Severe flooding won't stop Arborfield couple from tying the knot

It’s going to take more than a flood to keep one Arborfield couple from getting married Saturday.

Jared Ralph and Danika Haugen have been preparing the front yard of their farmhouse to host their special day for months. Ralph said they planted flowers and used old barn boards and wagon wheels to create a rustic looking backdrop for the ceremony July 16.

But nearly all of their hard work was swept away by flood waters earlier in the week, as heavy rain washed out their driveway and filling their basement with water.

“It was pretty nerve-racking,” Ralph said. “We tried to get as much stuff out as we could. We got our hands on the essentials, and then we came back with the boat for our wedding stuff.”

Thankfully, much of their wedding supplies weren’t touched by the water, only the exterior decorations.

After saving as much as they could, Ralph went to work sandbagging the berm surrounding the town to keep the water back.

“I was always thinking about (the wedding),” he said. “Once we got out it started to hit me we weren’t going to get married here.”

The wedding location has been moved to a nearby relative’s house, which is on a hill and much dryer. The celebration won’t be as elaborate as they had originally planned, but Ralph said they are not letting Saskatchewan’s unpredictable weather interfere with their future.

“Come hell or high water, we’re getting married,” he said.