We got engaged in July 2019, which was several months before the pandemic. Our wedding planning journey started off just as any regular couple’s planning would. After visiting a few venues, we decided on The Grand Ivory and chose our special day - May 31st, 2020! Never in our wildest dreams would we have imagined our wedding would need to be postponed due to a pandemic. Neither of us had lived through a pandemic before, so we honestly did not know what to expect.

When the country started to shut down mid-March, we knew we had to start thinking about alternative plans. However, we were hopeful our wedding would still happen in May and, like many other couples, having to think about all the logistics to postpone a wedding seemed like a big headache. Do not get me wrong, getting married is a huge blessing, but we were already experiencing the stress of planning for such a big day in the months leading up to March. Vendors were secured, invitations had already been sent out; how much more work would go into changing all that we had already planned? After waiting and realizing things were not going to get better anytime soon, we made the difficult decision to postpone our wedding. It was especially hard for me. Again, who would have ever dreamed that a pandemic would postpone/cancel their wedding? Honestly, once I have expectations in my mind, I tend to get quite disappointed when those expectations have not been met. On the other hand, Seebok weirdly felt a sense of relief knowing that the stress of the wedding that was just around the corner was lifted, but he was still disappointed that many of the friends and family he had grown up with would no longer be able to attend in person. As difficult as it was to have our wedding dreams shattered, it was an opportunity for us to experience God’s grace. The truth that God’s timing was perfect and that He is always faithful to work for our good and for His glory was an anchor for our souls. Additionally, the lockdown slowed life down in a way that allowed us to spend sweet quality time with our family and each other. This would not have happened if things went as planned pre-covid. Throughout the whole process, all our vendors were so gracious and flexible. In fact, all but one of our vendors were available for the postponed date. While it was disappointing to lose a valuable vendor, one that I spent countless hours researching over, we were very thankful that the majority of our vendors were still available.

In our planning, we realized Seebok and I had slightly different wedding day expectations. While he wanted to have a larger wedding, I preferred a smaller, more intimate wedding day. In the end, we got to have both! On May 30th, 2020, we got married in the presence of our immediate families and our pup, Toby. It was still a dream come true as it was a beautiful, sunny day that needed no major preparations. We celebrated with some drinks, cake, and Chick-Fil-A (our favorite!) at Seebok’s parents’ house afterwards. It was so sweet, intimate, and oh-so special. It was definitely a day we will never forget. Sometimes we tend to make weddings more complex than they really have to be. We believe God used that intimate wedding setting to help us slow down and cherish each moment. We were reminded of God’s beautiful purpose for marriage - that we might reflect the relationship of Christ’s love for His bride, the Church. Later that year, on December 27th, 2020, we were able to safely celebrate our marriage with a larger group of our family and friends. To be able to gather corporately, even with masks and social distancing, was a joy like no other and to be able to sing at the top of our lungs Goodness of God/How Great is Your Love in worship of our God was a feeling like no other. (Seebok was so moved that he cried which is rare.) Not to forget, to have 70 degree weather with a clear, sunny sky at the end of December was a huge blessing. By God’s grace, no one got covid and many of our guests let us know they felt extremely safe with the safety measures we put into place. Even though we had the difficult task of cutting down our guest list by more than half and planning as safe a wedding as we could, the generous support we received from our families, wedding party, guests, and vendors was what made our day happen.

Huge shout out to Victoria! Not only was she able to capture some of the most memorable moments, but also she went above and beyond to serve us through our entire journey. Best vendor of the day, and if you are on the fence about choosing her, I promise you will not regret in the least bit having her as your wedding photographer. Lastly, to couples getting married, pandemic or not, remember to not lose sight of God and each other in the midst of the wedding planning craze. Have fun, do not forget to laugh, and enjoy pursuing each other.

VENUE: The Grand Ivory
DRESS: Circle Park Bridal Boutique (Stella York)
BRIDESMAID DRESSES: Azazie
STATIONERY: Paper Culture
CATERER: Rudy's BBQ
FLORIST: Ashley Longoria
HAIR & MAKE UP: Tease to Please
WEDDING CAKE & DESSERTS: Butterfly Cakery
VIDEOGRAPHER: William Huntington Huang
DJ & EMCEE: DJ Connection
WEDDING FAVORS: Mountain Crest Gardens

Seebok & JoAnn | Winter Wedding at The Grand Ivory