Hello!
The during the first two months of 2020, love was alive and well! I officiated 16 weddings during that period. This includes a variety of elopements, formal and informal ceremonies with guests in attendance and license signings. One signing occurred at a restaurant while the couple was enjoying lunch although they stopped eating long enough to say, "I do!" This highlights you can be as non-traditional as you want to be. Oh, I had two couples marry on February 29, Leap Day!
I took a break and didn't work the month of March. Instead I got organized and worked on draft ceremony scripts for couples planning to marry later in the year.
My first wedding impacted by Covid-19 was scheduled for March 29, 2020. Then many of my April weddings either rescheduled for late 2020 or postponed until 2021. This was true for much of the rest of the year. Some weddings moved forward, but redesigned. This pattern continued through October. I'm happy to report the couple scheduled to marry March 29 married November 8, 2020 in the presence of a downsized gathering of family and friends.
Although Covid-19 dictated the size of weddings, it didn't stop couples from marrying. I'm grateful to all the couples I had the privilege of meeting and standing with on their wedding day!
One of the highlights of the 2020 wedding season was officiating at venues new to me. I was at Lars Anderson House, a Gilded Age mansion located in NW, DC; The Mansion at Strathmore located in North Bethesda; Fathom Gallery, an intimate space with a lovely rooftop garden in NW, DC; Bartholdi Park, SW; The Spy Museum; The Barn at Pleasant Acres, St. Leonard, Maryland; MGM atrium, National Harbor, Maryland; and The Conrad Hotel, NW, DC.
Another highlight was the magical, intimate vibe so many of these weddings emitted. The floral designs and colors were bright, vibrant, rich and stunning. Add to the beautiful flowers draping, arches, arbors, hanging tealights, and potted plants and the romantic feel became real. Also, many times there were more vendors in attendance then guests. We got an opportunity to interact more closely and learn more about each other's craft.
Many venues took the temperature of all attendees or a family member was assigned this duty. Hand sanitizer was everywhere and often times the guests and vendors wore a mask.
Love survived in 2020! Many, many couples realized they wanted to be together during this unprecedented time. So they postponed the big party and the adventurous honeymoon. They surrounded themselves with the people who love them the most and they love. Thankfully there were various mediums like Facebook, FaceTime, live streaming and Zoom that allowed people who couldn't physically attend still celebrate and champion the couple's wedding festivities.
I move into the 2021 wedding season hopeful because I know love prevails!
Leora
