From the Bride & Groom: “Michael proposed on March 13, 2020, a Friday... which was also the same week COVID-19 became a pandemic in the U.S. Originally, Michael was going to fly my sister out from Los Angeles to surprise me and take me on a scavenger hunt around the city, but they last minute canceled her flight, rebooked venues, AND moved the proposal to Saturday instead. Little did I know that this was a small preview of what planning a wedding during the pandemic would be like.

Thankfully, we are both not "big wedding" people. Instead, our dream was to fly to Hawaii to host an intimate ceremony with our closest friends and family. In comparison to the celebration, we cared about the ceremony more. We began to plan our wedding for November 2020 date in hopes that the pandemic would be resolved by then. However, by August, we ultimately decided to cancel our Hawaii plans due to travel requirements. We didn't want to put our family and friends through extensive testing just to attend our wedding, especially for the elderly family members, and we did not want to put their health in jeopardy to travel either.

At the same time, Michael and I were having a difficult time because we are both in healthcare, working on the front lines. We were still going to work every day and had a front row seat to the pandemic’s horror in our city. We were completely distanced from our community. For that reason, we had a sit down with my parents over a heart-to-heart. My dad asked us what would make our wedding "memorable & meaningful?" so we made a list of things that we wanted at our wedding, including family, our closest friends, a meaningful and God-centered ceremony, an accommodating budget, everyone’s safety, and Scout (my dog) being present, if possible. This conversation helped us focus on the meaning of marriage and how to honor it well with our wedding. All throughout planning, we kept referring to the question, "Will this make it meaningful? Will this be memorable?”

Come August, I’m sadly back at square one - I was incredibly discouraged. Thankfully, Michael was supportive and tried his best to stay engaged in the whole process. I started looking at venues in Houston, hoping to keep our November 2020 date. While calling around, I found that having a ceremony + reception was more cost-effective because the package came with help to set up decor and maybe even a coordinator. The reality is that If you're only doing a ceremony, you're kind of on your own, and it's expensive.

The Houstonian Hotel was the venue that my sister got married 10 years ago, and ironically, I never saw myself getting married there simply because it was too fancy! I’ve always pictured a more laid-back, simple wedding for myself. Fun facts: The Houstonian is essentially a country club with a spa and notorious for their top notch customer service. President Bush LIVED at the house we ended up having our reception in. If this was pre-COVID-19, the venue would’ve been WAY out of our price range, but I started noticing that wedding venues were offering lower rates and special deals in response to the pandemic. I decided to call the Houstonian on a whim, and after speaking with Joan, our coordinator, it was clear that they were offering the best deal with the most support and highest quality.

The wedding day was more than I could ask for! The Houstonian was an excellent choice and our coordinator made everything a breeze. I highly recommend having a coordinator, if possible. Our whole ceremony was tree-themed and was quite perfect. For example, the tree was lit with Christmas lights on every single branch. One of my favorite moments was walking down the aisle and seeing Michael, full of emotions, standing at the altar. When we were hand-in-hand, I just looked up at the glowing tree enveloping me in a fairytale feeling, and all my nerves melted away. The rest of the night was indeed meaningful and memorable, and I wouldn't change a thing. We were able to check off everything on our list that we hoped for. Even our dog, Scout, was able to be a part of our ceremony!

As for the pandemic, Michael and I were both adamant about abiding by the CDC guidelines during our wedding. The hotel took temperatures and had screening questions for every guest upon arrival. We asked our guests to wear their mask at all times except for eating and drinking. In the reception area, our guests were divided into different rooms, and we placed friend groups together so they would remain within their social bubble. We also seated less people at larger tables to allow for social distancing. Hand sanitizer stations were placed everywhere. The servers and hotel employees also wore masks. Our officiant wore a mask during the ceremony and understandably chose not to attend our reception. Some of my parent's friends opted also to only attend the ceremony and not the reception. We live-streamed the event via YouTube for our out-of-town friends and family.

This pandemic has been a collective human experience that teaches us many things most of which is the preciousness of our time together with loved ones. Time that we could not have predicted would be taken from us and that we cannot know if it will ever be returned. Be flexible with your plans and remember, now more than ever, this day is meant to cherish the what matters most: being present with your future spouse, showing gratitude to those who are near and far, and enjoying this first step to your amazing life together.”

WEDDING DRESS & SHOP: Unbridaled
VENUE: The Houstonian Hotel | Planner: Joan Mcknight
FLORIST: Jenna Lynn Events
HAIR & MAKE UP: Pink Palette Artists
WEDDING CAKE & DESSERTS: Susie's Cakes

Stephanie & Michael | The Houstonian Hotel Autumn Wedding