Storm forces couple to move Block Island wedding celebration days before ceremony

Maya Bass and her fiancé, Jeff, spent a year planning their Block Island wedding. Then, days before the ceremony, a weekend storm forced them to start over.

The couple had planned to marry on Block Island, a place Jeff said has special meaning to him, having spent summers there for many years.

“It was just the picture-perfect place to have our wedding,” he said.

But forecasted high winds, heavy rain and rough seas, including waves expected to reach 10 feet, made getting to and from the island unsafe. The Block Island Ferry canceled service, affecting weddings and other weekend events planned on the island.

“As the weather progressed, Block Island wasn’t going to happen,” Maya said. “It was really sad.”

“It really felt like an impossible decision to make,” she said.

By Monday, with five days until the wedding, the couple began searching for a new plan. They needed a new caterer, florist and venues, while keeping the celebration in Rhode Island for their guests.

“The whole team snapped into action,” Jeff said.

They chose Gooseneck Vineyards in North Kingstown for their Friday rehearsal dinner and The Venue at Wilcox in Charlestown for Saturday’s wedding.

Switching to the mainland was difficult, Maya said, because the couple is from Massachusetts and had fewer local connections. But they said their guests have been understanding through the sudden changes.

“All of our guests have had to make sacrifices, and they have all been so supportive,” Maya said.

For the couple, the location may have changed, but the purpose of the weekend has not.

“The dream was to get married in front of our friends and family at the end of the day,” Maya said. “And that’s what we are going to be doing on Saturday.”