A Long Drawn Out Romantic Comedy with Bride, Ashley

Bride to Have Been

In today’s world, trying to get married has become... a hot mess. So, to all the COVID brides to have been, grooms and wedding professionals: you’re not alone. Welcome to Bride To Have Been, a StudioPod original podcast hosted by Emily Lewis, with the purpose of building a community by sharing the reality of this new normal in the wedding industry. Let’s keep inspiring each other and celebrate the thing we treasure the most: love.

To get married or not to get married? That is the question. Due to COVID-19, weddings have been postponed and even called off all across the globe. Still many couples have taken the extra time as an opportunity to reflect on what’s most important for them. In this episode of Bride To Have Been, Emily sits down with Ashley Schroeder who made the call to cancel her large wedding plans early in the pandemic even though the date was set for June 2021. Life is pretty simple now, and 2020 has helped Ashley and her partner identify what they treasure the most. Listen to this episode and contemplate what is truly meaningful to you and your significant other!

Jump straight into:

(00:43) - The love story of Ashley & Ryan (aka Melvin) - “We met and we became friends, and we dated very briefly, as much as you can at UC Santa Barbara as freshmen.”

(08:47) - The Perfect New York Proposal - “He actually wrote his proposal, he said it, but he had it written in a card, which I loved, so I could read it again.”

(13:23) - Why Ashley cancelled her 2021 wedding and got married in the middle of a pandemic instead - “We realized what was more important to us was getting married soon, and so we redefined 2020 by choosing to elope and get married.”

(19:04) - Why an elopement could be the best option for many brides - “It was really fun to plan, and really low stress! I recommend that to anyone who is worried about having to plan a wedding to accommodate other people.”

(26:19) - Ashley’s advice for couples that are trying to get married during these times, and the thing she has valued the most throughout 2020 - “If you choose to elope, then it might not be weighted in the same way as a traditional wedding, and that's okay. That's where you have to ask yourself: Am I okay with this?”

Thanks for listening! Follow us on Instagram, don’t forget to use the #COVIDBrideTribe, and feel free to send us your COVID wedding stories. Bride To Have Been is a podcast brought to you by GiftPod and produced at StudioPod. Edits were made at Nodalab and music was produced by GaryOAKland. Don’t forget to subscribe, rate and share with all of your fellow brides.