My Fiance, Kyle, and I just approached our 2 year engagement anniversary. This Saturday marks 7 years together. Our wedding was planned for January 14th, 2023 at Casa Ybel Resort located in Sanibel, Florida. Due to the destruction of Hurricane Ian, the venue has taken a devastating hit and is closed until further notice. This is the second wedding we’ve planned in the past two years and plans have fallen apart yet again. We are heartbroken. If we completely cancel the wedding, this will be the second time we will take a financial hit from the deposits due to vendor contracts. We simply don’t have it in us to plan a third wedding. We’ve worked so hard to make this second one happen and to think we were only just 3 months away. At this point, we just want to get married and see each other walk down the aisle and have our own special day. We have so much family and plans for January 14th, so that date would be really special for both of us.
With the help of the wedding industry in SWFL (who are amazing), we have spread the word throughout social media to look for a venue to have a simple ceremony and reception. Numerous people have reached out to us with recommendations, but the venues are charging full price and we don't have the financial means to book them. We are overwhelmed with emotions from this wedding and on top of that, we are now dealing with flood remediation in our home from the hurricane's storm surge. Talk about a week...
We are sending out an SOS to everyone out there. At this point, we are looking for a venue, catering and bar services. We would still like to utilize the vendors here locally in SWFL that we have already contracted with so that they don't lose business.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Samantha Lake
Casa Ybel Resort after Hurricane Ian