Like many other couples, Emily Bugg and Billy Lewis were forced to change their wedding plans due to the pandemic.
- Instead of rescheduling the event, they decided to cancel their wedding altogether.
- The couple got married in a small city hall ceremony last month.
- Having already paid the catering deposit, they decided to use the money to feed people in need.
The pandemic has forced couples all over the world to cancel or postpone their wedding plans.
Emily Bugg and Billy Lewis from Chicago had hoped for a big ceremony and a celebration with friends and family. When the pandemic began, it was evident that their plans would have to change. However, instead of postponing their wedding ceremony, they decided to cancel it altogether. Knowing that getting married means so much more than having a huge, expensive celebration, the couple decided to tie the knot in a small city hall ceremony last month.
Having already paid $5,000 for catering, they decided to feed the people in need.
Instead of asking the caterer to return their deposit, they asked if it was possible to use the money for a better cause. More specifically, Bugg and Lewis asked if the caterer could turn their wedding food into Thanksgiving dinners for people in need. USA Today reported that Big Delicious Planet agreed and ‘prepared meals that included turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, salad, bread and butter, and a desert’. Thus, according to CNN, the newlyweds helped feed 200 people ‘with serious mental illnesses and substance use conditions’. Their decision was influenced by Bugg’s experience as an outreach worker at Thresholds, a Chicago-based nonprofit mental health provider.
CNN reported that Bugg commented on the decision:
In the grand scheme of things, canceling a big wedding isn’t the worst thing that could happen. We’re happy to be married, and we’re so happy that we could help Thresholds’ clients feel the connection of a Thanksgiving meal as a result of the wedding cancellation.
Heidi Moorman Coudal, the owner of the catering company Big Delicious Planet, shared her thoughts on the couple’s generosity:
For them to think about doing something for the greater good is just really heartwarming […] Everybody was really excited because they knew this food was going to a really good cause. I think of Big Delicious Planet as a company that gives a lot back to the community – we donate our time, our food resources, our locations and community garden, so I was happy to get on board with this.
The couple’s donation was much needed during these difficult times. Bugg and Lewis will certainly inspire others to do what they can to help those who are in need during the holiday season.
