'The right thing to do': Suburban weddings canceled because of coronavirus

Invitations were sent. Vendors were secured. A wedding dress was purchased in India. A guest list of more than 450 was taking shape.

All the details were falling into place for Nate Miller and his fiancee, Harjot Sangha, who planned to get married April 25 at a gurdwara in Palatine. The traditional Punjabi Sikh ceremony was expected to be followed by a reception at a Downers Grove banquet hall, culminating a daylong celebration that required months of preparation.

Then less than two weeks ago, as fears of the coronavirus pandemic escalated worldwide, Sangha's cousin called from Australia asking if the wedding was still on.

At first, Miller and Sangha replied with a confident “yes.” But by March 15 — just a few days later — they knew they would have to cancel.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker banned gatherings of more than 50 people the next day, prompting the cancellation of weddings and other momentous occasions statewide. But Miller and Sangha were among the suburban couples who had been grappling with the decision not because of a mandate but out of concerns for the safety of their family and friends.

“It's a tough time for everyone, obviously. The most important thing is keeping everyone healthy and doing our part,” Miller said. “As hard as it is to have to cancel, we knew it was the right thing to do.”

The situation is having a severe impact on banquet halls such as The Seville in Streamwood, which is operating with a skeleton crew for the next several weeks as large events are forced to shut down, owner Ganesh Subramanian said.

In a time of great uncertainty, he said, the venue's top priority is ensuring all customers for the next couple of months are accommodated — especially brides and grooms.

With wedding venues typically booked a year in advance, couples have been understandably emotional as they call to reschedule for later this year, or even into 2021, Subramanian said. Finding an available date on the venue's calendar that works for everyone can be tricky, he said, but “we are trying our best.”

Those with weddings planned for later in the spring also face frustrations as they try to predict how long the pandemic will last.

“For the people who have planned their weddings now, I feel so sorry for each of them,” Subramanian said. “The next (few) weeks are going to be so critical to have more clarity.”

That sense of uncertainty remains for Miller and Sangha, soon-to-be Barrington residents who are still hoping to hold an intimate ceremony April 25 in front of a small group of loved ones.

The couple are putting off their reception until the coronavirus pandemic blows over. But if a stay-at-home order extends into late next month, Miller said, their plans to officially tie the knot also might be postponed.

For Lake Zurich resident Nina Pece and her fiance, Justin Greenhalgh, the decision to put off their March 28 wedding until September was made before any official government mandate.

As the number of coronavirus cases increased nationwide this month, the couple reached out to their vendors and started considering the severity of the situation. Already “sick with worry” for their guests who were most at risk, Pece said, they realized the most responsible move would be to postpone their special day until it was safe for all their loved ones to enjoy it.

Though it was necessary, Pece said, it wasn't an easy call.

“We had everything done. Everything was ready to go,” she said. “I'm sad. This is your childhood dream to get married, and I respect why we have to do it, but it still hurts.”

Rescheduling also comes with a new set of challenges, Pece said. Though their venue, the Bartlett Hills Golf Club, has been extremely accommodating, some other vendors had scheduling conflicts with their September date, she said. And extra time and money will have to go into sending new invitations and creating a new set of programs.

But Pece and Greenhalgh are trying to think of the positives: September will be a beautiful time of year for a wedding, their family and friends will still be there to celebrate, and hopefully, the coronavirus will no longer be a global pandemic.

“We need to do what's best for us and our families,” she said. “We need to help flatten the curve.”