MAINE, USA — The coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak from a wedding in the Millinocket area has been a big topic of conversation around the state and the nation. It's especially big for couples who are getting married soon.
During the pandemic, many people are still hoping to spend time with loved ones and celebrate important milestones, like weddings.
For Patrick Connors and Tiffanie Taylor, nothing is stopping them from getting married this October.
"COVID, non-COVID, it's still gonna happen. Just maybe smaller," Connors said.
While they still plan to get married on their original wedding date, a lot has changed as far as planning.
"So we went from about a hundred, hundred and five people to the wedding party," Taylor said.
Taylor said she is having a woman come and do her hair and makeup, just like a normal wedding, but there are strict guidelines with that too.
Connors and Taylor said they plan to keep everyone outside and as socially distant as possible.
Some other couples have already gotten married during the pandemic. Like Jonathan Edgerton and Stacy Frizzle Edgerton. The couple got married on their property with just their daughters and siblings.
"And everybody else was on Zoom," Frizzle Edgerton said.
The Edgerton's actually got married before their original date because they wanted to be sure they had marital rights if one of them got the coronavirus.
They say the small wedding, "it boiled it back down to what was important to us getting married. Which was coming together with our family and loved ones so we could share our vows and begin sharing our life," Frizzle Edgerton said.
Religious leaders echo this sentiment. They say there have been couples who have decided to postpone their weddings until it's safe to have everyone there celebrating, but for those that decide to say 'I do' during the pandemic they are hopeful to have everyone there to celebrate safely soon.
"Marriage is a journey," Father Phillip Tracy said. "So maybe for the first anniversary we can have a re-celebration of life," he added.
Many of the couples we spoke to say they plan to do just that.