A year ago, Nicole Parkes and Marcus Sadeghi were in Mexico to check out the resort where they were to be married.
A year later, COVID-19 had other plans.
The Orillia couple got engaged last January in Panama and they spent a year planning for their big day. They were to be married April 25 in Mexico, but as the virus continued to spread, they soon realized they would have to wed another day.
“We kept saying we’d wait and see what happened, but there was a point where we knew we had to be proactive and change our plans,” said Parkes.
Their decision to postpone was made a day before flight restrictions came into effect.
“It was difficult. We have been planning this for just over a year,” Parkes said. “People are going through things that are much worse, so that’s what I keep telling myself.”
Even if they were not forced to reschedule, it was the responsible thing to do, she added.
Seventy-six people were to join them at the wedding.
“A bunch of our friends work in health care,” she said, noting some were told they would have to self-isolate, without pay, if they attended the wedding. “We wouldn’t expect anyone to do that.”
The wedding is just one of the couple’s plans that has been derailed. Parkes had arranged for a surprise 40th-birthday party for Sadeghi at ODAS Park, with 130 people expected to attend. That, too, was called off.
Sadeghi turned 40 on Monday. The next day, he was supposed to fly to the Dominican Republic for a 10-day bachelor party.
When speaking with OrilliaMatters, Sadeghi was clearly frustrated — but not because of his plans being disrupted.
“This is getting out of hand. It’s out of control,” he said. “This is bigger than just focusing on celebrations, weddings. Right now, it comes down to survival.”
Sadeghi owns Mr. Sub in the Fittons West Plaza. He made the tough decision Monday to close. He had been working solo, offering take-out only, but watching the rapid spread of the virus led him to close his doors. He hopes other businesses that don’t need to stay open will consider taking similar steps.
“We, as a collective, need to work together,” he said. “Please, do your part. If you don’t need to be out there, stay home. No one likes doing this, but the more we don’t comply, the longer this will last.”
Sadeghi had planned to take Sunday off to get some rest, but he and Parkes ended up spending the day at Mr. Sub, preparing lunch for more than 100 Zehrs employees. The grocery store has been feeding its staff during the pandemic, choosing different local businesses to cater, and it reached out to Parkes and Sadeghi on the weekend.
“Nicole was nice enough to come and help me out all day and we got to help those hard workers,” Sadeghi said, adding, even though he has temporarily closed his business, he would do it again. “If there are any essential workers and they need food, I wouldn’t hesitate.”
While the pandemic has postponed their plans, Sadeghi and Parkes are looking forward to tying the knot eventually and celebrating with their friends and families.
“By then, people are really going to want to have a good time,” Parkes said.
Added Sadeghi: “As long as we’re together and healthy and happy, that’s all I care about right now.”
