Delfin and Sussanna met at Montclair State University. Oddly enough, they had briefly crossed paths before, several times, but they were destined to connect on the MSU campus.
According to the couple, on their first date, Delfin took Sussanna to a concert and a French restaurant for dinner afterward. The conversation was so great, they didn't get home until around 5 a.m. The couple said they knew this was going to be something special.
After many sporting events, concerts, and exciting vacations later, Delfin and Sussanna took the step forward to move in together. Delfin knew Sussanna was the love of his life and began to plan his proposal on the same date as their first date to the French restaurant.
The couple said on their third dating anniversary, Delfin popped the question, and the rest was history.
According to the couple, the event was initially planned for over 150 guests' with a formal affair -at a beautiful venue- but COVID-19 put their plans at a halt.
The couple's bachelor, bachelorette, bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, honeymoon, and the wedding reception were all canceled. They thought of postponing the special occasion but then decided love shouldn't wait.
The newly-weds scrambled to alter their outfits, create virtual options for joining their ceremony, and finding a new perfect location, her parent's backyard. With the help of friends, family, and coworkers, an entirely new wedding vision came to life in just under two weeks.
The Santiago's micro-wedding now included a very intimate guest list, a drive-by reception for local guests, and a virtual component, for domestic and abroad guests who could not attend the drive-by in person, but still wanted to give their best wishes.
The couple said there were many obstacles; COVID-19 restrictions, minimal retail options, a new location, intimate guest list, and the uncooperative weather. At one point, the Santiagos even considered postponing their micro-wedding but decided this was too important to give up on now.
"Rain or rain, this is happening. said Delfin Santiago."
Moving forward, the couple heavily relied on a great support system for help. It was all hands on deck. The bride's sister, Belkys, styled Sussanna's hair and makeup,
Susanna's family reinvented their entire backyard space to make it a wedding dream come true, Delfin's coworker Bonnie contributed equipment from her local church and all the flower arrangements for the day.
Delfin's piano student Timothy graciously agreed to accompany the ceremony's procession through his musical talents. The wedding party took charge of souvenirs, the drive-by wedding aspect, and the virtual streaming sites, including Zoom and JaredVirtualWedding.com.
Sussanna and Delfin were selected to be one of the 1,000 couples nationwide to stream their wedding on the Jared website! – Through social distancing and COVID-19 NJ guidelines, everything was coming together to make this day possible despite the challenges encountered along the way.
Delfin and Sussanna persevered with the incredible support of their loving network and had the backyard wedding of their dreams.
With love, anything is possible.