Bride Serves Wedding Food to Needy Children in Her Dress after Wedding Venue Was Canceled

When a couple discovered that the coronavirus pandemic had impacted their big-day celebrations, they came up with a plan. Since they had already paid in advance, they swapped out their grand venue and decided to share the food with their local community.

Melanie and Tyler Tapajna from Parma, Ohio, crossed paths in 2016 while attending a friend's wedding. After that day, they began seeing each other and reached a point where they couldn't deny their chemistry.

It was only a matter of time before Melanie, who worked for a holistic pet food company, and Tyler, a field engineer for a healthcare company, decided to take their relationship to the next level.

Planning Their Big Day

The couple decided to tie the knot in August 2020 and booked a romantic lodge in Medina, Ohio. They even reached out to a hamburger food truck to handle their wedding reception's catering. They contacted a donut company for the cake and placed an order for an enormous cherry almond donut.

Tyler added that he and Melanie would try to do this annually for their subsequent anniversary celebrations.

Expecting the Unexpected

Melanie, 27, and Tyler, 34, thought they had planned everything perfectly, from picking a scenic venue and a DJ to hiring the services of their favorite food truck to cater food to almost 150 guests. But in early July 2020, they learned something astonishing.

The couple received an email that said their romantic wedding venue would be unavailable because of COVID-19. Melanie recalled that she and Tyler weren't dismayed since Ohio had been shut down for months because of the pandemic.

A Brilliant Idea

With no venue for their wedding and the food already paid for, the couple came up with an idea. "Since we'd prepaid for the food, we could have had the wedding somewhere else and still invited everyone, but it didn't make sense," said Melanie. So she talked to Tyler, and together, the pair decided to donate their wedding food.

Soon afterward, they reached out to The City Mission, an organization that ran Laura's Home — a crisis center for single women and mothers with kids in Cleveland. They decided they would donate the food there.

Tying the Knot

On August 15, 2020, the Tapajnas exchanged their vows and eternalized their love surrounded by their close family and friends. In lieu of the canceled venue, they held an intimate ceremony in Melanie's grandparents' backyard. Shortly afterward, they headed straight to Laura's Home, where their caterer delivered food worth almost $2,000 to 135 kids.

The then-newly-wed couple stepped into the shelter's dining room, still dressed in their wedding outfits, and quickly put on gloves, hairnets, and face masks before getting to work. Melanie and Tyler said they served a meal comprising fried chicken, mac and cheese, potato salad, green beans, and chocolate cupcakes to everyone.

Paying It Forward

Rich Trickel, CEO of The City Mission, appreciated Mr. and Mrs. Tapajna for their dedication and kind-heartedness and for personally coming to serve the food and meet the children. Meanwhile, Melanie and Tyler expressed that the day turned out to be unforgettable, forever etched in their memories.

Initially, the Tapajnas said they were concerned about their parents' reaction, but their fears subsided when their families supported them and reciprocated their excitement. They added that their doubts vanished when they walked inside and saw the children's cheerful faces. Trickel recounted:

"As everyone came through, the little girls were standing on their tiptoes, excited to see Melanie's beautiful lace wedding gown."

A Warm Welcome

While the Ohio couple did their part in extending kindness and love to their local community, they also received a warm welcome from the shelter. Melanie said the dining hall was decorated for her and Tyler, and one of the directors even greeted them, making them feel like they were at their wedding reception.

The Tapajnas revealed they had no plans for their honeymoon, but they intended to mark their first wedding anniversary by donating to a local charity. Tyler added that he and Melanie would try to do this annually for their subsequent anniversary celebrations.

Truly Inspirational

Although the couple said they didn't donate the food for public appreciation or praise, they wished to keep helping people in need and hoped others would feel encouraged to do the same. Melanie mentioned:

"Whether you donate your time, the food, or have a small ceremony, you still get to marry the person you love."

What are your thoughts on this beautiful story? Do you think the Tapajnas did the right thing by stepping up to help the local community on their special day? Please share your feedback on Facebook.

Click here to read another story about a bride-to-be who found a couple in need to celebrate their wedding for free in her place.