When Andrea and Jeremy Rathbone realized their planned wedding wasn't going to happen because of the Coronavirus, they say they took their lemons and made lemonade.
The two started dating in October of 2019 and got engaged Januray 17, 2020.
The had their date, venue, photographer, DJ and more all booked for April 4, 2020 in Nipomo.
Then the Coronavirus outbreak hit.
They decided to get married Thursday instead, just hours before the governor issued a stay at home order.
CELEBRATIONS HAVE BEEN CANCELEDFROM BIRTHDAY PARTIES TOGRADUATIONS TO WEDDINGS.ONE BAKERSFIELD COUPLE MANAGEDTO TIE THE KNOTJUST HOURS BEFORE THE GOVERNORISSUED A STAY ATHOME ORDER.THEY SAY IT WASN'T THE BIGWEDDING THEY PLANNED BUT ITWAS THE RESPONSIBLE WAY TO GETMARRIED WHILEPRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING.ANDREA AND JEREMY RATHBONE ARERACKING UP HUNDREDS OF SHARES ONSOCIAL MEDIA -- THEY TWO BEINGPRAISED FOR THEIR CREATIVITY ONTHEIR WEDDING DAY.THEY INITIALLY HAD PLANS TO GETMARRIED ON THE COAST APRIL4TH... BUT WITH THE CORONAVIRUSOUTBREAK... THEYHAD A CHANGE OF PLANS.WE DECIDED IT WAS OURRESPONSIBLITYTO CALL THAT DATE OFF BECAUSEWE'RE AT THIS POINT RESPONSIBLETO KINDOF HELP MAKE THAT DECISION FOROUR GUESTS.SO THEY PUSHED THEIR WEDDING DAYUP -- WAY UP.I SAID WE NEED TO MAKE ADECISION ANDPULL THE TRIGGER AND SHE GOESOK, LET'S JUST PULL IT NOW AND ISAIDALRIGHT, LET'S GET MARRIEDTOMORROW.
AND SHE SAID ALRIGHT.JEREMY'S BEST FRIEND -- A PASTOR-- AGREED TO MARRY THEM INHIS BACKYARD.SO ON THURSDAY WITH ANDREA'SCHILDREN, JEREMY'SPARENTS AND THREE CLOSE FRIENDS-- THEY TIED THE KNOT.MOST PEOPLE HAVE A GUEST TABLEAND WEHAD A SANITATION STATION JUSTBECAUSE IT SEEMED APPROPRIATEFORNOT JUST LIKE WHAT'S GOING ONBUT THE NATURE OF THE EVENT --WE ALSO TOOKPRECAUTION."IT WAS AWESOME IT WAS PRIVATE,IT WASINTIMATE."THEN IT WAS TIME FOR PICTURES --LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHERMAKENZIE HOLLAR SHOWING UP WITH24 HOURS NOTICE...SNAPPING THESE... MASKS, GLOVESAND ALL.BUT IT WAS THE GROOM'S SURPRISEGIFT TO THE BRIDE -- THATSEALED THE DEAL.I PULL OUT THE TISSUE PAPER ANDOPEN IT UPAND IT'S LIKE A TWELVE PACK.
ATWELVE PACK OF EXTRA STRONG,QUILTED, DOUBLE -- ALL THETHINGS TOILET PAPER.
AND I WASLIKE YOU ARETHE MAN.THE TWO SAY INTIALLY THEYWORRIED THE CORONAVIRUSWAS A SIGN THEY SHOULDN'T GETMARRIED.BUT THEY SAY RIGHT AFTER THEYSAID I DO A PERFECTRAINBOW APPEARED AND THEY KNEWIT WAS MEANT TOHAPPEN THE WAY IT DID.IT'S A HAPPY DAY.
I'M NOT GOINGTO LETWHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW TAKETHAT AWAY FROM ME.(BUTT TOGETHER)WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME REALLYGREATSTORIES TO TELL FOR THE REST OFOUR LIVES BECAUSE OF THAT.
YESWE ARE.ANDREA AND JEREMY SAY THEY WENTTO PICK UP THAI FOOD AFTERTAKING THEIR VOWS -- AND THAT'SWHEN THEY HEARD THEGOVERNOR HAD ISSUED A STAY ATHOME ORDER.THEY SAY THEY'D RATHER BE STUCKAT HOME AS MR AND MRS -- THANBE STUCK APART.THEY SAID THEY WILL STILL BEHOLDING THE WEDDING OFTHEIR DREAMS -- IT JUST WON'T BEON APRIL 4TH LIKE THEY PLANNED.