Like many future brides, Baltimore-based Sarah Studley was ready to say, “Yes,” but her plans quickly fell apart when COVID-19 hit.
Her wedding plans at Spreckels Pavilion were postponed indefinitely and a wedding dress was left unworn. Studley chose to make the dress work another way, however, and got vaccinated while wearing it.
“This is my event of the year,” said Studley. “I’m getting vaccinated and that was the lightbulb moment: ‘OK, I know where to wear my little polka dot dress.’ ”
The University of Maryland Medical System recently tweeted a photo of Studley who received her first COVID-19 image. She can be seen in a white dress with her sleeves rolled up and is being vaccinated.
Studley told NBC 7 that she wore the dress she originally thought of for her dream wedding but later decided to move on to a more formal dress. She said she saw an actress in an elaborate dress pose for her vaccination and was thrilled. She wanted to share her dress with others as her wedding guests would never see it.
“There were a lot of people there so I chose this as my moment and it’s really exciting to get the vaccine,” said Studley. “It was a celebration.”
Studley and her fiancée Bryan were due to celebrate their big day in November. They had announced their engagement last year with a photo from the San Diego Zoo, but just as Studley got into the full swing of wedding planning, COVID-19 took an abrupt turn.
“We sent out our save-the-dates and the next day I found out that I was exposed to COVID,” said Studley.
Fortunately, Studley didn’t catch COVID-19, but the fallout from the virus was enough to turn their grand reception off and downsize to a more intimate ceremony with family. Studley was still married in San Diego and tied the knot with her fiancé Bryan in the wedding hut outside the county administration building.
Studley’s photos show the reality of a wedding in the midst of a pandemic. One photo shows two guests with masks on a closed bench. In another case, a district clerk looks through a window for joy while the two newlyweds kiss. Studley said while it wasn’t the dream wedding she had envisioned, the community made her feel like it was really her special day.
Photos: Future bride wears wedding dress for her vaccination
“I can’t even count the number of cars that honked their horns,” said Studley. “People who screamed congratulations and told us we look great. It was really heartwarming. “
