Sometimes the best laid plans are stopped unexpectedly by life itself. That can happen even when it comes to getting hitched — as it did for at least three Central Alberta couples.
The weddings have been called off mainly because the to-be-weds have felt, directly and indirectly like thousands of other Albertans, the economic slowdown blamed on low oil prices.
But one lucky couple will see their wedding plans revived or enhanced through a Central Alberta event now underway — the Wedding Rescue Contest — designed to cover much of the cost involved in a wedding with as many as 120 guests.
The contest was open to couples who “had to cancel or postpone your wedding this summer because of hard times (be they health related, due to the struggling economy, or some other circumstance beyond your control).”
Online voting on the Facebook page Photos by Fawna is now underway.
Innisfail professional photographer Fawna Sidoryk said on Wednesday that the current difficult economic times in Alberta have resulted in three of her wedding shoots being cancelled, along with the weddings that were to go with them.
Normally she might see one cancellation in a season, usually because the couple has decided to split. But this year the cancellations have been related to the economy, with either one or both of the people to be wed not working, she said.
It was the reasons for the cancellations that got her thinking she wanted to help couples who had plans but now simply just couldn’t afford to get married.
The Wedding Rescue Contest will see herself and a number of other Central Alberta wedding-related businesses and services band together to help make one couple’s wedding dream come true. Sidoryk said the contest idea just snowballed with so many vendors getting involved.
“We genuinely want these people to go ahead with their wedding ... we want to be able to help.”
Sidoryk, in business for seven years, said she had never seen it where the bride and groom suddenly decide they can’t afford their wedding.
Couples were required to submit their reason for wanting the free wedding package, which includes costs such as photography, venue, planning, hair and makeup services for the bride and two attendants, marriage commissioner and DJ services.
Some things are not covered, such as the alcohol and food, and groom’s clothing. The wedding has to take place on Aug. 29, and the venue is The Back 40 in Delburne, a new event tent with an outdoor setting.
Contestants had to send a photo and write-up about why they deserve to win. The entries are closed now and online voting began on Monday. It closes on June 29.
The two couples who receive the most votes will be interviewed by the sponsors, who will then vote on a winner.
The three couples include Kyra and Matt, Kailey and Justin (all from Red Deer) and Angeline and Stephen (from Sylvan Lake).
Kyra and Matt had planned to get married in 2012 but that changed when their youngest son passed away that year.
Kailey and Justin cancelled their wedding after his job suddenly became less secure.
Angeline and Stephen cancelled their wedding after Angeline went on maternity leave and Stephen was laid off.
More about their stories, along with details about the vendors involved, are on the Photos by Fawna Facebook page.
barr@www.reddeeradvocate.com