Samantha will be marrying Brian on 9th October 2021 in Nags Head, NC. Click here to read all Samantha’s planning posts to date.
THREE FACTS: (1) Brian proposed to Samantha on July 3rd on the beach (2) Samantha + Brian met on JSwipe (3) Michelle Obama was part of the proposal!
I think it was in early May that, for the first time since starting to plan our wedding, I felt optimistic that it would actually happen on the date we selected, the way we want it to happen, with all the people we want to be there!
Getting engaged in July 2020, during the height of the pandemic, it was hard to find that optimism sometimes. My dad, who works in health policy, told me he felt confident that things would be ok by Fall 2021, but there were so many setbacks and the area we live (Washington DC) was so slow to reopen that I had a lot of doubt, for a long time.
Things stayed locked down in the DC area a lot longer than most other parts of the country. Most kids were still doing virtual school until around Spring Break, and then only went back a few days a week. Most adults who had the ability to work remotely continued to do so through most of the spring. Movie theaters stayed closed. Restaurants that allowed indoor dining were only doing so at about 50% capacity.
But in early May, things began to change – and they changed fast! Suddenly, I was asked to return to work two days a week because everyone who works at the synagogue where I work was fully vaccinated. The same week that decision came down, DC’s NHL hockey team, the Washington Capitals, welcomed fans back to their games for the first time (at 10% capacity). While I wasn’t excited to leave my couch, put on real clothes, and leave my puppy at home, these two things were undeniable proof that the world was starting to reopen.
In the weeks that followed, I suddenly found myself doing all sorts of things that used to be part of my regular life, that I had not done in approximately 14 months. I’ve taken a ride on the metro, I’ve eaten inside a restaurant, I’ve greeted friends, many of whom I’ve only seen once or twice since early 2020, with warm embraces and hugs, and I got on an airplane to meet the rest of my family in Key West to celebrate my mother’s 70th birthday! (PS – I also went to two hockey games to cheer on the Caps in the playoffs… they lost in the first round 🙁 )
Because our wedding is a destination wedding, making sure it was safe for our guests to travel has been paramount on our minds so seeing and experiencing what it is like to travel in this post-pandemic world was very important to us. We returned from Key West feeling tired and stuffed from so much yummy food, but we also came home feeling very optimistic that, as long as our guests are vaccinated, it will be safe for them to travel to Nags Head, NC on October 9.
So – this feeling of optimism has motivated Brian and I to tackle a new section of the “to do” list for the wedding. We’ve ordered napkins, started gathering items for welcome bags, started to order our ketubah, and have started working on our invitations. Brian began to pick out a suit and design a custom tie and I made an appointment for my first dress fitting, and graciously accepted an offer from a couple of close friends to throw me a small bridal shower later this summer.
So what’s next? Maybe, just maybe, starting to count down the days until October 9!
Click here to read all Samantha’s planning posts to date.
Samantha & Brian’s Wedding Vendors booked so far:
Venue – Haven on the Banks
Coordinator/Planner – Event Savvy OBX
Photography – Rich Riggins Photography
Florist/Décor – Sugar Snap Events
Catering – Red Sky Café
Band – Bounce Party Band (via East Coast Entertainment)
Rentals (i.e. ceremony chairs, plates, dance floor, etc.) – Metro Rentals
Videography – Infinite Video Productions
Rabbi: Rabbi Sue Shankman from Washington Hebrew Congregation in Washington DC
Cake: Almost Heaven Bakery
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