Couple didn’t let coronavirus stop their June wedding - SILive.com

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Gene Martinez, who formerly resided in Great Kills for more than four decades, and Judy Los Banos have been planning their June 13, 2020 wedding -- for which they invited nearly 300 guests -- for nearly two years.

So when the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic forced a global shutdown, they knew their lavish affair that was supposed to take place in a Scotch Plains, N.J. catering hall, wasn’t going to happen.

But after nearly eight years of dating, they refused to let the virus stop them from tying the knot on their chosen nuptial day.

“It was very hard at first. It was so emotional. ...We put so much time and effort into the planning over the past two years, and we were so excited to be just a couple of months away,” said Martinez, who is a city laborer at the College of Staten Island, Willowbrook. “Then came the pandemic, and everything changed.  We had no choice but to cancel. The bridal shower, bachelor party, ceremony, reception and honeymoon -- everything was off.”

But they could still get married.

The couple had a new apartment lined up after leasing a home at Centurion Union, a new luxury rental building in Union, N.J., which they watched being built for two years, knowing all along it would be their first home together. 

“We just couldn’t wait to be married,” said Los Banos, who had been living alone in their new apartment since May. “We obtained a marriage license and arranged to have our pastor come to our home to marry us there. We then asked management if it were possible to have the ceremony in one of the building’s amenity spaces so we could invite a few family members and friends to celebrate with us.”

After hearing about their ordeal, American Landmark Development, the developer of Centurion Union, offered up the 5th-floor resident lounge for the ceremony, complete with decorations and a bottle of celebratory champagne in the refrigerator. 

“The management of this building was like our guardian angels. It’s amazing what they did for us. I’m tearing up right now thinking about it,” said Martinez.

On the sunny Saturday afternoon, 12 guests, including Martinez’s parents and cousin, who served as best man, and Los Banos’ brother, sister-in-law, and matron of honor, watched as the couple tearfully exchanged wedding vows. 

“We wanted everyone to feel comfortable, so we only had immediate family,” said Martinez.

LIVE-STREAMED FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS

The ceremony was also streamed via Facebook Live to their 256 guests who were invited to their initial reception. This included Los Banos’ mother in the Philippines, who was unable to secure a flight back to the United States and got up at 2:30 a.m. with other family members to watch, as well as other family and friends in Asia, Europe, Canada, California, Arizona, Texas, Delaware, New York and New Jersey.

Following the ceremony, the newlyweds went back to their new apartment where Emily’s Portuguese Bakery, a neighborhood staple, provided complimentary pastries for the couple and their guests to enjoy.

“It may not have been our dream wedding, and I never thought walking down the aisle would mean walking from my apartment to the elevator, but it was perfect and we’re so grateful that our family and friends around the world were still able to share it with us,” said Los Banos.

The bride and groom were then greeted with their first wedding present, a reservation at WAVE Resort, a new oceanfront resort in Long Branch, N.J., courtesy of American Landmark Development.

“This is just such a wonderful place to start our lives together,” said Los Banos.  “We feel very blessed.”

The couple hopes to have a larger reception during summer 2021, she said.

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