What’s a Wedding Without a Hitch? If you read my last blog or have ever planned a wedding, you would know that planning a wedding is not as magical as it seems to be, and your wedding day may not go by without a hitch. This is something I know far too well (sighs). Things happen. Life can be unfair. Plans go awry.
Then… there is 2020 and her baddie, COVID-19. Two supervillains and every bride’s worse nightmare. Unexpectedly, they have crept into our world, changing the way we do things, including weddings.
Bahamian brides wed in 2020 have expressed their frustrations with the curfews, lockdowns, protocols, restrictions, store closures, unavailability of venues and vendors, travel bans, and so on. Not to mention, after carefully planning and finalizing the details of their “dream wedding,” they find themselves changing it over and over and over again. Some have suffered even more significant losses such as unemployment, loss of income, or grieving over the loss of a close relative or friend. In one way or another, these scoundrels have vilified us.
On the flip side, there is always a superhero in an adventure story who makes things better and help us feel safe. 2020 and COVID-19 may have ruined your big day, but they have not destroyed love. Weddings may be cancelled; love is not. #LoveisNotCancelled
Love is the superhero of all superheroes. She is strong enough to bear all things. Confident enough to believe in all things. She is optimistic about the future. She is brave. With that being said, trust love to defeat fear, doubt, anxiety, grief, loss, disappointment, and so on. If your love can endure the perilous actions and motives of 2020 and COVID-19, you can win in the end. Love conquers all things.
As a newlywed, I admit that sometimes I found it hard to trust love. I wondered if love was enough. Although my wedding planning days are behind me, my husband and I still had big plans for our first marriage year. Never had we imagined we would be fighting the forces of a pandemic. Plans were cancelled. Goals were delayed. And to be quite honest, some things still seem impossible to do at this moment. Even though we entered those battles pre-maturely and unprepared, our love prevailed.
Love is a commitment to stand with your partner in good times or bad times, during happy days or sad days, while in good health or sickness, and on days of plenty or days of famine. Marriage is built on this commitment.
So, no matter where you are in your relationship - dating, engaged or married, you will encounter situations that may come naturally easy for others, but seemingly difficult for you (such as planning a wedding). Remember, all you need is love -
“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (I Corinthians 13: 7 ESV).”
Also, recognize that what you are experiencing is only temporary, this too will pass. The outcome depends on your openness and willingness to trust in the power of love.
About the Author
Andranique currently works as a high school counsellor who has an educational background in education and psychology with speciality training in School Counselling and Substance Abuse. She briefly worked as an early childhood educator before accepting a job opportunity as a caseworker with The Department of Social Services. After spending nine years in the service, Andranique resigned from her post to pursue her first passion, counselling. Becoming a counsellor has always been a long term goal of Andranique, and she strongly feels this is her purpose. Andranique spent many years working in youth and children’s programs at her church and presently serves as one of the Junior Red Cross’ patrons and a JA facilitator for Juniors. She is happily married to Mr. Marlon Bethell.
We featured Andranique in our Wedding Wednesday blog. View here.