Real bride Courtney always had a crush on her now-husband Thomas in high school, but their love story wasn't the typical small-town romance. They didn't fall madly in love when they were 16, but instead, reconnected when they were older and sparked up a relationship from there.   

"Four days after we reconnected, I asked him to be my date to a wedding the following weekend. He said yes, and we started dating about a month after that. I knew when I asked him to be my wedding date after only knowing him for a few days that he was the one."

It wasn't long before they were embarking on adventures together - from travelling the world to getting engaged on the top of a mountain in Peru.   

"We got engaged at the top of Machu Picchu mountain in Peru after going on a 6 day hike through the Andes - it was amazing!"

It was a whirlwind of an engagement, but when COVID-19 began to be a real threat earlier in the year, the couple realized that they were going to face some major challenges when it came to planning their wedding. Their original wedding date had to be pushed back due to safety concerns, and they were constantly on alert for any other disruptions that they would potentially have to face in the wake of the pandemic.   

"We changed our wedding date from June 13, 2020 to August 14, 2020. Reaching out to all of our vendors and making changes was difficult, but knowing that things could change in Ohio and in the world at any moment was the most challenging. I watched the news up until the day before our wedding just hoping no new restrictions would come out right before our wedding day. Throughout all of this, I tried to have an open mind and tell myself that this was nothing I could control."

Despite all of the anxiety caused by the unknown of COVID-19, Courtney and Thomas overcame these new wedding day obstacles and managed to still throw the wedding of their dreams. 

Courtney found her perfect wedding dress in Martin Thornburg's Danielle gown - a stunning fit and flare style that balances modern simplicity with romantic details through its unique illusion lace V-neckline and minimalist crepe skirt.   

"I found two dresses, both at BoChic Bridal Boutique that I really liked. I brought my mom the next weekend to look at the two dresses I found, and I couldn't make a decision. I was stuck. [As] I was driving home, I called my mom and told her I [that I couldn't] stop thinking about the Martin Thornburg Danielle dress. We got up the next morning, went back to BoChic Bridal Boutique, and I said "yes" to the dress!"

Their wedding venue was in an old Unitarian church that was renovated into an entirely new event space. Courtney and Thomas knew it was the perfect venue for their ceremony at first sight.   

"They kept so much of the original character - the bridal suite was in the old bell tower in the church and all the stained glass windows were restored."

For their first dance, they played "Brighter than Sunshine" by Aqualung - a sweet love song that the couple encountered during an episode of Schitt's Creek.   

"I loved that it was a song that wasn't overplayed and was unique to us."

Despite all of the ups and downs that came with planning a wedding during COVID-19, Courtney and Thomas were able to live out their fairytale ceremony with the family and friends that meant most to them. If there's one thing they want you to know about getting married during this difficult time, it's this:  

"It's a crazy time to be a bride, but don't lose hope! Whether you keep your date the same, go and elope or move your date out a year, the most important thing [to remember] is that you are marrying your best friend."