The Tribune

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

FOR Olwyn DePutron, getting married in The Bahamas was a dream come true until COVID-19 dashed those plans and put her wedding coordinator in a frenzy.

Ms DePutron, a New Yorker, was set to marry Bahamian Cornelius Yee on April 18 at Bahamas Harvest Church. Their reception was to be at the picturesque Sapodilla property on West Bay Street.

When she first heard about the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms DePutron was not overly alarmed. Now she is busy rescheduling, hoping the event can be held here this summer with some modifications.

"The first thing that came to my mind when I heard about the coronavirus was 'it'll fly over,'" the bride-to-be said. "But then the numbers kept increasing and 'it'll fly over' turned to 'this is really serious'. I hoped that we would get back to normal by April."

That was not to happen and her wedding coordinator, Lesley Pinder of Treisia Eventz, had to go into motion rescheduling hotel reservations, ground transportation and external wedding activities.

"My wedding date was April 18," Ms DePutron told The Tribune. "With borders closed and restaurant closures my bridal shower was first cancelled and then my wedding was rescheduled. Friends were all hoping, along with me, that the city, the world would move back to close to normal. As time went by, the wedding was viewed as an outlet to getting back to socialising and getting out."

She said she didn't panic or lose too much sleep over the change of plans. In fact, she held on until the last minute to make a 'plan B'.

"This (Plan B) meant updating invitations, reprinting alternative guest books and favours which had a date of April 18 and communicating the change with friends and family," she said. "Vendors were very accommodating and open to working with me as I began to form my plan B. I wanted, and still want a nice wedding, a memorable ceremony with loved ones celebrating with me.

"I want a day with friends and family who walked with me through the chapters of my life, prayed with and for me, who supported me, and who will continue to support me in the future. I now have a plan B in place and hope to have the wedding of my dreams."

Weddings and funerals were affected by COVID-19 restrictions. Under the state of emergency orders, no more than 10 guests can attend such events.

Ms DePutron had to put the restrictions into consideration as she made plans for her rescheduled wedding.

"My wedding would now have just a slightly smaller number of people physically in attendance," she said. "Instead of inside a church, the ceremony might be in an open area. Since we are still dealing with COVID and plans are being made by government officials for post-COVID actions, what changes need to take place is still up in the air. That said, whatever is needed to ensure safety will be implemented."

The bride-to-be realises that there will be lots of changes at a post-COVID lockdown wedding. More than likely venues will need to have a very strict sanitation plan in place; social distancing would need to be practised and the number of people in attendance would have to be monitored.

Asked if she ever considered a virtual wedding option, Ms DePutron said: "That is not an option for me. The situation we are currently in will go away and go away relatively speaking in a short amount of time.

"Not the best of situations, but I don't think we would see more than six to nine months of a delay. I value the presence of people and I'm one to celebrate everything. I feel an important milestone like a wedding should be celebrated with the presence of family and friends."