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An Intimate Wedding At A Social Distance
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Chase and Ellen Brown were set to get married Saturday, March 28 in Savannah. But then, the rapid spread of the coronavirus across Georgia and the nation threatened to jeopardize their nuptials.
The big day they had been planning since last April was quickly looking less likely to happen.
When President Donald Trump put limitations on public gatherings, they had to make a choice for the safety of their guests. Then, on Monday, March 16, their wedding planner called them after learning that probate courts were likely to be closed for weeks. She said they'd better act fast to get their marriage license. That's when Chase and Ellen realized there was another solution.
"We got off the phone and I just looked at Chase and was like, 'Why don't we just get married tomorrow?'" Ellen Brown said.
"We talked about it for a second and, what it was all about was us joining together in marriage," Chase Brown said. "And so I said, 'Yeah, let's go ahead and do it.'"
On Second Thought spoke with Ellen, Chase and the mother of the groom, Kathryn Brown, to hear how they managed to pull off a wedding in less than 24 hours.
The couple — and their families — pulled together resources to secure all the basics: a ring, a church, flowers, a cake, music and more. They arranged a guest list that complied with gathering limitations, and then sat guests six feet apart.
"It's not always going to turn out the way you want it, but it turns out the way it's supposed to be," Ellen Brown said.
And Kathryn Brown hopes that her son's uplifting marriage story can provide some light for others amid these uncertain times.
"I hope everybody in all of this does find a little bright spot to everything that we may be shorted on, or have to give up — birthdays, families, etcetera," Kathryn Brown said. "We cried so many tears of sadness Monday and joy on Tuesday. And, as corny as it is, I think truly all you need is love, as the song goes."
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