In sickness and in health. Through pandemic and uncertainty.
One South Florida couple’s wedding was canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak that has also shuttered businesses, postponed concerts and spoiled plans for many.
When the plans of Jamie Webner and Benjamin Katz for a Coconut Grove wedding were ruined, they instead decided to trade nuptials on their balcony with neighbors as their witnesses.
“As things started unraveling with COVID-19 here, we made the decision three weeks ago to call off the wedding,” said Webner, wearing her white lace wedding dress in an interview.
With more than 60 percent of the newlyweds’ guests planning to travel to South Florida for the wedding, the couple said it just didn’t seem feasible during the global pandemic.
The then-engaged couple turned their focus from preparing for their wedding ceremony to preparing for the coronavirus – until they realized how much they wanted to say their I dos.
“Within the past week, we kind of had a moment where we said we want to get married. Let’s take back our wedding day,” Webner said.
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And that’s exactly what they did.
Benjamin used technology to livestream the ceremony for family and friends on Zoom, while Jamie’s sister, Kelly Webner, officiated the wedding after getting ordained online.
Unexpectedly, the couple’s ceremony went viral as neighbors saw what was happening from their balconies and pulled out their cellphones to record the special moment.
The couple said they have always had a strong bond but going through this only sealed the deal.
“We decided that not only would our wedding vows be in sickness and in health, but that our wedding would be too,” Katz said.
The couple celebrated with Italian takeout from Macchialina in Miami Beach, and of course, champagne.
