Ethan and I grew up down the street from each other and were friends from elementary through high school. After high school graduation, Ethan moved away and I attended college and worked. So we went separate ways. In 2016, we met up again and began dating.
We knew there was no other spot for our wedding but in the mountains. New Mexico has always been special to me, since my parents took me there as a kid. We only wanted something small, and figured Angel Fire and the Sangre de Cristo Mountain range would be perfect. Then there was COVID, The Angel Fire Country Club where we had scheduled the reception was no longer an option.
With the help of my parents, their best friends and our wonderful vendors we were still able to make everything happen. Although limited to only immediate family members, we decided to proceed with the wedding. Without the help of my mother and her best friends, Denise and Kelly, it wouldn’t have been possible. We had the wedding at their home which ended up even more beautiful and special – even with all of the challenges our wedding was even more beautiful than we could have imagined! My father and Kelly built a gorgeous wedding arch out of the aspen pine on their property.
I believe all the difficulties we faced: having the original bakery close, the venue cancel, the original officiant cancel and limited family in attendance, our perseverance can be viewed as a metaphor for marriage and life. No matter what 2020 threw at us we kept going – determined to have our dream wedding. Our friends, family, and even strangers (now friends) helped make our day the best day of our lives.
