Let me start by saying this, I know you've all heard it before, I know you unengaged ladies think it will be different for you, I know you married girls are sitting there like "mhm I told ya so" but here I go...
Wedding planning is NOT easy.
Planning a wedding during a global pandemic, LOL. Didn't sign up for that.
But before I get to the wedding planning, or should I say at this point, re-planning, let me tell you a little about our pre-pandemic plans. We're set to exchange our vows this September at a gorgeous church on the Upper East Side, followed by a celebration of over 250 guests overlooking the New York City skyline. Of course, this sounds like a dream come true under normal circumstances but under COVID-19 circumstances, it's a recipe for postponement.
I'd rather not be social distancing from my loved ones on a day that is all about bringing friends and family close together. While I can admit I have been praying for an excuse to chop the guest list, I certainly don't want to be forced to do so because of regulations. And finally, walking down the aisle with a custom ITES beaded mask just isn't the look I was going for.
We got engaged within 5 days of me starting to run ITES full time. Remember when I said planning a wedding isn't easy? Well planning a wedding within a year in NYC is next level. Planning a wedding when you just quit your salaried corporate job to run your business full time, that's a challenge I could have done without and one that I will elaborate on at a later date. Now, replanning the whole thing due to a global pandemic, checkmate. I'm out.
While I definitely have ITES vision boards galore, I've never made one for my dream wedding. In fact, it took me about 6 full months to figure out what kind of bride I wanted to be. Who knew there were so many aesthetics to consider? Am I a Metropolitan bride? Chic bride? Ethereal bride? Bohemian bride? Luckily by the beginning of March I had finalized my vision just in time to be told I was nothing but a... Corona Bride.
I mentioned in my first blog post that I am a bit of a control freak. I also am a very decisive person. You could ask me to make any business decision and I will do so without looking back or second guessing. Something about making decisions for our wedding was different. I guess I put a lot of pressure on myself to make sure it would be perfect, especially because we would only plan a wedding once in a lifetime. Little did I know, I shouldn't have been so worried because I am most definitely getting to plan this wedding twice, thank you corona.
Interestingly enough, while the stress of being a brand new full time entrepreneur made the stress of wedding planning even more overwhelming, owning my own business gave me a helpful perspective in the process. I knew off the bat I wanted to work with people who were striving to provide the best service and most importantly wanted to make our day special. I was looking to surround myself with a team of vendors for the wedding that run their businesses with the same values that I run Island to East Side. Now, as I embark on the replanning process, I'm humbled to experience how amazing some vendors and fellow business owners have handled these unprecedented circumstances. For the most part, everyone I've spoken with has been immensely understanding and helpful in terms of cancellations and postponements. Unfortunately, I have experienced firsthand working with some businesses that have a pretty disgraceful tone about this situation. It's disheartening to hear and experience this, both as a business owner and as a bride affected whose wedding is impacted by COVID-19. I hope to be a sounding board for all of you and to help my ITES brides navigate this situation. I look forward to continuing to shed some light on my own experiences, both favorable and unfavorable.
Above all, I'm writing to tell you that I, too, am in the same uncertain boat that so many of you, our customers, unfortunately are in. Since the start of the pandemic in early March, I have watched hundreds of emails roll in each week from our ITES brides requesting to have their wedding bags remade with new dates inside. Truth be told, six weeks ago I thought my biggest challenge was going to be sticking to the wedding diet through quarantine. I didn't think I'd eventually be in your shoes, but here I am! I guess on a brighter note, I don't have to be so worried about the wine I am drinking daily and the explosion of cooking and baking that is happening over here.
I think that last statement best describes my outlook. We have to find the bright side, the silver lining, to all of this. It's a hell of a lot to process and I just want to say, I hear you and I'm here to remind you that it's going to be ok. I have already connected with several of you on this topic over Instagram and invite you to continue to reach out to me as your COVID-19 wedding saga continues. I can promise you I will share an update on mine. Until then, as you keep changing your wedding dates on your calendars, we will keep changing them on your bags.
With so much uncertainty, I'll leave you with this. I have absolutely no idea when we will get married, all I know for sure is that when I do, my bridesmaids are going to have some gorgeous bags.
Stay safe, stay sane.
xoxo
Christina
Comment below if you would like me to get more into detail about any wedding related planning, topics, or postponement tips.
