The Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Bishop of Washington, has offered the expansive garden outside of the diocesan offices on the grounds of Washington National Cathedral to couples forced to cancel their weddings by the federal government shutting down.
“The shutdown’s impact on people’s lives is incalculable, and we’re all struggling to find ways to support our neighbors,” Bishop Budde said. “As one modest gesture, we invite those whose outdoor wedding plans were unexpectedly changed to consider the Bishop’s Garden as an alternate site, and we offer it to them free of charge.”
Budde said she made the invitation after a member of the diocese proposed the idea after reading of the plight of Mike Cassesso and MaiLien Le, whose wedding had been scheduled on the west lawn of the Jefferson Memorial. Twenty-four weddings were scheduled for the National Mall in October, according to the National Park Service.
Couples whose weddings are affected by the shutdown are invited to contact Cheryl Wilburn in the bishop’s office by email or by calling 202-537-6543.
Image of the entrance to Bishop’s Garden at the National Cathedral by Janet Krum/Flickr
Matthew Townsend is a Halifax-based freelance journalist and volunteer advocate for survivors of sexual misconduct in Anglican settings. He served as editor of the Anglican Journal from 2019 to 2021 and communications missioner for the Anglican Diocese of Quebec from 2019 to 2022. He and his wife recently entered catechism class in the Orthodox Church in America.
