North Carolina farm giving away free wedding to essential worker

ORANGE COUNTY, N.C. — The owners of a North Carolina farm, which is a wedding venue, are helping essential workers who planned to get hitched but have found themselves in financial straits due to COVID-19.

“Met with a couple yesterday who are essential workers and they lost deposits,” John Cates told ABC11. “The main thing we’ve noticed is the struggle that we’ve seen for the people who want to get married and have had their dreams dashed.”

[Couple doesn’t let severe weather dampen wedding plans already ruined by pandemic]

The Cates Farm at Cane Creek in Orange County is 100 acres and is one of the places where couples can have weddings and practice social distancing.

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“If you and your loved one are essential workers and you’ve been working really hard during this pandemic to help other people and your wedding plans have been put on hold, John and I would love for you to enter your love story into our contest,” Jennifer Cates told ABC11.

The contest prize - a free wedding and reception.

“We just wanted to have a big special event for people who were kind of having a hard time right now,” Jennifer Cates said.

[You can find the rules here]

The deadline is Oct. 25.