Charles Hunter
Crypto Asset Recovery | Crypto recovery services – Reclaim Your Lost Crypto
ALPHA RECOVERY EXPERTS are a trusted and reliable solution for individuals seeking to recover lost or inaccessible cryptocurrency assets. With a team of expert cryptographers and cybersecurity specialists, the recovery experts utilize cutting-edge technology to navigate the complexities of blockchain forensics and retrieve lost or stolen digital assets. ALPHA RECOVERY EXPERTS proprietary recovery protocols are designed to ensure the utmost security and confidentiality, providing their clients with peace of mind throughout the recovery process. Whether you’ve lost access to your wallet, forgotten your private keys, or fallen victim to a phishing scam, ALPHA RECOVERY EXPERTS are dedicated to helping you regain control of your cryptocurrency portfolio. The customer-centric approach, combined with their unparalleled technical expertise, has earned the team a reputation as a go-to solution for cryptocurrency recovery. Don’t let lost or inaccessible assets hold you back – contact ALPHA RECOVERY EXPERTS today to take the first step towards recovery.
CONTACT INFO;
WhatsApp/Text; +44(745)742-4681
Email Add; info@alpharecoveryexpert.com
Homepage; alpharecoveryexpert.com
Riley Olivia
A married woman actually planned to ruin my marriage and take my husband away from me and my kids. The whole saga began when my husband started acting weird and staying out late and sometimes doesn’t return back home. I did my findings and found out that an old friend of his, who is married was doing everything to break us. I did my best to end their closure but it wasn’t working. Dr Osazuwa helped someone I knew and I got to know about him from my friend whom he helped. When I contacted him, he told me all I needed to know and all that was needed to be done to separate them. I complied and he fixed the problem and my husband is focused on me now and my kids now and assured me forever and never to let anyone come in between us. Just as I hoped for better results from Dr Osazuwa and he delivered, he can help you too if you reach out to him for any kind of help. reach him on WhatsApp via text/call on +2347031497107 or email him: drosazuwaspell@gmail.com
Riley Olivia
A married woman actually planned to ruin my marriage and take my husband away from me and my kids. The whole saga began when my husband started acting weird and staying out late and sometimes doesn’t return back home. I did my findings and found out that an old friend of his, who is married was doing everything to break us. I did my best to end their closure but it wasn’t working. Dr Osazuwa helped someone I knew and I got to know about him from my friend whom he helped. When I contacted him, he told me all I needed to know and all that was needed to be done to separate them. I complied and he fixed the problem and my husband is focused on me now and my kids now and assured me forever and never to let anyone come in between us. Just as I hoped for better results from Dr Osazuwa and he delivered, he can help you too if you reach out to him for any kind of help. reach him on WhatsApp via text/call on +2347031497107 or email him: drosazuwaspell@gmail.com
Nora Jackson
I’ve been attempting to expand my wine business in my hometown in White Plains. For the past 7 years, I do play the lottery in my spare time, but on this blessed day I came across an article about Lord Meduza’s spell to win the lottery. I contacted Lord Meduza to see if it would work and after I agreed to his terms and conditions for completing the task for me, he performed his magical powers for me and within 48 hours, he provided me with the numbers I needed to play the lottery, and I followed his directions. I found out at the store that I was the winner of a $105 million jackpot. For a moment I felt uncertain but I looked again and I saw it was real. As I speak to you, My level has been elevated from grass to grace and I’ve come to know that life is more spiritual and with the Lord Meduza spell, you can actually win the lottery. Lord Meduza contacts are listed as follows;
Website: lordmeduzaspelltemple.com
Email: lordmeduzatemple@hotmail.com
Whats app: +1 807 798 3042
Leonard Timberland
To become a lottery winner, one must first achieve spiritual enlightenment focused on positivity. I consider myself fortunate to have won a staggering $750,000,000 after connecting with a spell expert named Lord Meduza. He is incredibly sincere, and honest about their work. He opened my eyes to the concept of spirituality. When I expressed my desire to win the Mega Million, he informed me that it wasn’t in my destiny to win that but rather I am meant to win the Powerball instead, which I agreed to. After 2 weeks of intense spiritual work, I received the numbers from him and I followed his instructions to play them resulting in a $750,000,000 win on the Powerball lottery. Beware of those fraudulent spell experts who claim to have knowledge about spells but actually they know nothing. Lord Meduza is the ultimate choice for obtaining your lottery winning numbers. You can connect with him via
Email: lordmeduzatemple@hotmail.com
Whats_App +18077983042
Website: lordmeduzaspelltemple.com