Love in the Time of COVID

Her new husband says before the pandemic hit, they’d planned to cap their guest list at 300—they’re both from large families. “We didn’t know what was going on up until a month before,” Marwin says, right as the Bay Area was reentering the most restrictive tier of the state’s coronavirus response.

In the end, the pair wed on the front steps of the Mission, on their original date, Dec. 12, 2020, in front of 12 masked and socially distanced guests, while a few hundred others tuned in via livestream.

Mission director Charlie White says the church hosted 11 weddings in 2020, compared with 40 to 50 in a typical year. Penalty-free rescheduling and full reimbursement of the reservation fee were offered. “I’ve marveled at how understanding and ‘realistic’ our couples have seemed,” he says.

After their ceremony, Monica and Marwin held a small reception in their backyard, with the three household “bubbles” present seated under separate canopies. “It ended up working out in the long run … not wanting anyone to take a risk was a no–brainer,” Monica says. “Plus, the final day was a lot more intimate.”