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Hurricane Matthew Blows Away Couples’ Wedding Plans Hurricane Matthew Blows Away Couples’ Wedding Plans
(about 20 hours later)
When Jessica Lewis, 32, and Jas Jeet Singh, 36, were tracking the early weather forecasts for Sunday, the day their wedding was to take place on Jekyll Island, Ga., they were disappointed to see that it was supposed to be 81 degrees and partly sunny.When Jessica Lewis, 32, and Jas Jeet Singh, 36, were tracking the early weather forecasts for Sunday, the day their wedding was to take place on Jekyll Island, Ga., they were disappointed to see that it was supposed to be 81 degrees and partly sunny.
For their outdoor ceremony, they joked, 79 degrees would be ideal.For their outdoor ceremony, they joked, 79 degrees would be ideal.
But a two-degree difference in temperature became the least of their worries as the forecasts took an ominous turn and Hurricane Matthew came into sharper focus. Still, they remained optimistic, telling guests they were certain that the storm would pass and the venue would be cleaned up and ready in time.But a two-degree difference in temperature became the least of their worries as the forecasts took an ominous turn and Hurricane Matthew came into sharper focus. Still, they remained optimistic, telling guests they were certain that the storm would pass and the venue would be cleaned up and ready in time.
“We kept telling people, ‘Look, we’re going to be there,’” Mr. Singh said in an interview on Friday.“We kept telling people, ‘Look, we’re going to be there,’” Mr. Singh said in an interview on Friday.
On Wednesday, as the door was closing on their plane from Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington to Jacksonville International Airport in Florida, they learned that the island, which is about 75 miles north of Jacksonville, was under a voluntary evacuation order.On Wednesday, as the door was closing on their plane from Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington to Jacksonville International Airport in Florida, they learned that the island, which is about 75 miles north of Jacksonville, was under a voluntary evacuation order.
By Thursday, that order had become mandatory and the venue said it would be unable to host the ceremony because it could not receive food shipments.By Thursday, that order had become mandatory and the venue said it would be unable to host the ceremony because it could not receive food shipments.
On Friday the couple decided to tentatively reschedule their wedding for Thanksgiving weekend in Virginia.On Friday the couple decided to tentatively reschedule their wedding for Thanksgiving weekend in Virginia.
They were not alone in having to rearrange their wedding plans because of the hurricane. Jessica McClellan, 28, and Mark Kennedy, 29, had planned to get married on Saturday afternoon in McClellanville, S.C., which is near the coast and about 40 miles northeast of Charleston, S.C.They were not alone in having to rearrange their wedding plans because of the hurricane. Jessica McClellan, 28, and Mark Kennedy, 29, had planned to get married on Saturday afternoon in McClellanville, S.C., which is near the coast and about 40 miles northeast of Charleston, S.C.
When it became clear that the hurricane would force the evacuation of the community, the couple hastily rescheduled their wedding to Thursday evening.When it became clear that the hurricane would force the evacuation of the community, the couple hastily rescheduled their wedding to Thursday evening.
For Ms. Lewis and Mr. Singh, the disruption was bad enough, but for their 140 guests — some of whom were coming from India, Japan and Nigeria — it meant the expense of canceling or changing travel plans at the last minute. Mr. Singh and Ms. Lewis said they felt bad about upending the plans but were grateful that none of their loved ones were hurt in the storm.For Ms. Lewis and Mr. Singh, the disruption was bad enough, but for their 140 guests — some of whom were coming from India, Japan and Nigeria — it meant the expense of canceling or changing travel plans at the last minute. Mr. Singh and Ms. Lewis said they felt bad about upending the plans but were grateful that none of their loved ones were hurt in the storm.
They said their losses were less than $10,000 because the venue and vendors had been “extremely helpful” and accommodating; some declined to charge anything after the wedding was canceled.They said their losses were less than $10,000 because the venue and vendors had been “extremely helpful” and accommodating; some declined to charge anything after the wedding was canceled.
