Autumn nuptials have started to gain traction these days, even more so when they coincide with the volatile atmosphere driven by political elections. Shannon Hendrickson and Drew Fitzmaurice found themselves in the midst of such a unique scenario as they carefully curated every aspect of their wedding to occur on the 2nd of November in Scituate, Massachusetts. Their venue of choice was the Barker House, a place that held special significance as it was where the bride’s parents had their wedding. The wedding agenda involved classic lawn games, delicious snacks handed around, while the surrounding décor reflected hues of white and soft pink. Their residence in Marshfield, Massachusetts also turned this into a homecoming of sorts.
To stir things up a bit, they decided to add an interesting twist – a ‘no politics zone’ at their wedding. The significance? Their wedding was scheduled to occur just three days prior to the presidential elections. Considering their sizable guest list of 169 people spanning across the nation and worldwide, the couple decided to eliminate any chance of political discourse potentially seeping into their joyful event. Elementary as this sounds, the idea was to ensure that the wedding remained focused on celebrating their love, rather than devolving into heated political banter.
For Shannon, as she puts it, ‘The wedding day is solely dedicated to us, not politics. Political debates can be reserved for the next day’. This safe haven from the political storm idea was something that she borrowed from another bride who was getting married the succeeding weekend to the election.
Indeed, weddings in autumn have seen a significant upswing in recent times, but the unique factor facing couples who intend to marry during this particular fall presents quite a predicament: how to ensure the focus remains on their big day amidst one of the most polarized presidential contests the country has experienced. Keeping the politics at bay may prove to be a tough task, and may even backfire on them.
Adding a few elements of humor and distraction could be one way to manage the situation, or perhaps providing guests with alternate topics for discussion. Post-election depression is a fear that some couples have, worried that the election results could potentially hover over their festivities like a storm cloud, regardless of the outcome.
Dena Skeadas, 31, and George Panagopoulos, 37, who are set to wed about a fortnight post the Election Day also share these apprehensions. With 250 guests on their list and having a wide political base, Dena remarked, ‘Irrespective of the election results, I fear some of our guests might not be in a celebratory mood at our wedding’.
A further fear she has is the possible unrest or violence that might occur throughout the country once the aftermath of the elections sets in. Despite all these worries, she continues to be optimistic with the hope that her wedding will serve as a blissful escape from the outside world, surrounded by the love and joy of her close ones.
An interesting case was that of Katie Newell, 24, and Elijah Gallinger, 24, who after lengthy deliberation, agreed to a wedding on November 5th due to limited options related to family availability and venue constraints. Their concerns were largely about whether their guests would be incessantly checking for news updates during the ceremony itself.
They strategically decided to host the ceremony at 3.pm, a time before any election results were to be announced. As it so happened, most guests resided in states where early voting is permitted, casting aside another potential concern. Could political debates break out amidst the guests? ‘There will likely be guests with different political leanings present, but I doubt anyone would incite any major disruption’, said Katie on this matter.
In the end, they made a unique decision of not serving alcohol at their reception. The rationale was laid out plainly by the bride, ‘On Election Day, it’s probably best to avoid having alcohol-fueled truths disrupt the grand festivity’. Their instance portrays a methodical way of preventing politics from clouding their special day.