We Changed the Date, and Couldn’t Wait

Planning to ring in a New Year, and a new life, a young couple is forced to change their wedding date.

Growing up eating, working, and hanging out at her family’s restaurant, the Landfall in Woods Hole, Katie Estes always pictured her wedding there, too. So, when she and Jake Stuhlfire got engaged in January 2021, it was only natural that they planned a reception at the restaurant. But just days before their New Year’s Eve date, disaster struck when Katie tested positive for COVID-19. 

They weren’t alone. When Katie called friends and family to spread the news, several were actually relieved, since they too had just tested positive. “A wedding so nice, we planned it TWICE!” the couple posted on their wedding website, revealing plans for a party in April 2022, to celebrate with friends and family. 

Luckily, they recovered just in time for their previously scheduled Hawaiian honeymoon, where they committed to a life together when they tied the knot on a beach in Maui. They spent the day leading up to the ceremony at the pool and beach, yet a sudden downpour left them wondering if they’d have to delay the wedding again—but just a few minutes later, the sky cleared up. “We looked around, and there was a huge rainbow behind us,” Katie remembers. “It was such a beautiful day.” The ceremony was intimate, with just a minister and photographer in attendance. Katie wore a white dress from Show Me Your Mumu. 

Four months later, the couple was finally able to throw the party their union deserved: a 150-person celebration at the Landfall. The delay made the event even more special. “I feel like everyone felt safer in April than they would’ve in January (due to COVID numbers at the time),” Katie states. “It was…