The couple got engaged in September. According to their wedding website, Ms. Lewis said she first knew Mr. Singh was to be the man in her life when he sang “Take Me Home, Country Roads” at a karaoke party; he knew she was the one for him when she used “spate” in a Facebook post. The couple got engaged in December. According to their wedding website, Ms. Lewis said she first knew Mr. Singh was to be the man in her life when he sang “Take Me Home, Country Roads” at a karaoke party; he knew she was the one for him when she used “spate” in a Facebook post.
They had been planning their wedding since February; it was to feature a Sikh religious ceremony in the morning and a civil ceremony in the evening.They had been planning their wedding since February; it was to feature a Sikh religious ceremony in the morning and a civil ceremony in the evening.
Mr. Singh, who is known as JJ, was familiar with the island through his position as the treasurer of Leon N. Weiner & Associates, a residential and commercial real estate developer in Wilmington, Del.Mr. Singh, who is known as JJ, was familiar with the island through his position as the treasurer of Leon N. Weiner & Associates, a residential and commercial real estate developer in Wilmington, Del.
He introduced Ms. Lewis to the island, which in 1886 was bought to become an exclusive winter retreat, known as the Jekyll Island Club, with members that included J.P. Morgan, Joseph Pulitzer and William K. Vanderbilt.He introduced Ms. Lewis to the island, which in 1886 was bought to become an exclusive winter retreat, known as the Jekyll Island Club, with members that included J.P. Morgan, Joseph Pulitzer and William K. Vanderbilt.
“I fell in love with the place,” said Ms. Lewis, an energy and infrastructure issues analyst at the Government Accountability Office in Washington. “It was just one of the most romantic places to have a wedding I’ve ever seen.”“I fell in love with the place,” said Ms. Lewis, an energy and infrastructure issues analyst at the Government Accountability Office in Washington. “It was just one of the most romantic places to have a wedding I’ve ever seen.”
The couple arrived on the island on Wednesday night, but evacuated on Thursday and relocated to Brunswick, Ga. They later had to evacuate a second time, to Hilliard, Fla., about 30 miles northwest of Jacksonville.The couple arrived on the island on Wednesday night, but evacuated on Thursday and relocated to Brunswick, Ga. They later had to evacuate a second time, to Hilliard, Fla., about 30 miles northwest of Jacksonville.
Ms. Lewis said they were “a little bit in mourning” after the delay in their plans, which Mr. Singh had meticulously plotted down to the minute. Still, they remained chipper.Ms. Lewis said they were “a little bit in mourning” after the delay in their plans, which Mr. Singh had meticulously plotted down to the minute. Still, they remained chipper.
“It gives me a chance to lose five more pounds,” he said, to which Ms. Lewis chimed in: “I hear that!”“It gives me a chance to lose five more pounds,” he said, to which Ms. Lewis chimed in: “I hear that!”
For the wedding of Ms. McClellan and Mr. Kennedy, frantic phone calls were made, and vendors and caterers were quick to accommodate the last-minute change of plans. Half of the 200 invitees were able to attend, including two of the groom’s aunts and an uncle, who drove 16 hours from Canada and arrived at the ceremony an hour before it started.For the wedding of Ms. McClellan and Mr. Kennedy, frantic phone calls were made, and vendors and caterers were quick to accommodate the last-minute change of plans. Half of the 200 invitees were able to attend, including two of the groom’s aunts and an uncle, who drove 16 hours from Canada and arrived at the ceremony an hour before it started.
The celebration lasted until about 1 a.m. Friday, “living the dream, having a hurricane party, wedding-style,” Ms. Kennedy-McClellan said. Around 11 a.m. on Friday, they evacuated to Greenville, S.C., about a four-hour drive inland.The celebration lasted until about 1 a.m. Friday, “living the dream, having a hurricane party, wedding-style,” Ms. Kennedy-McClellan said. Around 11 a.m. on Friday, they evacuated to Greenville, S.C., about a four-hour drive inland.
“I haven’t even started processing everything yet,” she said on Friday night. “I really didn’t cry until my dad walked me down the aisle and told me how proud he was of how we handled it, and I just lost it.”“I haven’t even started processing everything yet,” she said on Friday night. “I really didn’t cry until my dad walked me down the aisle and told me how proud he was of how we handled it, and I just lost it.”