The couple had to cancel their wedding due to COVID-19, but their friends pulled through to surprise them.
Image Credit: Anastasija Davis
March 27, 2020 - 7:00 AM
Coquitlam newly-weds Josh and Anastasija Davis got engaged in September, and planned their wedding of 135 people, including some from Europe and the U.S. for April 3.
You can guess where this is going: Three weeks before their wedding, the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything.
First they cancelled their honeymoon, then guests traveling from out of the country were unable to come.
"We were like 'it’s okay, we’ll find a plan B for everything,'" recalled Anastasija.
Then, the provincial government dropped the crowd limit down to fifty people.
"We had 100 people we had to trim off of our guest list," said Josh, which he says was a hard task.
However, the couple persevered, finalized their 50-person guest list, and planned on having a small backyard wedding.
Three days later, the couple started getting messages from their family, telling them they didn't want to risk coming out.
"We just started to realize that the risk is really high," said Anastasija. "We’re not only putting ourselves at risk, but everybody around us.”
They decided to cancel everything. But the question remained, whether or not to postpone their wedding. The couple made a quick decision.
"Rather than moving it to later, we’re like, 'let’s just do it. Let’s get married after tomorrow,'" said Anastasija.
The couple held a small, intimate ceremony at their home in Coquitlam.
Image Credit: Anastasija Davis
The couple gathered with just under fifteen of their immediate family members, including the maid of honour and the best man. They held an intimate ceremony in their living room.
They had a limo and a photographer, so they decided to drive to Osprey Village in Pitt Meadows.
On the drive there, the couple reflected on how supportive their friends had been through all the chaos.
"They were totally supportive, understanding. It really spoke to us, how much our friends love us," said Josh. "And as we’re saying this, my best man Greg says, you should roll down the windows.”
The couple looked out the window to see an entire street lined with cars, with people cheering, honking and waving signs.
The couple's friends lined the streets, at a distance, to show their support.
Image Credit: Anastasija Davis
"We see all these cars, and balloons and people in their cars," recalled Josh, "And then I saw a friend of mine. And another friend.”
The couples' friends who were not able to come to the wedding had driven out to surprise them on their way to take wedding photos.
“We just started crying," said Anastasija. "We realized our friends had gone above and beyond to make sure they were there to celebrate our day with us, even with the social distancing.”
The couple shared their first dance, something they weren't expecting they'd be able to do.
Image Credit: Anastasija Davis
All the cars turned their stereos loud, to the same radio station, and asked the couple to have their first dance.
"After cancelling our wedding twice, we thought there was no way we were going to have a first dance," said Anastasija. “It was unreal.”
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