MEMPHIS, Tennessee —
Many brides and grooms have had to cancel or postpone their wedding dates in light of the coronavirus pandemic. For one lucky West Memphis couple, the wedding must go on.
Love conquers all and it's no match for the coronavirus. Q107.5 and the Mid-South Wedding Association held a contest that gave the winners the wedding of a lifetime.
From Dunlap to Little, it is a union with no boundaries. Destin and Mike Dunlap planned to marry in April.
"Because of everything going on, we just decided to go up there and sign the papers and do something next year," said Destin.
A Q107.5 contest changed the course of their destiny.
"I am the first daughter that my father has that's getting married. He's never been able to do this, and he does have Type 2 Diabetes," said Destin.
"I did lose my grandmother two years ago. My grandfather who is a big part of my life couldn't be there also."
After sharing their story, Destin got word that she and Mike were the winners of a free virtual wedding.
"I didn't take it in all the way at first," said Destin.
The people behind putting on the celebration was the Mid-South Wedding Association.
"The association pulled together and in one week about what takes about six months to a year to plan," said Don Lawler, Mid-South Wedding Association Vice President and owner of Storytellers.
"It was really nice to be able to give back to Destin and Mike in a way that just could put a smile on their face and give them something that they had honestly given up on," said Emma Cockerham, Infinity Events owner.
"We had so many regulations as far as we couldn't have more than 10 people there. We all had masks on and everything," said Martie Watson, Travel Leaders Marketing director and Mid-South Wedding Association President.
Destin and Mike were allowed to have three guests present.
Portraits of others filled the seats. Instead of wedding bells, Aloe Blacc and Max Schneider were special celebrity performers.
"It makes my heart smile. That's the best way I can actually put it. It makes me feel giddy almost to see people's love for us and actually care for us and rooting us on," said Dunlap.
To put the icing on the cake, Travel Leaders is paying Destin and Mike's honeymoon in Mexico.