From one COVID bride to another…

So you’re officially a COVID19 bride. Welcome to the club! Not that it’s a club you wanted to be welcomed in to. It might even be a club that you thought you’d never have to join. Either way, I wanted to share some thoughts with you, from one COVID bride to another.

Like SO many other women, I started planning my wedding before the pandemic, and had to change plans when it made it’s noisy and confusing entrance into the US back in March. I got married in May and long story short, I had to cut my 250 person guest list to 20, and move the ceremony from my dream location to my parent’s backyard.

I know that my story is like so many others, including you. I know that nothing I can write will make you feel 100% better about your situation and that’s okay. If this post makes you feel at least 50% better, I’ll call it a win. So here are some encouraging words for my fellow COVID brides.

*You’re allowed to feel upset, sad, and angry*

Something very special has been taken away from you. What is supposed to be the best day of your life, is now probably causing you so much more stress, sadness, and anger than you anticipated. But if you’re anything like I was, you might be trying to push those negative feelings away, and telling yourself that it could be so much worse. You might be trying to convince yourself that you have no business feeling upset or sad over a wedding, and it shouldn’t be that big of a deal. But it IS a big deal. It’s the day you get to let the love of your life know how much you care for them. It’s a day that God’s love for the world is so evident. It’s a day you should get to celebrate with ALL your people, not just 20 of them. So when you feel the loss of this special day, allow yourself to feel it. Don’t brush the feeling aside. Recognize what emotion you have, and accept it. Tell yourself that all emotions, even the negative ones, are valid.

*Relying on God will absolutely save you during this time*

While it’s important to recognize your negative feelings, validate them, and sit with them for a time, it won’t be fun if you do this forever. At some point, you will need move forward for your own sanity. However moving forward might be really difficult. The only way to truly give those negative feelings up is with the help of God. We as humans aren’t strong enough to carry burdens this big, and honestly, God doesn’t ask us to. Rely on God to give you the strength you need to pick yourself up and carry on with new wedding plans. Lean on His strength and His grace because (I know from experience) you probably don’t have enough on your own right now.

Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)

Give all your worries and cares to God, because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)

This is what the Lord says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land. But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.” Jeremiah 17: 5-8 (NLT)

*Whatever you decide to do, you’ll make the right choice – and your day will be special no matter what*

Whether you decide to postpone your wedding to a later date when things clear up, or decide to keep your original wedding date and make it COVID friendly, know that you can’t make a wrong decision. Also know that whatever you decide, it’s going to be so special. I know that it will never be exactly how you pictured or planned it. Regardless, it will still be one of the most magical and love-filled days you’ll ever experience. If you decide to postpone your wedding, the longer wait will allow you to cherish and enjoy your day that much more when it finally comes. Not to mention that by then, people will be so ready to get out and celebrate that the energy will be incredible! If you decide to keep the same date and trade in your plans for a smaller intimate ceremony, you’ll get to focus on your marriage and commitment to your person, and forget about the details that often get in our way while planning a big wedding. You’ll get a more intimate experience because you’ll be surrounded by your closest family and friends.

Regardless of what your new wedding plans entail, remember that on the day of your wedding, you’ll forget how stressed you were about coming up with a Plan B. You’ll forget the loss you felt after saying goodbye to Plan A. You will feel God’s love and grace SO strongly. As you put on your wedding dress you’ll hear Him say, “I know that getting to this moment wasn’t easy, but thank you for trusting the plan I have for you. I love you and I will be with you today and forever.” As you walk down the isle towards your soon to be husband, you’ll look into their eyes and feel so much gratitude and love. You’ll realize that it doesn’t matter what your ceremony or reception looks like, because you are getting to marry your favorite person on earth.

*If you need someone to vent to about #COVIDBrideProbs, let me know!*

Last but not least, please feel free to connect with me if you want to talk about what you’re going through while planning your wedding during a pandemic. Sometimes you just need to vent to someone who knows what you’re going through. Talking to family and friends is great, but if they aren’t also planning a wedding right now, it might be difficult for them to understand your frustrations. Send me a message here or DM me on instagram and let’s talk! I’d love to chat about #JustCOVIDBrideThings.

– Jenn

Here are just a few pics from my COVID friendly wedding in May 2020. My cutie husband, Alex, and I decided not to postpone our wedding, and get married in my parents’ backyard, with just 20 of our fam and friends present. It is not at all what we planned, but it was so much better than anything I could have hoped for. It was intimate, magical, and beautiful. We felt the love of each other, our people, and most importantly God. Before our day, I didn’t think it would even feel like a real wedding, but as soon as I took my first step down the isle, I felt the realness. It was for real the best day of my life, even though it was nothing close to our original plans. God is good yall!! He will provide and His plans are always bigger!!!!