Wednesday, 23 September 2020
www.TheObserver.com
Vol. CXXXIII, No. 20
MORE ON THE INSIDE Check out our pullout guide for the best outdoor dining & entertainment See Pages 10-11
BELLEVILLE • BLOOMFIELD • EAST NEWARK • HARRISON • KEARNY • LYNDHURST • NORTH ARLINGTON • NUTLEY
After months of COVID-related delays, cancelations and heartaches ...
THE JOY OF MARRIAGE RETURNS Lyndhurst couple shares their unexpected journey
I
t’s not easy getting married during a worldwide pandemic, but couples are rising to the challenge. They’re rebooking venues in record time while shrinking their guest lists and navigating social distancing requirements. Masks and hand sanitizers are the fashionable party favors of the day. Indoor dining restrictions have resulted in couples scrambling to find adequate outdoor reception space. Meanwhile, travel restrictions and health concerns are keeping friends and family away, while complicating honeymoons. “It’s been a difficult time,” said Debra
Photos courtesy of Archdiocese of Newark
The spring and summer are always a popular time for tying the knot, but things were a lot different in 2020 thanks to COVID-19. As such, couples like Lyndhurst’s Rebecca & Agustin Vazquez had to get creative to pull their nuptials off. Many others are following suit. Read on to find out how.
Loprete, the weddings administrator at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark. Typically, the cathedral will host about 65 weddings a year on Fridays and Saturdays. This year, the Coronavirus lockdown wiped away the entire wedding calendar from midMarch to July and Loprete has been rescheduling for couples ever since. “They’re experiencing a range of emotions,” Loprete said. “Some of them are angry. They’re frustrated. They’re sad, disappointed. And I get that. It’s something you think about as a little girl. You dream about the day. It’s hard.”
The first post-lockdown wedding at the cathedral was Aug. 1, followed by two more Aug. 15 and Aug. 29. Three weddings in August is far from normal, Loprete said, and while the first ceremony hit the maximum allowable of 100 people, only 10 people — including the bride and groom — were at the second. The couple married Aug. 1 opted to keep their wedding date and tented their backyard for the reception. “There is such a variety of how people are See WEDDINGS, Page 16