“Love in the time of Covid-19”

We had planned everything down to the last detail for our very special wedding day, venue booking was paid for, dress paid for, photographer, videographer and caterer paid for, flights for family and friends had been booked and we were well on our way to an extraordinary day...and then we got the news that the president was placing us under lockdown with effect from the 26th of March... well my hopes and dreams came to a crashing halt when i realised we wouldn’t be able to celebrate with any of our faraway friends and family as our 21 day lockdown had stopped all travel and gatherings, i had planned so much down to the last final detail and then all that planning came to a very emotional end. It reminded me of the verse: Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.” I then realised that God had His hand over this from the beginning and nothing was a suprise to Him.

With our plans to immigrate and my dad’s auto-immune disorders (with a compromised immune system he couldn’t be exposed in anyway to this virus and we had to protect him), we had to make quick decisions about how we were going to take on this big change, so on the morning of the 24th March (one day before lock-down) we decided to get a marriage officer to marry us at our home in Gordons Bay, by 14:30 that afternoon we were married and we rushed through the next morning early (as curfew started that evening) to Bredasdorp to see my Husband’s parents and have a ceremony there with Pastor Danie of Bertus’ local church; it was beautiful and intimate, but i still had a longing in my heart. We had gotten family members to take some photos but i didn’t even have the white dress i always dreamed of, the reception or the first dance.

I had tried to get some deposits back when lock-down was announced but only few were kind enough to pay back a portion, we had lost so much in terms of finances as well as the emotional effect it had on us but my husband reminded me daily to meditate on Deuteronomy 30:3 “God, your God, will restore everything you lost; he'll have compassion on you”. It was difficult but we both decided the money my dad had blessed us with had to go back into our family business to put food on the many employees’ tables. So we sat, married, with no special memories but the ones in our minds and i felt to ask the community in Bredasdorp for a photographer that would be willing to take some photos for us as the lighthouse in Agulhas had special meaning to us from the start of our relationship; Magda Frylinck from Mags Pix Photography was the first to comment that she would love to bless us with a special photo-shoot and we were blown away, we thanked the Lord, after that everything fell into place, a friend from a bridal boutique in Bellville told me i could borrow her one-of-a-kind wedding dress and it was at that point that i knew the Lord was restoring all we had lost. On the day of our shoot we were blessed with the most incredible weather and sunset (provided it was pouring with rain the day before and the day after) and after the shoot another surprise arrived when we were gifted an entire reception courtesy of my mom and dad-in-love; this evening came complete with a wedding cake, flowers, full 3 course meal and of course the first dance; it seemed the whole town was in on this.

God had foreseen to our special day, it felt that i had known Magda and her husband for many years, we clicked instantly and i am forever grateful for Mags’ kind and loving heart. She makes any bride feel comfortable and she provides tips to pose to help you look your absolute best!

All i have to say is God is always good and He knew what He was doing when he sent this angel into my life! So Mags and John, thank you for spending your afternoon with us and for restoring all the memories we thought we would never have; your kindness and generosity will never be forgotten and you will be recommended to everyone i know! Thank you for this beautiful blessing and for all our memories we made!

And in the words of our Lord, this is how He has blessed us and we pray to be a blessing to others in the way that this kindness and love was shown to us:

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ~ Numbers 6:24-26