Nearest and Dearest, With sadness, we announce our decision to cancel our wedding reception on August 8, 2020. It should not come as news to you that the COVID-19 pandemic has been a source of collective upheaval lately. This time has changed the way we experience our daily lives and has many of us rethinking future plans. What once felt certain and safe, like having adequate supply chains for non-commercial toilet paper and chicken breasts or a gathering with family or friends, feels less-so. Malik and I are committed to doing our best to keep those we love out of harm’s way. We are fortunate to have family and friends from all over the United States and abroad who planned to join us to celebrate our marriage in August. The guest list included about 150 people. Coronavirus was not on our guest list and the risk that the virus crashed our party was too high to go forward with our plans for a large gathering in August. As excited as we were to share our joy with you, no party is worth putting any of you or your loved ones at risk. Planning our wedding reception has had its share of false-starts. After being blindsided with a venue closure in October, we started to move forward with Plan B in December. Now, we face an insidious virus, travel restrictions, and “Stay Home, Stay Safe” orders extended through May and a protracted re-opening plan in Washington. With no vaccination on the immediate horizon, the prospect of continued large gathering bans through the summer months (or longer) in Washington State is high. We have discussed the possibility of a virtual ceremony or postponing the reception. At this time, we do not have plans for a virtual ceremony. We also have chosen not to postpone the date due to the significant costs associated with yet another attempt at planning. At some point, we have to admit defeat. The universe does not want a wedding reception for us right now. We are grateful for your patience and support. We apologize for the whiplash and continued change-of-plan emails; this is the final change. If you have questions or would like to reach out to us, please email or call us. Please stay safe and be well. Love, Erin and Malik