Love and Weddings in the Times of COVID — Act IV, The Wedding!
This was no ordinary wedding!
Planning a destination event requires a whole choreography act. Now add to that COVID and travel safety, and you have a monumental task. Between closures, openings, and hurricane seasons the “happy” couple was juggling several balls. But the show must go on and this event has to happen.
The wedding’s original date was in June, but the hotel was forced to close because of the pandemic. A couple of alternate dates were offered one in October and one in December. Choosing the right day was difficult. There are no crystal balls and we sincerely believed that the virus would dissipate by the chosen date.
Way back in May, many countries were starting to get the pandemic under control. It was a safe bet to pick a December date and hope all would be well. There were rumors of a second wave, so we bought this up to the venue. If the couple were to wait any longer, they would not get a wedding date until 2022. The hotel will go through renovations in 2021 so this left them with very few choices.
The concept of a “wedding” as we know it is no longer exists. COVID times have forced cancellations, postponements, and rethinking marriage plans. Many couples today don’t want to wait two to three years to have a “party”. The goal is to be together and move forward with their plans. Small intimate gatherings are ideal.
Our December choice means making a sacrifice. We had to accept that many friends and family members will not be able to attend. It’s understandable that couples want their nearest and dearest to be there to support them and bear witness. I was not prepared for the emotional toll it took on the family. We had to make every effort to chase away feelings of disappointment when calls came in with regrets or didn’t come in at all. Some chose not to even acknowledge the event, some judged, some were very supportive. We got the whole gambit.
The toughest choice was to make the decision to move forward come what may (or December for that matter). That being said the planning began. Most of the organization was already in place for the June wedding.
The couple now took on the task of planning for COVID travel safety.
Wedding planner Lucy Gallagher and the Belmond Maroma Resort and staff carefully coordinated details to make this a safe and special event.
Then the long-awaited day finally arrived. It’s wedding time!
In the US we typically pick a venue that includes beverages and food. Once we make a choice, the only things left to do are to choose the music, flowers and photography.
In Mexico, at the Belmond Maroma, everything was bought in from outside including tables, chairs, set-ups, etc. Without a wedding planner like Lucy, it would be an impossible task to organize a wedding from another country. But worry not, she has you covered.
The couple traveled to Mexico pre-COVID to organize the event, sample food, meet with makeup artists, musicians and photographers. The next series of meetings took place on WhatsApp and Zoom for the rest of the preparation. Thank goodness for technology!
In a strange and mysterious way, COVID seemed to offer some advantages. The party was much smaller and easier to manage. The fact that it was only 25 people made it very special and intimate.
Those that chose to attend stayed for five days. A special event was planned for every day. Because we were all in “quarantine”, most if not all events were outdoors!
The beach and the ocean were the settings for this very picturesque wedding. The resort staff would turn the beach into a new party venue for all the different events. We watched them transform the area as we lazed in the sun during the day. The thought that all this was for the bride and groom made us feel special. Paths were drawn in the sand to make it look like we were walking into a room. Arches and rows of lights brightened the starry evening skies. The more sensible guests showed up in flip flops and summer dresses. Some of us had…yes heels. Don’t judge me!
On the day of the wedding, the weather could not be more perfect! There is a unique feeling of joy and pride as you finally get to witness your kids walking down the aisle (and the long path it took us to get to this moment).
This is a COVID wedding and I am compelled to discuss mask fashion. Something we never had to think about until now. I felt oddly under-masked. Many wore studded face coverings others wore masks that matched their outfits. It’s an interesting concept that I never thought about. They had me at a mask and purse matching set.
The couple could not contain their excitement. Such an amazing backdrop and the wonderful evening breeze. It was all worth it just for this special day.
