Page 8 - The Wayne Dispatch
P. 8

Sometimes marriage comes sooner and later




          By Carolyn Marnon                                                                                       of chips and cans of pop.
             There was going to be a huge wed-                                                                       The  couple  is  celebrating  their
          ding at the church in Warren, Michi-                                                                    honeymoon at home, not at the air
          gan  where  Wayne  resident  Ashley                                                                     bnb  in  Traverse  City  as  planned.
          Herald’s father is the pastor.  There                                                                   They’re  just  hanging  out  together.
          would be all the pomp and circum-                                                                       Ashley has been home from work for
          stance that comes with a dream wed-                                                                     the honeymoon. She is a little nerv-
          ding. The flowers, the decorations,                                                                     ous to go back to work next week, es-
          the bridal party, the bride in a white                                                                  pecially since she also suffers from
          dress  walking  down  the  aisle  es-                                                                   asthma.
          corted by her father, all the people                                                                       Although  the  wedding  was  not
          who loved her and her husband-to-                                                                       what  they  originally  had  planned,
          be  in  attendance  and  then  the  big                                                                 they are not letting that get their spir-
          party afterward. It was the moment                                                                      its down. They have postponed the
          the young couple had been looking                                                                       big wedding with all the works for
          forward to for a year.                                                                                  August  22.  That  is  the  day  Ashley
             Ashley Herald and Brad Hinken                                                                        will walk down the aisle on the arm
          met when they were 16 years old at                                                                      of her father while wearing her white
          a campground in Wixom.  Brad was                                                                        wedding dress.  Brad will see her in
          camping there when a mutual friend                                                                      that dress for the first time as will all
          brought Ashley along. Brad says Ash-                                                                    their  beloved  guests.  “We  have  so
          ley likes to tell the story that she was                                                                many  people  in  our  lives  we  are
          interested  in  him  at  the  time,  but                                                                blessed  to  know  and  be  around,”
          that he was a stupid teenage boy who                                                                    said Brad. “We’re ‘people’ people.”
          was into other things.                                                                                     And what happens if the COVID-
             Forward  to  September  2018.                                                                        19 pandemic has not passed by that
          Brad and Ashley had been friends on                                                                     time?    There  is  no  back  up  plan.
          social  media.  Brad  was  bored  one                                                                   “We’re the type of people that just roll
          Friday  night  and  messaged  Ashley.                                                                   with it,” says Ashley. In regards to
          They ended up staying up all night                                                                      the original wedding plans being af-
          messaging and talking. “She’s been                                                 Ashley and Brad Hinken  fected,  she  says  “At  first  we  were
          putting up with me literally every day                                                                  kind of sad, but we just figured out
          since,” laughs Brad.               area.    While  the  nation,  and  the  dream wedding, they also knew now  another plan.”  Brad adds “We want
             On  March  29,  2019,  Brad  and  world, is dealing with the spread of  was not the time. However, they still  them (the guests) to all be safe, of
          Ashley  became  engaged.  They     COVID-19, health care workers are  wanted to get married.  On Saturday,  course.”
          started  planning  their  dream  wed-  on the front lines, risking exposure  March  28,  the  two  lovebirds  gath-  Brad finished the conversation by
          ding with no idea of the pandemic  every  day.  “She’s  been  holding  up  ered with their immediate families at  adding “What an awesome story this
          that was to come the following year.  pretty  good,”  says  Brad.  He  says  Hill  Crest  Bible  Church  in  Wayne  is going to be. How much fun to tell
          They chose March 28, 2020 as their  about a week before their scheduled  where  Pastor  Seth  McDonald  per-  our kids and grandkids about this.
          wedding date.                      wedding, Ashley came in close prox-  formed the wedding nuptials. It was  The whole experience was not what
             Brad works at The Henry Ford as  imity to a confirmed COVID-19 pa-  a simple wedding. Ashley didn’t wear  we had planned.”
          an  exhibit  specialist  working  with  tient. She had to be tested. Luckily,  her white wedding dress. Brad didn’t  It  may  not  be  what  they  had
          permanent and temporary installa-  she is COVID-19 negative.          wear  his  suit.  There  was  no  unity  planned  for  their  official  wedding
          tions. Ashley is an inpatient clerk at  Those  were  unsettling  days  be-  sand and no decorations. The post-  day, but the couple is now united in
          University of Michigan hospital work-  fore the wedding. As much as Brad  wedding  meal  consisted  of  pulled  holy matrimony and can start their
          ing in the bone marrow transplant  and Ashley wanted to have the big  chicken sandwiches, coleslaw, bags  own happily ever after.
























          8 · April 2020 · The Wayne Dispatch
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