First, we want to say thank you, family and friends, for being so supportive and understanding while we're dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Florence. As we were about to mail the wedding invitations, we found out Florence was headed straight for us. We mulled over what to do; talked with wedding planner friends, vendors, USPS, and decided to wait until the hurricane passed before mailing. We sincerely appreciate you all being patient with us. We felt terrible sending the invites out late because we truly value and respect your time. Our fear was that folks would feel obligated or feel bad not attending - we never want anyone to feel that way. To us, the invitation means we love you and you are special to us and our family. When announcing the evacuation they warned, "prepare to come back to nothing" - that was terrifying. We packed up valuables, took everything off walls and shelves, boarded up windows, repaired weak spots on the roof, sprinkled baking soda everywhere, and headed to Kellie's parent's home. We were unable to check on our home for days due to roads being impassible - the waiting drove us crazy. Rumors of back road passageways began to spread, so we got in the car and drove! When we pulled into the yard, we were overwhelmed with both relief and anxiety. Feeling beyond thankful to see our home standing, but also heartbroken by the destruction and long road ahead. The largest tree in our yard fell on our home taking out one room and knocking a hole in the roof, and two trees fell away from our home (very thankful). We have a lot of repairs ahead of us but we're beyond grateful to have a home. Although it still looks like a disaster zone (insurance is backed up, so we're playing the waiting game), our wedding venue held up wonderfully! We're excited to let go of the stresses happening at home and enjoy this special weekend with you all, the people we love. We can't wait to see everyone! Thank you again, we love you.