurt, but it is also a story most defined by hope, grace, love and trust. I would argue that seeing an unfortunate situation from that perspective is much harder - but also much more growing and everlasting. We were forever changed by this experience. It will be a story we tell our grandchildren someday, and we hope that it can be a testimony to all of God’s faithfulness.