Do you love a soft, white wedding color palette? Muted tones and pastel hues allow this couple and their gorgeous wedding to take center stage. Even in the midst of a pandemic. Many brides and grooms are making changes to their original wedding plans. It’s possible to do so with gorgeous results!
Intimate White Wedding During COVID-19
Having a change of plans isn’t ideal when you already have your dream day set in place. For Stephanie and Dexter, they chose to honor their commitment to God and each other by pressing forward with their white wedding and intimate reception. I hope that their day is an encouragement to you. It’s also a reminder that the day is all about focusing on the love you share.
How did you envision your dream day?
As a young girl, I had dreamt about my wedding day with great intricate details. But as I got older, my true wish for my wedding day was simply to expose the powerful meaning and profundity of love. I wished for my love story to give others hope and to reshape the meaning of love in their hearts.
Dexter, my now-husband, also wanted to make a commitment before God surrounded by witnesses of God’s faithfulness and love towards us.
What was your decision-making process like in light of COVID-19?
Dexter and I were both ready to begin our lives together. I had moved from FL to VA and everything was set for us to start this life together in VA. It did not make sense for us to wait and to wait without an end date. In fact, for us, our wedding date was our expiration date to the waiting, the countdown reminded us of it.
To reset that countdown to an unknown date, was not an option. This was not an easy choice. We were faced with the reality that this virus now changed all of our plans. We did not want to believe it, we did not want to accept this truth.
Many couples are having to make choices at this time, but having a white wedding can be a beautiful choice.
Why did you decide to postpone your wedding?
It had to be so. Dexter and I sat with our pastor on a Wednesday night and told him our venue canceled and just needed guidance where to go from there. So our pastor suggested we move it up and have a very small wedding now and a celebration later. We had to go to the courthouse immediately the next day and we decided to get married within the next 48 hours.
It was heavy news on my family because I am the youngest of 4 and the last to get married, but they knew that the commitment we wanted to make was above anything else. We live-streamed our wedding not only to my family but also to our church family, friends all over the world (Spain, Tokyo, Colombia, etc). Over 700 were able to watch our live stream.
“Truly a wedding does not make a marriage.”
How did your vendors react to the changes?
I quickly remembered one of the venues we looked at for our wedding. Within hours everything fell into place. Our first venue returned our down payment and it was the exact amount needed for our new location.
Our caterer…used our down payment to provide all the food we had picked out for our actual wedding day to the new one with just a 24-hour notice. They waived delivery, pick up, extra food fees. They met us where we were…our photographers did the same. The down payment was enough for them to provide all the services they said they would.
It was a beautiful testimony of love. Their love gave us hope and joy. Their love truly made us acknowledge how much Christ loves us and gave so much for us.
They had to switch venues last-minute, but everything fell into place beautifully for their white wedding.
What were the pros/cons of having a smaller wedding vs. a larger wedding?
Not having my family there was the biggest heartache. But one day we will celebrate together and I appreciate and love my family far greater than what I knew I did. Their absence on my wedding day helped me understand the beauty, the need, the gentleness of family.
This could have easily been overshadowed if I was too distracted on being on time, or on pictures, or makeup, or hair, or friends. This appreciation could have been overlooked by material things or unnecessary drama. But it was not. Although they were not physically there, I felt their love and their appreciation for them was greater than ever.
What are you doing about a honeymoon?
We were both so proud of the inexpensive flights, cute saved Airbnbs, and the epic cities we would visit in Italy, but this was the very first thing that changed in our plans.
Dexter and I are happily married and it was the best day of our lives. We had a weekend honeymoon in our apartment, but we look forward to traveling in the future and giving ourselves the honeymoon of our dreams. Until then, we are enjoying every moment as Mr. and Mrs. Petron. Love wins.
There is beauty in simple details for a white wedding, even if it wasn’t the original plan.
Did you personally learn anything by having to change your plans?
I love that our friends came together and their help, hugs, and encouragement were appreciated far greater than it would have been. It opened my eyes to see the importance of coming together and how powerful love truly is.
Through this season, God remained faithful, God’s love remained the same, that is why love is so powerful. A marriage displays that kind of love, that love that comes with the commitment Dexter & I made to each other.
Truly a wedding does not make a marriage. We were the ones witnessing the testimony we prayed for and we will forever use our story to magnify the power of love others gave to us and the power of love we have through Christ.
Despite Everything, Their White Wedding Was Lovely
It is so encouraging to see these couples navigate through difficult times in a graceful way, which only serves to strengthen their bond. Many congratulations to Stephanie and Dexter!
Intimate White Wedding Vendors
- Photography – Jenny Frances Photography
- Venue – Venue 1848
- Catering – Purple Door Catering
- Flowers – Kroger
- Decor – Friends
- Hair & Makeup – Bride
Adore this white and pastel color palette? Pin it!
Also, if you would like to see more couples who have had their weddings during COVID-19, just click here to read their stories.
