CALGARY- Some newlyweds have managed to pull off their dream weddings, despite the odds being highly stacked against them.
When major floods tore throughout southern Alberta late last week, it not only displaced thousands of people, but also left many wedding plans in limbo. Access to Banff National Park was also cut off—a popular destination for weddings, especially in the summer.
One of the affected couples was Christine and Mickey, who managed to have a picture perfect moment after getting married in Canmore. Since no one was able to get to their nuptials, the couple chose to go ahead with a small ceremony.
“Christine is so sensitive to everything going on,” says close family friend Lisa Vettese. “They’ve had good friends that have been affected by what’s going on in Canmore, so they chose to keep it private.”
Another couple of high-school sweethearts were forced to change their wedding venue last Saturday, after the Hotel Arts was forced to close down because of the flooding.
“We had a lot of people from out of town, people from Europe, my mom’s cousins in their 90’s. They were leaving Sunday, and so we couldn’t move it,” explains bride Kathryn Upitis.
She and her groom had to move everything out of the hotel and over to Spruce Meadows, so they could forge ahead with their wedding plans—and have no complaints about how it turned out.
Unfortunately it hasn’t worked out as well for dozens of other couples. Three weddings scheduled at the Calgary Zoo were cancelled, and a number of others will be relocated over the next few weeks. The Palliser Hotel is also a popular venue, but is still without power meaning it’s moving a wedding to the Sheraton Eau Claire.
A number of local businesses have stepped forward to help brides whose gowns were destroyed in flooding, as well as help find new venues and perform ceremonies.
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