Back in April, we were just a few weeks away from Samantha and Johnathan’s Blush, Navy, and Gold wedding to be held at Walnut Hill Raleigh, North Carolina, on April 18th. With the planning was complete, seating chart printed, flowers order and the two of them were ready for their BIG DAY. Bamb!!! #COVID-19 hit, and it hit hard. The world was shutting down all around us. Samantha and Johnathan were faced with a tough decision; do we cancel the wedding or postpone, I did what any wedding planning professional would do. I grabbed my phone and started calling the vendors to figure out a solution. With the little knowledge I had, we came up with a beautiful game plan. It was a tough decision for them because the entire state was under quarantined at home for the first time in our lives.
Samantha + Johnathan chose to postpone. On July 10th, Samantha and Johnathan became husband and wife with their closest family and friends, using extreme caution and measures to keep everyone safe. Not all their loved ones were able to join them; therefore, we Livestream on Facebook so those who could attend felt connected during the ceremony.
Leading up to July, it was important for our team to create a safe environment for those choosing to celebrate. It was important for the vendor team to follow restaurant guidelines, only allowing 5-6 people per table, having tables at least 7-feet apart, and making sure everyone had a personal hand sanitizer to use throughout the evening. Throughout the evening, Walnut Hill’s team ensures that bathrooms and touchable surfaces bleached every 15-20 minutes. Between my team and theirs, we went through an entire box of latex gloves that day.
When it came time for dinner, April and her team at Mixerz bar service and staff ensure everyone’s safety but making the buffet into a duo-plated dinner. We only allowed three (3) people at the bar at a time, and they had to stand at least 6-feet apart from each other. The hardest part of the wedding was seeing how difficult it was for guests to social distance when all they wanted to do was huge and mingle. When I look back at Samantha and Johnathan’s Wedding day, it indeed was a magical day. It may not have been precisely what they envisioned, and some of their closest family couldn’t be there, but all and all, it was amazing to be back creating magic for our couple and seeing guests have fun even within a pandemic.
In the end, they are living happily ever after, and that’s what it’s all about.
Thank you to the fantastic vendors who truly came together and made Samantha + Johnathan’s wedding day spectacular.
Venue: Walnut Hill | Photographer: September Photos | Coordination Timeless Love Weddings | Catering: Chefellas | Servers + Staff: Mixerz Bar Service | Music: Dj Supreme Entertainment | Florist: Creative Cousins | Rentals: Party Reflections| Specialty Rentals: Petal and Oak | Baker: Cupcakes d’Amour | Hair: Beauty Marks Co. | Bar Services: The Happiest Hostess
#VanderDRIFTingForever
