2020 has placed challenges on everyone worldwide, and brides and grooms are no exceptions. Amber and Nathan are a Savannah couple whose wedding plans were thrown through the ringer by the pandemic. Their original wedding date was at the beginning of a nationwide quarantine. Airlines were shutting down, businesses were closing their doors, and social distancing guidelines were strictly enforced –– all of which have huge implications on planning a wedding.
Instead of going down a rabbit hole of despair, Amber and Nathan chose to stay positive and face their challenges head on. They began communicating with their vendors and bridal party, and they all worked together to seamlessly rearrange the couple’s special day. Despite their initial obstacles, Amber and Nathan had a sunny Savannah wedding that created beautiful lifelong memories…and zero regrets!
The Story of Amber & Nathan
Nathan and Amber had their first date at Ghost Coast Distillery in 2018. They spent the whole day together, exploring the beauty of downtown Savannah, and from then on, they were inseparable. A year and a half later, Amber and Nathan went back to Ghost Coast Distillery where they first met. As they were walking inside, Nathan got down on one knee and popped the big question – exactly one year and six months after their first date!
Planning a Pandemic Wedding
Since their wedding date was initially scheduled at the start of the pandemic, Amber and Nathan made the choice to push back their wedding date, in order to keep their guests and vendors safe. Their original wedding date was March 18, so the couple made a decision to push their date back to May 23. Like many of us, they were hopeful that the pandemic would be behind them by that point, but as more information about COVID-19 rolled in, the couple knew they had to push back their date again — this time to August 15.
Their venue of choice, The Grainery at Red Gate Farms, thankfully had availability in August, along with staff that worked their absolute hardest to help the couple anyway they could. “Red Gate offered everything we needed: a venue, tables, chairs, linens, premium vendors and more. Their help made our wedding much easier to organize and plan,” said Amber.
Luckily for the couple, their vendors were more than understanding. Ivory and Beau (florist), Georgia Restaurant Ventures (caterer), Emerald Empire (band), and Amberly Foster (photographer) were also supportive and open to making the necessary changes. “Because of Covid and having to reschedule several times, we were excited and anxiously awaiting the wedding,” Amber said, “We both were ready to celebrate and enjoy our day.”
The Big Day
Amber and Nathan said “I do” beneath The Grainery’s famous 300-year-old live oak tree, and the open-air venue made for a breezy and beautiful socially-distanced wedding. The bride accessorized with an elegant sun hat for a stylish, magazine-worthy wedding look. She and her bridesmaids, including her daughter, carried stunning summer bouquets made by the talented floral designers at Ivory & Beau.
“We were thankful to be able to have a safe and fun wedding with friends and family, despite the pandemic,” Amber said. “We wanted our wedding to be enjoyable for all, and that was exactly what it was!”
Venue: The Grainery at Red Gate Farms
Catering: Georgia Restaurant Ventures
Florist and Planner: Ivory and Beau
Photography: Amberly Foster
Band: Emerald Empire
Hair and Makeup: Jessica Lee and Cassidy Tally