THESE DAYS.
BUT THE LOVE HASN’T CHANGED.
MEET ERICA AND SHAWN.
SHE IS IN FINANCE AND HE IS A TEACHER.
AFTER DATING FOR TWO YEARS, HE PROPOSED AND THEY HAD THE PERFECT DATE SET.
>> JULY 18, 2017.
WE KNEW WE WANTED TO DATE BECAUSE IT WAS A SATURDAY.
THAT WAS THE EASIEST THING WE DECIDED.
SHAYNA: THE REST OF THE PLANNING FELL INTO PLACE.
A TRADITIONAL ARMENIAN CEREMONY AND BALLROOM RECEPTION FOR 300 GUESTS.
>> PEOPLE WOULD ASK ME HOW PLANNING WAS GOING.
>> WE ARE BOTH TYPE A.
WE GOT EVERYTHING DONE EARLY.
WE HAD NO PROBLEMS.
THEN WHEN THIS HAPPENED, I WAS LIKE, IS THIS THE PROBLEM?
BECAUSE THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM.
SHAYNA: IN MARCH, THE PANDEMIC STALLED EVERYTHING COMING BOOTING 74 -- STALLED EVERYTHING, INCLUDING THE $74 BILLION WEDDING INDUSTRY.
>> I THINK BOTH OF US WERE WORRIED WE WOULD NOT BE FINE.
SHAYNA: THEY WERE RIGHT TO BE WORRIED.
IN JULY, OUTDOOR EVENTS IN MASSACHUSETTS WERE LIMITED TO 100 PEOPLE.
ERICA COMES FROM A TRADITIONAL ARMENIAN FAMILY.
GATHERINGS ARE LARGE, LOUD, AND FULL OF DANCING.
THERE WAS NO WAY THE CELEBRATION COULD GO ON AS PLANNED.
>> FOR A WEEK WE WERE JUST DEVASTATED BY THIS.
WE KNOW IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, THERE HAVE BEEN MILLIONS OF TRAGEDIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THIS IS NOT ONE OF THEM.
BUT IT WAS STILL A BLOW.
WE THOUGHT IF WE COULD DO THIS SAFELY AND IN A SMART WAY, WE WILL TRY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
SHAYNA: WITH SEVERAL BACKUP PLANS, THEY DECIDED ON A SMALL CHURCH CEREMONY AND A BACKYARD RECEPTION.
THEY MAILED CARDS EXPLAINING THE CHANGE OF PLANS.
>> EVERYONE CAME TOGETHER.
MY COUSIN MADE THE CAKE.
ANOTHER COUSIN WAS THE DJ.
MY UNCLE WAS ONE OF THE PRIESTS.
THIS MADE IT MORE OF A FAMILY AFFAIR.
SHAYNA: EMILY IS THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION AT A WEDDING PLANNING AND REGISTRY WEBSITE.
OVER THREE FOURTHS OF COUPLES THAT HAD WEDDING DATES THIS SUMMER AND FALL ARE STILL MOVING FORWARD WITH A WEDDING IN SOME WAY ON THE ORIGINAL DATE.
SO MOST COUPLES ARE CHOOSING TO HAVE A MUCH SMALLER CEREMONY NOW AND POSTPONE THE BIG RECEPTION FOR 2021 OR 2022.
THEY ARE THINKING OF NEW WAYS TO CELEBRATE.
SHAYNA: FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT MAKE IT, ERICA AND SHAWN SET UP A FACEBOOK EVENT WITH A LIVESTREAM.
>> THERE IS ONE PICTURE I LOVE WHERE WE ARE ABOUT TO WALK BACK DOWN THE AISLE AFTER BEING PRONOUNCED HUSBAND AND WIFE, AND I KNEW IT WOULD BE AN AWESOME MEMORY, EVEN IF IT IS NOT WHAT
WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE.
LOOK AT THIS.
ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE US DID EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO BE HERE.
>> SEAN REQUESTED PEOPLE POST VIDEOS TOASTING TO US WHEN WE WERE PRONOUNCED HUSBAND AND WIFE AND WE GOT LOTS OF THOSE VIDEOS AND THAT IS SOMETHING WE GET TO CHERISH FOREVER.
SHAYNA: THE BACKYARD RECEPTION WAS HELD AT HER CHILDHOOD HOME.
THE DANCE FLOOR WAS ONLY USED BY THE BRIDE AND GROOM FOR THEIR FIRST AT AND -- THEIR FIRST DANCE AND A TRADITIONAL ARMENIAN NUMBER.
THE WEDDING WENT BY FAST BECAUSE WE HAD TIME TO SIT AND TALK WITH EVERYONE.
WE WERE ABLE TO SAVE -- WE WERE ABLE TO SAVOR EVERYTHING.
SHAYNA: THE COUPLE LOOKS BACK FONDLY ON THE WEDDING DAY.
>> IT IS A CLICHE, BUT WE ARE STRONGER BECAUSE OF IT.
IT WAS A CHALLENGE BUT WE WERE ABLE TO NAVIGATE THROUGH IT.
EVERYONE’S WEDDING HAS A STORY.
I DID NOT THINK OURS WOULD BE LIKE THIS BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IT, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS.
WE SMILE.
IT IS ALL GOOD MEMORIES.
SHAYNA: CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM.
NO MATTER HOW COUPLES CELEBRATE, THEY MUST FOLLOW CDC GUIDELINES FOR SAFE GATHERING.
HEALTH OFFICIALS IN MAINE SAY A RECENT WEDDING IN THE STATE LED TO A COVERT OUTBREAK.
THERE ARE MORE THAN 175 CONFIRMED CASES OF THE VIRUS AND SEVEN DEATHS LINKED TO THAT WEDDING.
AS FOR ERICA AND SHAWN, WE WERE MARRIED IN MASSACHUSETTS AND ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A BIG ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION.