Russ and Nicole's wedding was a definitive Northwest coastal wedding. With their ceremony right on the sand and a color palette inspired by the ocean it was exactly what I think of when someone says "Oregon Coast Wedding"
They married in a small town called Gearhart. The reception was held at the Gearhart Golf Course and Hotel, one of the oldest courses and clubs on the west coast. A charming spot with weathered wood siding and white trim surrounded by rolling dunes and tall grasses.
As with any outdoor wedding in the Northwest, we had to address a backup plan in case of rain. Nicole and Russ were committed to the ceremony on the beach itself regardless of forecast.
(I often ask couples what are their non-negotiables, and for them, this was it)
The morning of the wedding, it was raining! Aside from a couple breaks, the rain was constant and everything was getting wet. I had questions coming in from vendors and guests while we were busy with tenting the reception area for its Plan B. But Russ and Nicole didn’t waiver from their wish of a ceremony on the sand.
We scrapped the chairs and decided guests would stand for a shorter ceremony. We still set up their arbor and lanterns leading up to the arbor since neither would really be affected by the rain.
Just as everyone was beginning to arrive, the craziest thing happened. The storm clouds began to drift and the first glimpse of sun peaked out. It short, it was amazing.
Simple and organic, Nicole and Russ were surrounded by the natural beauty of the beach. No distractions.
I'm so glad that they both persevered to move forward with their original plan. Their photographer, Dan Rice, caught this amazing photo of the storm drifting and it remains a favorite of mine. People gathered together in love, ready for the rain, but blessed by the sun.
This wedding has been coming to mind a lot lately. With the coronavirus, living in quarantine and all the uncertainty that accompanies with it, I it feels like we’re stuck in a rainy morning and wondering if the proverbial ceremony is cancelled due to the rain.
(Unfortunately for some engaged couples, this is actually the case)
Life is standing still and we’re worried about what’s next. Coronavirus is affecting everyone. There is not a person out there who isn’t living a different life each day because of this.
I’m sure that you know someone who's become sick with the virus, you either are or know someone who is an essential worker putting themselves at risk daily and it’s scary. Even daily tasks like running to the grocery store can be nerve wracking. I don’t think any of us ever thought the world could ever look like this. (Does anyone else have those short moments in the morning when you wake up and everything feels normal? Even if just for a couple minutes… and then the reality sets in again)
But you know what? I’m confident this rain shower will eventually move on. We’re making some sacrifices and things definitely aren’t how we planned for them. But the celebration will resume. We’ll slowly start to put the pieces back together and our lives will resume. We'll get to gather together again and celebrate.
I’m also pretty sure we’ll find we’re more appreciative of the little things in life, more resourceful with what we already have and just a bit closer to the ones we love.
