National Cathedral offers free garden weddings to ‘shutdown’ couples

Bishop’s Garden at Washington National Cathedral. Photo by Flickr user Robert Bolton

As the federal government shutdown endures, couples who were planning to wed on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. had to face the last-minute reality of their weddings being canceled due to the closure of all national parks and monuments.

The National Cathedral decided it wanted to help. Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington, stepped in to offer couples the Bishop’s Garden at the cathedral as another place in the district to tie the knot free of charge. Ceremonies would be open to all faiths.

“The shutdown’s impact on people’s lives is incalculable, and we’re all struggling to find ways to support our neighbors,” said Budde.

H/T Justin Scuiletti