Associated Press photographer Gerald Herbert and his fiancé, Lucy Sikes, an attorney, had planned to get married on Saturday night in New Orleans, but saw their plans change as Tropical Storm Barry approached, threatening heavy destruction.
The couple moved up their wedding to Friday night as the storm approached Louisiana’s coastline and local businesses began to shut their doors in anticipation of flooding. The AP reported that the storm threatened heavy floodwaters, that could prompt evacuations and extensive damage.
“We realized we had a marriage license, two rings … and we didn’t really want to wait any longer,” Herbert told his outlet.
Despite flooding in the city on Wednesday, New Orleans saw no rain on Friday, leaving the pair and their guests dry for the ceremony.{mosads}
Still, the original church musicians were unable to make the Friday ceremony. But local rhythm and blues musician Deacon John Moore brought his brother and another musician to form an impromptu band, according to the AP.
Friends and other guests, who had Saturday marked down in their calendars for months, managed to make the wedding despite its last-minute change.
The church’s wedding coordinator, Pam Eshleman, told the AP that in the end, the event was “meant to happen today.”
“I said, ‘For whatever reason, God didn’t want y’all to get married tomorrow,’” she said. ”‘He wanted you to all be here today, and this just all worked out so well.’”