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 general + rationale      

Why did you make the decision to postpone?

At the start of this planning process, our photographer asked us to share our vision for the weekend. We wrote:

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Our long, outdoor dance party, also known conventionally as a wedding, seeks to share the fierce and intense way that we love (and fell in love) with one another with our friends and their friends to create new, intentional bonds between people. Like an octopus where each of the tentacles is a new friend, new dance move, new conversation, we hope to gather around a few key elements: delicious food, deliberate conversation, and D A N C I N G, peppered with stargazing, non-failed camp fires, and speeches by small children who should probably never hold microphones at events. Crackling sparks and smiles, hugs of loved ones and those just meeting and becoming friends. These joys are important to capture, remember, and share. We’d love to be fully engaged in the act of sharing our love and those who love us, but also be able to have these interactions chronicled. Yes, there will be a 7-year-old emcee, group dancing, and people trying foods for the first time. Our message to the guests, embrace it – it’s us: energetic and WILD.

 

All of this to say that central to our wedding planning was the idea of community. We asked our dearest friends and family to pitch camp together at Firelight so that we could foster closeness, coziness, and connection. But right now, that closeness is discouraged. Holding hands, hugging, forgetting yourself in the middle of Mr. Brightside (because that always happens at weddings, even if we are more of a Sean Paul crew), sharing marshmallow roasting sticks, passing around heaps of couscous, eating with your fingers... all of these normal behaviors seem increasingly questionable for a late June weekend where the young and young at heart are so close together. Not to mention that travel regulations are becoming tighter, preventing some of our guests from entering the country or crossing state lines. You are all travelling from four countries and fourteen states, passing through about ten unique airports. Even as vaccines become more available and prevalent, in February 2021, when we needed to make a decision, only 15% of our guests had been vaccinated: all in New York. There were also significant restrictions on out-of-state, not to mention international, travel. All in all, even with rising vaccines, it is still not safe until we have all been vaccinated. Rather than risk it all and negotiate with all of your health and be subject to odd wedding regulations (like fifteen separate dance floors), we have decided to wait until next year.

What are the new wedding dates?

Celebrations will occur on next year’s summer solstice weekend, 17-19 June 2022. We will try to repeat the same concept next year. On Friday, 17 June 2022, we will host a group morning hike in Treman State Park and an afternoon hike and swim combo at Taughannock State Park. We also invite all to a welcome dinner at Firelight. On Saturday, 18 June 2022, join us on a sunrise hike through Upper Buttermilk Falls State Park in honor of the almost longest day of the year. After breakfast, there will be some child-friendly activities around and near camp, details of which will be announced on our website. Wherever the day takes you, we ask that everyone arrive at Firelight in their fancy threads by 2:30pm for a prompt start of the ceremony. Celebrations will last until the last person goes to bed. On Sunday, 19 June 2022, we will host a goodbye brunch at Firelight featuring Algerian specialties and some of our favorite recipes from the Feast by Firelight cookbook. Following brunch and the 12pm check out, we will hike from Upper to Lower Buttermilk Falls State Park for a final breath of fresh air.

Why did you wait until next year instead of doing something earlier?

This weekend was grounded in our solstice camping tradition which started senselessly one Wednesday night in December 2016. And so when thinking about postponing, the winter solstice first came to mind. After all, it was on the winter solstice when we took a chance on each other, tested by the coldest, longest night of the year. But we are not sure how many others would want to camp or glamp on such a night, even with heat lamps and all the blankets in the world. And we are not sure where we would hold the weekend, considering Firelight Camps would be closed. So rather than forfeit the idea of honoring our tradition to camp with all of you, we would prefer to wait a year until the summer solstice rolls around and build the excitement even more.

your questions answered:

GENERAL
  • Why did you make the decision to postpone?

  • What are the new wedding dates?

  • Why did you wait until next year instead of doing something earlier?

tRAVEl
  • When should I cancel my flight reservation?

  • What should I do about my Firelight glamping reservation?

  • What should I do about my Firelight camping reservation?

  • What should I do about my La Tourelle Reservation?

  • What should I do about my Airbnb reservation?

  • What should I do about other travel reservations?

future events
  • Will everyone be invited on the new dates?

  • Will you send out new invitations or "change the dates"?

  • Will you do anything between now and the new celebration date?

  • What can we do to make you smile?

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