The Marrying Kind

There are enough stressors in planning your big day without a global pandemic literally bringing the world to a standstill. For many brides, that is exactly what has happened, though. Here are real-life tales of wedding planning, adjustments and top tips in the age of coronavirus.

- E. MONIQUE JOHNSON

Some brides start planning more than a year in advance to secure the venues, dress, flowers and date of their dreams. When an unprecedented virus pops up and shuts down global economies, though, there is not much one can do to prepare. It is common to include a “force majeure” clause in some contracts, which limits liability when an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond the control of the parties prevents one or both from fulfilling their obligations. But whatever clauses were present, no one saw COVID-19 coming. Still, in the midst of a modern-day plague, brides and grooms have managed to showcase creativity and find moments of joy amid their frustrations. Meliaa Jones and Antoine Burrows of Omaha, Neb. pushed their planned wedding ceremony but kept their original date for a more intimate affair.

“We did still keep the original date and got married with just a judge and witnesses, so we are able to experience somewhat of a newlywed vibe. It was our decision just to announce it on Facebook and not do individual calls or texts,” Jones says. “Most [people] were happy and wished us well, [but we] had a few that were upset that they weren’t informed we were going to elope. It was about what was going to make us happy and how we want to share the elopement with it being not exactly the way we wanted to get married.”

The Burrowses, who followed up their abbreviated ceremony with a coronavirus themed photoshoot immortalizing the unprecedented circumstances surrounding their nuptials, still plan to host a more formal affair on their rescheduled date this summer. “We just have to come up with creative ways to celebrate until we can walk down the aisle and share the special moment with the ones we love.”