A LOT of personal plans and milestone celebrations had been put on hold since the global pandemic and the quarantine happened. The severity of the effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) worldwide forced couples to postpone or at least simplify a celebration that they might have had planned for several months, if not visualize their entire life.
Weddings happen once in a lifetime for most people. But if anything, this pandemic taught these couples the value of sacrifice and of patience more than ever.
“When it comes to planning, we weren’t ready for the changes. Maraming naiba...Medyo depressing and frustrating. But we really appreciated that our closest friends and families were there for us...We were reminded that this is not about a fancy wedding but how we commit to the Lord our marriage. The world may tell na it’s not presentable but for God, this is indeed beautiful," Erick George D. Uy and Marigold P. Araneta said.
Together for a year and four months now, the couple was supposed to be married on June 8 from the original December 18 plan. But with the executive order released by the city discouraging lavish celebrations in this time of mourning, they decided to simplify their wedding. They needed to cancel most of their plans and started from scratch. Now, with a month left before the big day, the couple and their families are busy planning their own simple intimate wedding sans the huge venue and the wedding organizers’ help. According to Marigold, if anything, this wedding interruption made their relationship stronger.
“We are still positive na makasal ra gihapon mi because it’s only the wedding that got postponed, not us. And mas important man pud ang health more than anything else. We are continuing to love and be with each other regardless of any situation.”
Trimming down and simplifying a wedding that’s already 90 percent ready is not easy. It might even be more difficult than planning a wedding from day one. This is the challenge that Kissel Cablayda and Cedrick Rener Amamio are going through right now. From the original 100 persons, they are trying to modify and plan an intimate wedding with only 25 persons.
A couple for five years now, Kissel and Cedrick are currently assessing the situation whether they are to push through with the wedding this year with 25 persons or next year with 100 persons.
“It taught us to be more patient and understanding, most especially because my partner is a health worker. We don’t have time to talk and see each other in person. We need to maintain social distancing.”
High school sweethearts Adrian Karl Condes and Aina Joy Deloso have been together for 10 years now — about time to settle down but the pandemic situation made this even more challenging for both of them. Aina works as a radiologic technologist at St. Louis Hospital in Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat which means that conversations between the two only happen online. It doesn’t help that their local government unit also released an order for weddings to limit their attendees to 10 persons only.
From their original date of July 4 for the wedding, they haven’t yet figured out when it’s going to be moved to. They’re considering a civil wedding with less than 10 people should the order be not lifted before July 4.
“This trial is the most humbling experience gyud. Made us realize what matters the most. Celebration is not important, it’s the solemnity of the wedding and the very act of saying ‘I do’. It made us hope for betters days na ma-seal ra mi sa temple puhon and we will have our dream wedding celebration.”
AG Xandre Nunez and Leanne Abigail Jorda (04L-jpa4)
Being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, AG Xandre Nunez and Leanne Abigail Jorda's wedding goal really is to have a temple marriage, which they planned to be in Cebu. In their religion, temple weddings mean their marriage is eternal. It is supposed to be followed by the sacred temple sealing. But Covid-19 deprived the couple of this religious ceremony that they both treasure.
They had a church wedding last April 7 with only five people in the room and the rest of the family members watch through video calls. But still AG and Abigail, officially together for three years now, are hopeful that when all of this is done, they can push through with the temple sealing.