It all started with a simple overcast morning...

Thursday and Friday had been absolutely perfect — warm, sunny, birds chirping. A welcome change after the wild weeks of tornado warnings and flash floods we’d been having in Middle Tennessee. Even leaving the rehearsal dinner Friday night, the forecast only showed some scattered showers in the morning, with bigger storms much later in the day. Manageable, right?

Right?

Ha. Ha. Keep reading.

A Wet and Wild Start

I left my house around 7:00 AM, determined to get to the venue by 8:00 AM to start setting up. It was overcast, but I was still holding onto hope — maybe just clouds, no rain? (At least good lighting for photos!)

But the closer I got to the venue, the darker and heavier the sky grew. It went from "this is fine" to "oh no" to "why didn't I bring a canoe" very quickly.

By the time I pulled in at exactly 8:00 AM, the sky had completely opened up — sheets of relentless, pounding rain.

Still, the show must go on! I parked as close as I could, unloaded my decor, got the bridal party emergency kit to the bride, and hustled to the reception space. By the time I got inside, I was absolutely drenched. My rain jacket and umbrella basically laughed at me.

I kept thinking — it’s fine. We’ll dry off. We’ll dance tonight and forget it rained this morning. Right?

Evacuation Orders

As I set tables and wiped off the soaking surfaces, I was waiting on the father of the bride to bring the tablecloths. At about 10:30 AM, just after the last table was set, the cloths arrived and I started throwing them on, excited to finally decorate.

Then my phone rang. It was Katelyn, my assistant. I figured she was asking about parking.

Nope.

"Hey D… they're telling me I shouldn't even be here. They're saying y'all might have to evacuate?"

Excuse me??

Moments later, I saw the father of the bride making a beeline toward me.

"Hey, they’re saying Natalie needs to make a call. The water is rising fast. They think the venue is about to flood. We need to move the wedding."

Phone rings. It’s the bride.

"Hey Destiny..." her voice was calm but cracking. "They’re saying we need to either move the ceremony earlier or change venues completely. What do you think? Can you get the vendors here by 2:00 if we move it up?"

"I'll call them now! I'll report back!" I said, already dialing.

But before I could even finish dialing the first vendor, Katelyn called again.

"D — you need to come over here NOW."

At that same moment, a venue staff member rolled up on a golf cart shouting: "Y'all have to GO. Now. It's flooding. If you don’t leave immediately, you won't be able to get your cars out."

Another cart pulled up seconds later to help — this one offering me a ride to my car. No time to pack anything. No time to save decor. Leave everything.

I grabbed what I could (a box of hurricane vases and a few packed items — RIP to my easel, chalkboard, and table numbers) and jumped onto the golf cart.

Floodwaters Rising

We zoomed across the property — and it looked unreal.

The lush lawns, the gardens, even the paved roads — completely underwater.

You couldn’t even tell where the road ended and the grass began.

I made it to my car, heart pounding, praying my vehicle wouldn’t flood out. As I pulled off to the side of the (barely dry) entrance to wait for Katelyn, The bride pulled up next to me, rolling down her window to let me know we were going to meet at her parents' nearby Airbnb to regroup, and she set off.

And then... no Katelyn.

I waited. I called. No answer.

Panic set in — had she gotten stuck somewhere?!

I called again. Finally got through to the golf cart driver who let me know she was okay — just arms full of supplies and couldn’t grab her phone. WHEW.

At last, I saw her pull up behind me, and we caravanned down the road to the Airbnb.

Rallying the Troops

The mood inside was... heavy.

There were tears. There was panic.

But there were smiles anyway.

Because no matter what — Natalie and Matt were getting married.

Friends and family immediately sprang into action — calling any venue in the area that could possibly take us on no notice, fit all our guests, and have tables and chairs ready.

After dozens of calls, we found two options.

The bride and groom made the call: Greystone Golf Club in Dickson would be our new wedding home.

Part Two: A New Beginning

We arrived at Greystone while they were still wrapping up a morning golf tournament. The staff (absolute angels) immediately started setting up tables and chairs for us, creating a space for the ceremony right in front of a stunning wall of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the course.

The florist quickly built a new altar setup. We spread out bud vases and salvaged decor.

The caterer took over the kitchen.

The photographer started grabbing beautiful moments.

Despite everything we'd been through, it started to feel — dare I say — magical.

One More Plot Twist

Just as we were about to line up the wedding processional... another twist.

Tornado warning.

Not a maybe — a real tornado had touched down nearby.

Venue staff urgently ushered everyone into the basement.

I sprinted to the bridal suite to find Natalie calmly sitting with her mom.

When I told her we needed to move, she looked at me and said simply:

"I'm staying right here."

Her mom: "And I'm staying with her."

My heart broke — I wanted to stay too. But my assistant (and my husband texting frantically) practically dragged me toward the basement.

Thankfully, the worst passed quickly. The rain slowed.

The sky turned a manageable shade of gray.

And finally, it was time.

The Ceremony of a Lifetime

The ceremony was breathtaking. You could feel the love, relief, and sheer joy in the room.

Tears streamed down faces.

Smiles stretched wider than the storm clouds had ever been.

And after all the evacuations, floods, tornado warnings, and chaos — Natalie and Matt were finally married.

The rest of the evening was full of dancing, laughter, and a celebration more powerful and meaningful than anyone could have planned.

Natalie and Matt — may your life together be full of adventure, strength, and love bigger than any storm you’ll ever face.

Your wedding day proved what we all should remember:

No matter the weather, love always wins. 💖

Cheers to you both! 🥂