Weddings are something that every couple looks forward to from the second the proposal happens. Unfortunately, due to the ongoing pandemic many couples can’t look forward to that special day, as large group gatherings still remain restricted.

Whittier residents, Nancy Monroy and Gustavo Lara, are one of the many newly engaged who’ve had to hit an unexpected pause on their wedding plans.

“It’s been really hard on me, it took a toll on my mental state as well. Not knowing when I’ll get to live the wedding I always dreamt of since I was a little girl,” Monroy said.

She also expressed how not knowing when she will be able to enjoy the celebration of her dreams is truly worrisome.

It has been almost one year since the initial lockdown was first imposed and there has been little to no change to the rules of having parties and gatherings.

It is still unsafe to have large gatherings that include more than 15 people, especially if everyone is from a different household.

“It’s upsetting to have your plans cancelled out of nowhere, especially when a big amount of hard earned money is completely lost,” said Lara.

Many venues have refused to issue refunds to those who left deposits or even paid their expenses in full.

Monroy expressed, “You know we tried and tried to get our money back for all the stuff we had already paid in full and the only thing I was able to get credit for was my dress — but just credit, no cash.”

Monroy and Lara are not the only ones who have dealt with issues with refunds. According to NBC, a San Diego couple was dealing with the same issue.

Another couple from Whittier, Brenda and Osvaldo Bravo, handled their wedding plans completely different and shared some thoughts for couples going through similar situations, on how to get some stress off their mind.

“Not knowing how long we’re going to be in this is very hard and can lead you to overthink a lot, but I think just having a positive outlook on everything helped me decide what I wanted to do with my wedding and I don’t regret anything at all,” Brenda said.

Mr. and Mrs. Bravo were one of the few couples who actually said screw it, we’re still going to get married during a pandemic.

They both expressed how reading blogs and watching YouTube videos on how they weren’t the only ones going through this helped a lot.

It made them appreciate life a little more and made them realize that maybe a big wedding party wasn’t really necessary.

One of the blogs they read that helped the couple, was on theknot.com.

“At first I was so upset with the world because I always wanted a big wedding, but after reading this blog and seeing how I could still celebrate life with my best friend in the entire world, a small wedding didn’t seem too bad,” Osvaldo Bravo added.

“Plus we saved so much money that we can use for our honeymoon when everything is safely back open. It was nice having just our parents there to witness our special day that we will never forget. Plus now we have a funny story to tell our kids about our wedding.” They both laughed.

The Bravos hope that every newly engaged couple stays hopeful and comes to accept the idea of having a small wedding celebration because they are not as bad as they sound.

Sometimes having too many people in one place can be so stressful.

Brenda acknowledged the struggles that it can have mentally on a girl.

“Ladies, I know this stuff sucks. We have our dream wedding party in our minds since we’re little girls. But what’s most important right now is staying safe and keeping your loved ones safe, don’t let this take a toll on your headspace or your love life. Say fuck it, and just have a small wedding. You won’t regret it.”