PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — COVID-19 has caused countless cancellations, and wedding and event planning have become some of the hardest hit industries.
For Alexis Florie and her fiancé Luis Matias, their October engagement was picture perfect.
“I did it over Pikes Peak which is now, obviously, one of the places that we love," Matias said.
They spent the months after planning their dream wedding in Puerto Rico. Then COVID-19 turned their dream into a nightmare.
“We started to lose vendors. Vendors weren’t sure that they were even going to be in business anymore. A lot of them are still recovering from Maria and Irma," Matias said.
In South Florida, vendors like Rosina DiBello Photography Studio were feeling similar pressures.
"Immediately lost nine months worth of work," said Rosina DiBello.
That’s when DiBello contacted event planner Ashley Brown about collaborating on a styled wedding shoot. Brown then contacted six other vendors to help.
"To revamp and reinvent their businesses during trying times," DiBello said.
The first step was finding models. Brown immediately thought of Alexis and Luis.
"We loved the story of giving them the wedding they couldn’t have because of COVID," DiBello said.
Makeup artist Lisa Vasta with Ivy Leez Luxe Makeup Studio said that recently she’s seen more couples taking this kind of intimate approach.
"They come and they still take good pictures and want makeup, so that’s been nice at least," said Vasta.
For Robin Feinglas, the owner of Why Not Wildflowers, she said this shoot was the silver lining of the pandemic.
"We can count on each other, we are there for each other and we support each other," Feinglas said.
"So having other women or other businesses that are also sole run is a super important part on how we can be successful," DiBello said.