The Coronavirus pandemic has made a great impact in 2020
The Coronavirus pandemic has greatly impacted important events for many all over the world. People have had to cancel and or reschedule important events – such as conferences, concerts, or even weddings. According to a HITCHED survey, “nine in ten couples – 90% – have chosen to postpone their wedding to next year – 2021, because they were concerned with how long the COVID-19 crisis was going to last”.
©Stock image – 1682739619 – by Goodideas
As for American couple – Patrick and Sonya – they were planning their wedding for June 21, 2020, in which they too had to make the difficult decision to postpone their ‘Fairy Tale Wedding‘ to June 2021 due to the health risks that the pandemic had imposed on their wedding.
The American couple were of course disappointed that they had to make the decision to postpone their ‘Fairy Tale Wedding’. Patrick said, ‘that was the most difficult challenge, having to make the decision to postpone the wedding’. Additionally, Sonya said, ‘they knew it was an important decision to make, because they wanted to keep their wedding guests informed and allow them to make the necessary arrangements if needed’.
“Just making that decision was really hard and stressful, because we wanted to make it early enough where we could give people a heads up – so if they needed to cancel flights or change hotels they could do that.
We didn’t want people scrambling last minute, but it was also like, ‘if we made the decision too early – maybe things would start getting better, maybe the number of cases in our area or Arkansas would start decreasing, and maybe we could have actually had the wedding if we waited a little longer’.
So I think, choosing a deadline for a decision to postpone the wedding was really hard.”
-Sonya Kaminiski
Patrick and Sonya – were – as I said, disappointed that they had to make the decision to postpone the wedding – besides, this has been something they have been anticipating for a while now – to become husband and wife.
Patrick and Sonya have been together for a while now – for 12 years. They said, ‘their love for one another has truly persevered through some of the most challenging circumstances; however, they have always stuck by each other’s side’.
“We met at a White Water Rafting Company in 2008, where we both worked.
I was working in the retail store and Patrick was a Raft Guide.
We met that summer, and have been together ever since.”
– Sonya Kaminski
Video interview featured below: Patrick and Sonya share more of their story with me – how they met, how long they have been together, and when Patrick decided it was time to “pop the question”. Interview conducted on June 13, 2020. Duration 2:21.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyJylF4rJtI
As long as Patrick and Sonya have been together, they have always known that they wanted to make a lifelong commitment to one another – to get married; therefore, after moving from their home state – Tennessee – to Florida to begin their next chapter, Patrick decided it was time to “pop the question”.
“I guess I’ve known for a while now that I wanted to propose.
We had been talking about it and we decided that we didn’t want to wait until after Sonya finishes her PhD, so we figured we would go ahead and get married.”
– Patrick Kaminiski
When Patrick did “pop the question”, Sonya inevitably said ‘yes’, so they then began to plan their ‘Fairy Tale Wedding’ – with their family and friends – at a ‘Royal inspired’ Chapel – St. Catherines at Bell Gable, which is nestled at the foot of Ozark Mountains in Arkansas.
Covid-19 pandemic change plans for American couple’s ‘Fairy Tale Wedding’
However, after having planned their ‘Fairy Tale Wedding‘, setting a date for June 21, 2020, and inviting +30 people from all over the US – and the UK – to their Arkansas wedding, the American couple made a difficult decision amid the Coronavirus pandemic – to postpone their ‘Fairy Tale Wedding’ to the following year of June 2021.
The American couple made this decision based on the fact that the Coronavirus cases were only getting substantially worse everyday; therefore, moving their wedding to the following year was the best option for them, so that they could better their chances for their wedding guests to be present for their wedding day.
After they made this decision, Patrick and Sonya had to let their wedding guests know of their decision – to postpone their wedding to June 2021.
Even though this was a difficult decision for them to make, Patrick and Sonya said, ‘their wedding guests were actually happy about their decision to postpone the wedding’.
“Everyone was super supportive.
I think most people were glad that we made this decision, because even though they had to change plans, it really was the safest option.
So yeah, everybody was so supportive and awesome about our decision.”
– Sonya Kaminski
On the other hand, even though Patrick and Sonya decided to reschedule their ‘Fairy Tale Wedding’ at the St. Catherine’s at Bell Gable Chapel for June 2021, they also made another decision – they wanted to go ahead and “tie the knot“.
Furthermore, Patrick and Sonya did end up “tying the knot” on their ‘original planned wedding day’ of June 21, 2020 at Alligator Point Beach in Florida with just a few of their family members, a friend (the Maid of Honour), their Pastor (who married them), and of course their dog, Mr. Fraggles (the Best Man).
Sonya said, Fraggles has been there from the very beginning of their relationship – for 12 years. She also said, Fraggle’s is and was just as much part of their big day as her and Patrick. Moreover, even though this was not their traditional planned wedding ceremony that they had hoped for, they still wanted to include the “normal wedding traditions”.
“We still wanted the smaller ceremony to include a lot of the things that I have always envisioned on my wedding day.
So we’re still going to have a cake, it’s just smaller. We’re still going to have flowers, there’s just not going to be near as many of them. We’re still going to have a photographer, just not for the whole day.”
– Sonya Kaminski
The American couple said, the hardest part about making the decision – to plan for two weddings – was the expense of it.
“We were definitely adding onto the wedding budget, because we already had the bigger wedding budgeted.
So we talked about it and decided it was once in a lifetime thing.
So even though the Florida wedding was going to be smaller, I still wanted it to be documented. So we hired a photographer.”
– Sonya Kaminski
The beach that Patrick and Sonya chose to ‘tie the knot’ was at Alligator Point. Sonya said, ‘This beach is generally not a busy beach’, so they were not concerned about crowds being near them or their guests during the ceremony – in which, they were able to keep their five wedding guests, as well as themselves, safe during these unprecedented times.
Slideshow video featured below: Sonya & Patrick’s wedding ceremony at Alligator Point Beach on June 20, 2020. Duration 1:35.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icJteKwg5aY&feature=youtu.be
The American couple were glad they made the decision to ‘tie the knot’ before their original planned ceremony with their family and friends; however, they did run into a few issues as they attempted to reschedule their Arkansas wedding. For the most part though, the American couple said, ‘their wedding vendors were very understanding and tried their best to accommodate their request to reschedule their ‘Fairy Tale Wedding’ at the St. Catherine’s at Bell Gable Chapel.
“We ran into a couple of obstacles, but I think people were trying their best to be accommodating and to do the best they could for us.
So we really appreciated that.
I think we ended up with some good vendors.”
– Sonya Kaminiski
Despite the difficulties that Patrick and Sonya faced of their wedding during the Coronavirus pandemic, the American couple offer a message of hope to those who are also planning a wedding:
“When you plan a wedding, you plan down to the second of what is going to happen on that day – ‘here is where the people will stand, what everyone will wear, and what will the cake look like.
You can think all you want that your plans will go perfectly.
But I think, if you stay positive – as you can – even though this is a really stressful and sad time, you’ll be able to get through it.
Your wedding might not look like you planned – I know ours won’t for both of our ceremony’s – but we are still going to make the best out of it and it’ll be a great day either way.”
– Sonya Kaminski
Video interview featured below: Sonya and Patrick provide insight in their decision to postpone their wedding and also explain why they decided to go ahead and get married on the original planned wedding day. (Interview conducted on June 13, 2020.) Duration 12:05.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ffMW6VJ9fQ&t=2s
