Many couples had to cancel their wedding plans. No one could have predicted a pandemic would sweep the nation and world and lock everyone in their homes.
Ceremonies, parties, and celebrations were shut down along with everything else. Sure, some couples just shortened their guest list, but most people canceled their plans. Some postponed it, hoping for a better day in the future, and others used technology to get married through video conferences.
Emily Bugg and Billy Lewis decided to cancel their wedding. The couple from Chicago had everything planned, and it was going to be a spectacular event, but everything fell apart in the blink of an eye. Amongst the chaos of the early weeks and months of the pandemic, the couple decided to do something different: they decided to help others.
A canceled wedding led to something bigger
The couple planned a big wedding reception. It was going to be their dreams come true and their family was going to be there to witness their love. Everything was planned, but it seems life had plans of its own.
The pandemic came and moved the world in a different direction. As heartbreaking as it was, the couple accepted that the wedding they planned couldn’t happen, so they got married at city hall. The couple had a photographer with them to capture the moment and share it with family and friends.
There was no venue to worry about. There were no guests to be concerned about. The plans for a reception disappeared. It was just the two of them at city hall. One thing they couldn’t escape was the $5,000 deposit they put down for the caterer.
It was a lot of money, and a lot of food was going to go to waste because everything got canceled. The couple sat with that idea for a moment before figuring out what they should do with that deposit. The couple followed through with the order but ended up turning their wedding food into Thanksgiving dinners for hungry folks in need.
The reality is the pandemic put a lot of people out of work. Many families were going hungry. It’s a sad reality, but every American had to come to terms with this problem.
The couple knew they couldn’t answer everyone’s needs, but they did their best to answer the needs of the people around them. They found out a lot of people around them we’re dealing with mental disorders and substance use disorders. Many of these folks need food. The couple asked the catering company to help them serve the food to people who need the help. The company, Big Delicious Planet, was more than happy to oblige. They were able to serve 200 meals to people in need on Thanksgiving.
Canceling their wedding felt like a blow at the beginning, but the couple saw it wasn’t the worst thing that could have happened to them. The couple realized it was a good thing because they were able to help many people and still get married.
The owner of the catering company, Heidi Moorman Coudal, said this couple was a rare find. She said most of the people who cancel just ask for their money back. This couple didn’t do that and asked if they could help others with their deposit. Coudal was deeply moved by the couple because it’s rare to see hearts like theirs.
Their story touched a lot of people. It’s good to see that some people aren’t so focused on themselves, especially when there are so many people out there in need of a helping hand.
