The best day ever, just in time 🥰

If you are reading this, I hope you are safe and well!

2020 is really a crazy year. COVID-19 is rapidly changing the way we handle major life events, including weddings.

For almost two years, my husband and I planned our dream wedding. Then, days before the big occasion, coronavirus shifted everything. We got married on March 14, 2020, with about 100 guests in attendance. On March 15, 2020, CDC restricted gatherings to 50 people, and shortly after, to just 10 people. We barely made it!

Little did we know behind the scenes our venue was considering canceling the event due to the circumstances. Living in Georgia, our response to COVID-19 was a little slow. We were one of the last states to shelter-in-place (and one of the first to reopen..) With the West Coast already under quarantine, our venue was considering being proactive and canceling the event due to COVID-19. Shout out to our awesome wedding planner who told me NONE of this until weeks after the wedding. Talk about stress! Canceling the wedding just a few days prior would mean thousands of dollars in lost deposits from catering, and florals, not to mention the hotel…

Luckily, CDC and GA held off on announcing any restrictions or shelter-in-place orders until March 15 and later. So, we were the last wedding held at our venue before they closed indefinitely on March 15 due to COVID-19.

With all of the news headlines centered around COVID-19, we knew it wouldn’t be safe to take our planned trip to Puerto Rico on Sunday. We rescheduled our honeymoon for our 1-year anniversary, and I cannot wait to continue the celebration of our love!

My heart breaks for brides and the entire wedding industry right now as we navigate these crazy circumstances. I recognize that my husband and I are so blessed to have celebrated our wedding, granted with a few changes. (Several guests were unable to travel and attend our wedding due to the risk of COVID-19. Additionally, our buffet was turned into a plated meal to minimize contact with food) However, in the grand scheme of things, this was truly minor. If you are a bride or vendor affected by COVID-19, my heart is going out to you!

All in all, I wouldn’t change this special day for the world. It truly felt like the party that ended the world, haha but I’m so grateful we were able to celebrate!

For some positivity during these times, check out me and my hubby’s interview with Georgia Public Broadcasting about our wedding!

And, special thanks to our amazing vendors for making this the best day! We will cherish these memories forever.

Venue – Dekalb History Center

Wedding Planner – All That Sparklez Event Planning

Photography/Videography – Southern Portrait & Video

Makeup – Beauty by Stephie C & Wanessa Costa

Decor/floral – Balloons by Sharon J

Hair – Kimberly Vann

Catering – Zest Atlanta

Photobooth – Shutterbooth Atlanta

DJ – DJ Spontaneous

Cake (vegan!!) – Southern Sweets Bakery