A COVID Wedding: A Blessing in Disguise
WE ARE MARRIED!
We made it through planning and replanning around a pandemic, and boy, does it feel so good to be done and be "Mrs. Peter Yeager"!
Like every other couple planning a wedding in 2020, Peter and I were faced with unwelcome challenges. Do we postpone? Elope? Ceremony now, reception next year? One thing was certain: there was no way we could execute our original plan of having a weekend of festivities with 300+ people on the guest list.
Being an event planner myself, throughout the course of planning I felt an immense pressure to provide an unforgettable ambiance for all of our guests. After all, that is my goal when working with any client. I could not count on two hands how many times I heard something along the lines of, "I cannot wait to see what you do for your own wedding". Though these words are very much a welcomed compliment in most cases, I found these compliments adding to an already unhealthy level of stress.
After unexpectedly losing my Dad around the same time the pandemic started, I noticed a change in my mindset. It may not have really been a change as much as it was an enlightenment. With many options to consider, Peter and I chose to forgo the large reception and continued on, planning our day on a much smaller scale.
Let me tell ya, as soon as we made the decision to cut back, all of that stress and uncertainty vanished into the thin and glorious Ohio spring air. We love and care for every single person who was originally on our "big wedding" guest list. But something about an extravagant day filled with hundreds of people did not add up with where Peter and I are in our lives right now and how we were feeling this past April. We are lucky. And when I say "lucky", I mean incredibly and truly blessed; blessed to have the people that we do in our lives; blessed with the upbringings and the experiences that we have both gone through to find each other. Most importantly, blessed with the gift of life; and we did not want to postpone living together as husband and wife.
It could not have been a more perfect day. My dad sent down the sunny weather with a cool breeze that I had prayed for. We were able to say "I do" in the church I grew up in. We vowed for forever in front of Christ, our families, and our incredible bridal party (which, by the way, included TWENTY-SIX of our siblings and friends). Though our big plans changed, our family members and friends showed up for us in big ways and provided everything we needed to make the day so special and the best day of our lives!
I know our experience with planning through a pandemic may be very different from other's. But to all my fellow "COVID Brides" out there, remember to take a deep breathe and celebrate all of the lives, love, and support you and your future soon-to-be spouse have right now, no matter what route you choose. Life is too precious and fleeting to put off celebrating your loved ones every single day.
With love,
Rebecca Yeager
A Flourished Affair / COVID Bride
& now for the best part: DETAIL SHOTS!
A shoutout to our phenomenal photographer. Britt from Sweet Magnolia Photos was such a joy to work with! A deciding factor for choosing our photographer was their ability to seek out and capture the small (yet very important) details, and my oh my, did she deliver!
Saint Joseph Catholic Church
Monroeville, Ohio
Masks were required for all but the Bride & Groom
Venue: Family Land
Florals & Styling: A Flourished Affair
Catering & Food Design: Rocking Horse Saloon, Sandusky Ohio
There was no cutting back when it came to the size of our wedding party. Nine siblings, five in-laws, seven childhood friends, five college buddies, and seven nieces and nephews made up our entourage of THIRTY-THREE. And we could not have done it without each and every one of them.
Statement pieces will always be my favorite aspect of an event to design & construct. Of course I had to go just a tad overboard for ours. It was specifically important to incorporate all of the loved ones we have lost and dearly miss throughout the day. Pictures of my dad, our grandparents, cousins, and uncles who left us entirely too soon were hung on display.
A little confused about the potato theme? Peter first asked me out by handing me a raw potato with his name & number written on it in sharpie. Shortly after that we *spuddenly* found ourselves head over heels for one another.
Stay healthy, Friends!
xoxo
Rebecca