'Devastated': Couple's LI Wedding Derailed By Henri's Wrath

LONG ISLAND, NY — Kim Braha and John Burke were hours away from their fairy tale wedding at Giorgio's Baiting Hollow — until Hurricane Henri came barreling straight toward the East End, set to make landfall Sunday.

Braha said her wedding was scheduled for Sunday evening. At first, even despite the looming weather forecasts, the bride-to-be held out hope that the wedding could go on as planned.

But, with Henri expected to hit the East End as a Category 1 hurricane, the ceremony and festivities had to be canceled late Saturday, Braha said, leaving her "devastated."

Still, Braha spoke about the derailment of her wedding day plans with a healthy dose of optimism and positivity. "I have to be," she said, of her upbeat attitude. "At least we can laugh between the tears, right?"

The couple, who lives in Dix Hills, said while they are disappointed and stressed by the turn of events, they are also "relieved in a way, too."

At first, the plan was to reschedule the wedding for September 11, which would have been "extra special for John's father, retired FDNY," Braha said. But, that date wasn't available, and now, the wedding is booked for October 31 — Braha will be a Halloween bride.

Braha thanked the staff at Giorgio's "who have been nothing short of phenomenal."

When asked how she felt about the hurricane toppling her wedding day plans, Braha said: "What are the odds of having our wedding day be on the one day they're forecasting a hurricane that hasn't happened in 30something years? But we can't control the weather. The words, 'For better or worse' are part of the wedding vows, anyway, right? John and I feel lucky to have found each other and we always said we would 'weather' whatever life threw at us — even though we didn't mean it literally."

The lovebirds are still planning to travel Monday to St. Maarten for their honeymoon, their preliminary COVID testing complete, barring any Henri aftermath. "At least that part went well and it looks like we'll be able to take off regardless," she said.

Henri may have meant rescheduling her wedding, but the storm can't rock her marriage, Braha said. "At the end of the day, it's what's best for everyone," she said. "And I have a great guy I'll marry — eventually."