I’m sure everyone can agree this past year has had its fair share of setbacks but even saying that is an understatement. Among those setbacks were countless family gatherings, like weddings for example. I’ve heard of many people who made plans to get married this last year and unfortunately, due to the pandemic, weren’t able to proceed as normal. Regardless, people have made it work despite those complications. A wedding can be canceled but love never will. 

Couples everywhere spend hours upon hours carefully planning out their wedding. It can be both disheartening and even financially draining to have to change plans. They say planning a wedding is already hard enough on its own, but during a global-wide crisis? Oh boy. I think the important thing to have in this specific situation, and most situations during this time is patience and perseverance. Some people have had to make compromises, like having smaller more personal weddings or even just getting married at a courthouse. While others have opted to wait until they can celebrate their marriage with everyone in their lives. 

I very recently attended a wedding in Bismarck ND with a friend of mine. While I didn’t know anyone there personally, they seemed like a really great couple. It was a very small but sweet gathering, with a few family members of the couples and a few friends too. The ceremony was held at the courthouse, however, the couple plans to have a bigger ceremony in the near future as the pandemic continues to die down. I wish them all the best and hope they have a long happy life together, despite these recent challenges they’ve had to face and any they may encounter down the road. 

There are many ways to get married other than the traditional big wedding we all hope for, especially in these times. Like I mentioned you can get married at a courthouse, but you can also have a socially-distant wedding in some places with 30 people or less. You can also get married via Zoom or other online methods, and have all your friends and family present for the day. It’s hard to visualize something you’ve been waiting for your whole life not working out the way you’d hoped. However, it’s always important to stay optimistic and look on the bright side of things. The worst-case scenario will rarely ever be an issue.  

While we are still unsure what the future holds, we can still hope. Afterall, marriage is a serious commitment but so are health and safety. I know that the pandemic has changed everyday life as we know it, but that won’t stop people from doing what they’re passionate about or marrying who they’re passionate about. What do you think about people getting married during the pandemic? Do you think big weddings are worth the wait? Or do you think small personal sized weddings are special? 

Demetria Slyt is a Dakota Student Staff Writer. She can be reached at [email protected]