After Canceling Wedding Reception, Bride and Groom Head to Shelter with Food
On August 15, newlyweds Tyler and Melanie Tapajna swept around a hall in Cleveland, Ohio, chatting with attendees over the delicious reception food.
Of course, given the times, the bride and groom wore masks — but that wasn’t the only unique part of the wedding. The happy couple was talking to guests they’d never met before.
That’s because their “reception” was being held at Laura’s Home Women’s Crisis Center, part of The City Mission, which assists the homeless.
The couple had canceled their original reception to respect the health of their family and friends, but instead of canceling their food order (which they could have done), they donated it to the women’s shelter, benefiting both the shelter and the food truck they chose for catering.
“We were able to have a 100% refund [on the food],” Melanie told CBS. “We chose to donate it instead.”
“These newlyweds are here to make your day!” The City Mission shared on Facebook on August 15.
“When Melanie and Tyler’s formal wedding reception was canceled due to COVID-19, they decided they not only wanted to donate their reception food to our guests at Laura’s Home, but also to serve the meal in their gown and suit!”
“We pray this amazing couple is blessed immensely in their marriage, and thank them for inviting our guests to their wedding feast.”
“It’s not unusual for us to have volunteers serving meals in our building … but certainly this was not common and it caused quite a stir,” Rich Trickel, CEO of The City Mission, said.
“I remember a mom and her two little daughters coming up in the line, and the two little girls standing on their tiptoes to get a better glimpse of the bride in her wedding dress.”
According to a post by the bride, she and her beau were happy to be able to celebrate the way they did, by serving others.
“As Tyler Tapajna and I lay down after a long day, we are reminiscing on all of the smiling faces we met today,” she shared. “We were blessed to be surrounded by such love and courtesy by The City Mission. We were welcomed with cheers and a nice ‘welcome to your reception’.”
“Covid may have cancelled our original plans, but God gave us so much more today. Thank you to Betty’s Bomb A Burgers for continuing to work with us through these uncertain times, and being so wonderful on agreeing to help us make this day special for these amazing families.”
The couple managed to serve over 100 meals to children and their mothers, and they got lots of photos to remember their very special day and the joy they brought to total strangers.
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