Wedding Announcement: Christian and Melissa Staton

BRISTOL-WARREN, RI — Despite the coroanvirus pandemic, Christian and Melissa Staton were married on a beautiful October day that was "out of a dream."

The couple was wed at Castle Hill Inn in Newport, which overlooks the water.

Christian described the day in his own words below.

Originally, our guest count was 175 and we had an agreement with a venue that was estimated at $20,000. [I] don't really know how we were going to pay for it, but because of the pandemic, we didn't have to. We were issued a full refund of the deposit and made an executive decision to back out of the deal now instead of wasting time wondering if or how our special day would be realized.

When it came to decide who could attend, we made the tough decision of uninviting nearly everyone! It was an unfortunate dilemma given the circumstances, but it did make it easier to choose between aunts and uncles.

In front of our immediate family only, with my father presiding, we said our 'I do's' with [the] Narragansett Bay as our witness.

And ya know what? We had a micro wedding, so now we get to have many micro celebrations with small groups of family and friends. Instead of celebrating for one night, Melissa and I get to spend intimate time with our loved ones sprinkled in all across the year!

Thanks to our fantastic videographer Brian Lau, we also have a complete recording of the ceremony along with stunning photos to show everyone who was unable to attend.

2020 was rough, but for Melissa and I, time stopped for that one Thursday in October.

Our plans were undoubtedly impacted, but we made it work. When the coast is clear, we plan to have a larger celebration in a much more economical way to celebrate our wedding! We even want to renew our vows!

Are you a newlywed in Rhode Island? Patch wants to hear from you! Fill out this form and email a photo to rachel.nunes@patch.com. (Please use a photo taken by you or a member of your wedding party and include a photo credit. If taken by a professional, please include their contact information.)