To my fiancé, Sarah,
It’s been a tough couple of days for us. We are supposed to get married on Friday, and we don’t know what’s going to happen.
I know you’re upset. We found a beautiful venue; a giant finished barn in New Jersey that has that rustic look we both love with amazing wood and string lighting – perfect for 100 of our closest family and friends. Everything is (or should I saw was?) all set. Wedding planning was easy for us because we’re good at delineating tasks. I took care of the band. You took care of the flowers, and everything felt like it was falling into place.
Then, the news started talking about the coronavirus. At first, we weren’t sure if it was going to matter, but then the sports leagues began canceling all their games.
All we could think was, “What the hell are we going to do?”
It seems like the whole world is shutting down.
Already, a few guests have canceled. We don’t know if the band or the photographer or the person officiating our wedding will even show up. We can’t reschedule. Our venue is booked for the entire year. I have no idea what to do and that may be the toughest part for me.
Sarah, I can’t throw up a Hail Mary. I can’t just wave a magic wand and find a way to make it work. This situation is beyond my control and that is the most frustrating part for me because I want nothing more than to say, “I’ll fix it for you. I’ll make sure this works for us.”
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While I don’t know what will be, what I can do is remind you of what is.
We met back in 2012 through online dating. Right away, our relationship felt right. I knew pretty early you were the one. We just made sense. However, our relationship has not been without challenges. In 2015, we got in a terrible car accident in Cape Cod. Your parents were in the back seat. I was in the passenger’s seat and you were driving.
Your dad had a traumatic brain injury. Your mom cracked her ribs and collarbone. I had a broken rib and a concussion. You broke your pelvis. They flew you to Boston because they were concerned about internal bleeding. For an hour, I didn’t know where you were or how you were doing. It was the worst hour of my life.
After the accident, though, I was able to see your incredible strength and perseverance. You helped your parents, who are both doing much better and you yourself quickly healed with time and went back to work. The entire ordeal was such an uphill climb, physically, mentally and financially, but you kept pushing. It made me realize there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you and there’s nothing that you wouldn’t do for me. Our worst moment made us closer and made me even more in awe of you.
In 2018, a couple of days before Christmas, I bought you a ring. Christmas morning, I felt like a kid in a candy store. I got up at 7:00 am because I couldn’t wait to give it to you. It was just you, me and our dog Charlie, nice and simple, which is how you wanted your proposal. As we were opening gifts, I handed you the ring and caught you off guard. You were so excited. That night our families came over for dinner and the entire day was so special. I can’t think of a more perfect day and I couldn’t wait to begin planning for our big day.
I want nothing more than to say, “I’ll fix it for you. I’ll make sure this works for us.”
Now, just a few days before our wedding day, all our plans seem to be snowballing out of control. The coronavirus appears like it could be stopping everything, including our wedding day.
But Sarah, even if that happens, even if we don’t get the party that we planned, we are still going to get married.
If our big day goes on and some people have dropped out due to fear of the virus, we’ll push on, because that’s what we do. We push on together.
You are the person I want to spend the rest of my life with and no virus is going to change that or get in the way. At some point, We are still going to go on our honeymoon. We are still going to have a family one day.
Sarah, I don’t need a big party, I only need you.
While I know you are disappointed, I promise, even if I can’t give you your dream wedding, together, we will still have our dream life.
However it happens, I can’t wait to say “I do.” I love you always and forever.
