IT’S THE SMALL THINGS Alex Eduque When COVID-19 first hit, I remember thinking to myself at some point that it would be over in no time. It was March last year when we locked down, and I had just returned from a trip abroad to finalize details for what was supposed to be my destination wedding in October. I have always been a fan of smaller sized weddings – there is just something so intimate and special about them to me, that pre-pandemic, it would have been rather impossible to get away with that here in the Philippines. But alas, even the words “intimate” and “small” have since taken a turn and have become subjective. At the end of the day, God will always have a plan greater than yours, no matter how much you have set out to do because He truly knows what is in your heart. Fast forward to about mid-last year, the prospect of plans pushing through became dimmer. Borders were still closed, and it seemed like COVID-19 was going nowhere. For the safety of all, we decided to postpone the church wedding for the spring of this year thinking that things would normalize by then, and proceeded to get married as planned in October – civilly, with two of four closest friends as witnesses in City Hall, and with a betrothal and mass at my parents’ home with just our immediate families and closest friends. That was to be our small wedding – or so we thought. As fate would have it, at the beginning of this year, borders were still closed, and the virus still rampant. Fear had spread like wild fire, and travel was a last priority for many. We decided to forego plans of our destination wedding, and instead, hold our church wedding here with just our family members, the wedding entourage, and some friends. With all the stringent health protocols and testing in place, 30 people, we felt, would be doable. I secretly delighted in this to be honest. This had always been my dream, but this would have been unheard of pre-COVID. As Holy Week rolled around, cases were on the rise worldwide and numbers were surging. We, here in Manila, were put back on ECQ. After a lot of back and forth, prayers and discussions, we decided to go ahead with our church wedding, albeit with only our parents, siblings, and the priest physically present. The rest of the 30 people, including our sponsors, would be given a Zoom link to witness our union. At the end of the day, those who mattered most were there, and what counted was truly emphasized. God bestowed his blessing on us, and our love was sealed in faith, at a time in history when all else had been put to a temporary halt. Testament, that true love does not need to be celebrated with all the fanfare and fancy; everything else that comes with a wedding is a bonus. Love should not wait, and God’s plan will always prosper. I chose to write about my account today because I am aware that I am most definitely not the only one who has gone through this roller coaster ride as a pandemic bride, and that there are many others on the path to figuring it all out now. I will write more extensively next week on tips to stay sane through this journey, but in the meantime, let me leave you with this – as small intimate weddings have now become the norm, console yourself with the fact that at no other time will you be able to tie the knot with only your nearest and dearest physically present, without offending anyone. Lift it all up, and surrender it all up to Him. Accept that at the very last minute, even when things are ironed out, something can come up, and can change everything. Acceptance is key that one cannot control all that is happening around us. Cling on to your faith, and in His word. As one of my favorite bible verses go, Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you hope, and a future.” Till my personally tried and tested tips next week.