Konner Monk and Anna Scheler decided to scale down their wedding after COVID-19 made them cancel a big celebration they had planned for April 11. (Courtesy/Konner Monk)

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Anna Scheler and Konner Monk have been planning their wedding for a year, preparing to welcome 130 guests to the Chehalem Cultural Center in Newberg on April 11.

But the novel coronavirus quickly changed those plans and the couple had to cancel their big wedding.

Instead, Scheler and Monk, both 27, will say “I do” during a small ceremony in the backyard of her parent’s Keizer home.

Scheler’s father will be the minister and they plan to livestream the event to all the guests who won’t be there.

If that plan doesn’t work, they’re hoping to film the ceremony and project the video on a big screen at their eventual reception.

Everything from school, to dining, to coffee dates have been altered because of COVID-19. Venues have closed, people are opting out of flying and judges are ministering Salem weddings from a 6-foot distance.

Scheler and Monk have been dating for six years and got engaged on Valentine’s Day in 2019. Both have lived in the Salem area since they were kids.

The pair met in high school as lab partners but didn’t start dating until college.

Scheler, who does customer service for a siding company, said she was talking to her sister when it clicked that if they didn’t get their marriage license now, they might not be able to for a while.

When the couple realized they’d have to cancel or postpone their plans, they made a Facebook group to get the word out.

Its title? “Konnor and Anna Sadathon.”

Konner Monk made a meme for the Facebook page where the couple announced wedding changes. (Courtesy/ Konner Monk)

Last week, they made an appointment at the Marion County Clerk’s Office and filled out paperwork while Marion County Clerk Bill Burgess stood more than 6 feet behind them, coaching them through the process.

Scheler said the way she’s looking at it, in 40 to 50 years she’ll tell the story of how she got married during the coronavirus outbreak.

“Here’s a video of our wedding ceremony where people are six feet apart,” she joked.

They’ve had to postpone their honeymoon, too, after statewide park and campsite closures. They had plans to visit the Painted Hills and now have vouchers for canceled reservations.

Scheler said life goes on.

Lately the couple has been getting gifts from their registry delivered to their door.

“It just feels like you need to have a happy moment here and there,” she said. “Opening up a gift of tiny, little tongs just brings joy to us.” 

Have a tip? Contact reporter Saphara Harrell at 503-549-6250, [email protected] or @daisysaphara.

Saphara Harrell - Salem Reporter