The Coronavirus has impacted all of our lives in ways that are being defined and redefined daily. No 2020 wedding couples, myself and my partner included, could have guessed that our plans and dreams would be flipped upside down and turned inside out. We all envisioned a day of being with our families, celebrating and exchanging hugs. Followed by a honeymoon spent travelling somewhere new to soak in the sun... and soak in each other.

As a photographer, I can tell you the other half of this sad story as well. I can tell you about how much of their heart and soul your wedding vendors had already put into your 2020 wedding before it was even to happen. Planners, Caterers, Florists, DJs, Wedding Venue Owners, Officiants, Bakeries, Hairstylists, Makeup artists, Nail technicians, Videographers, Event Rental shops, Formal wear shops. All of us completely defeated. How much we had also looked forward to this year. Not just for the income but for the privilege of spending the day serving you and your loved ones. That is why we do what we do. Weddings are not suitable work environments for the lacking of heart.

When this pandemic began to make news but before there was shelter in place here in Northern California, I made two promises to my clients. 

The first promise was that I would transfer any wedding photography deposits and payments to a new date. Many of my clients have moved their wedding dates to much later this year and into next year. I chose also to err on the side of caution, moving my own September 2020 wedding back by a full year. A wedding is a serious investment, regardless of the size of the budget. All of us, vendors and couples, must pivot together to find a new path to move forward on together. I've made changes within my own life to meet the challenge of lost income though nothing really replaces that hole in our hearts as the weddings days that would have been come and pass.

That might mean redefining what is considered a good day for a wedding. 2021 and/or 2022 could accommodate many more weddings during peak season if we look at having weddings on Friday evenings and early Sunday afternoons. 2020 can see, and has seen, couples getting married but there are hurdles to overcome and wedding plans that must be let go of in the name of safety. Which brings me to the second promise I made to my clients.  

I promised that for any of my clients who were determined to go through with their wedding, that I had the gear needed to maintain social distance while still capturing photos that felt close up. Ashley and Logan took me up on that promise and are now counted among the 2020 wedding stories that are showing us new ways of thinking about what a wedding needs to be. 

Friends and family were present for the vows via social media livestream video captured by my assistant. Their love and joy was felt in a comment stream. The waves, pier, sand, rocks, hills, and trees was the venue. Ashley made her own bouquet and floral arrangements. With a mask over her smile but her eyes smiling nonetheless, Alegria of Gala Events & Weddings delivered a beautiful ceremony that paid respect to both the joyous and the serious feelings surrounding the day. From a smartphone and a portable speaker, Elvis Prestley crooned take my hand, take my whole life too as the sun sank behind the bluff and then into the sea.

Eloping used to mean that no one knew you were getting married. For those under this new normal that have decided love can't wait, eloping and practicing safety measures such as masks and social distancing can be the way to marry in 2020 without fear. 

For those of us waiting with fingers and toes crossed for our weddings in 2021, may our love and appreciation for our partners become even deeper during this time. I know mine has.

Don't stop believing. Hold on to that feeling.

-Carrie