Wedding bliss in Central Florida on hold amid coronavirus pandemic

“Happily ever after” may have to wait due to the coronavirus pandemic, as weddings have been postponed due to the growing threat.

Bride-to-be Emma Skillman fell in love with Bridle Oaks in DeLand as a possible venue when she toured it over a year ago. Her dream wedding to her fiance, Waylon Foskey, had some special touches.

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“It would have been the stormtroopers, followed by my father and I coming out here, who’s also a big ‘Star Wars’ fan,” Skillman said.

The wedding was supposed to happen this Sunday. But six days before the couple were to say “I do," Bridle Oaks owner Shawna Everett made the decision to ask 14 brides, including Shawna Everett, to postpone their weddings due to the growing threat of the coronavirus.

“I think it’s the best and healthiest thing for the community,” Everett said. “I have a few family members that are at risk, so I didn’t want myself to get it and give it to them.”

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Though Skillman is sad, she said it’s the right thing to do.

“It’s hard to cry about it because there’s so many people that are suffering,” Skillman said. “I was supposed to be with my family and practicing for the big day, and I went from a seven-day count to 187 (days), so that kind of sucks.”

Bridle Oaks and the various vendors did not charge Skillman to postpone the big day, which is now in September, during hurricane season.

Everything will be the same, except one big difference: Skillman and Foskey already got married last week.

“I grabbed two of my greatest friends and we met at Shadow Bay Park, and we got married on the dock.”

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