Ree Drummond is one of the most popular stars on the Food Network. And part of that is because her fame happened naturally. After starting up her own food blog in 2006, she gained a following for her recipes. Eventually, networks took notice.
Ree is also very personable. She's not afraid to talk about her family on her series, and many fans feel like they know them personally. That's why everyone couldn't wait to see photos of Ree's daughter's wedding. Alex Drummond and Mauricio Scott may be in their early 20s, but they've been together since college. In fact, their "how we met" story is pretty cute.
"We don't really remember meeting each other because we were in the same group of friends our freshman year of college," said Alex. "We think that we met at a date party for my sorority, but we're not 100% sure. We don’t really remember the moment that we met."
On their first date, they admit to sharing a milkshake. While pretty romantic, these days such an act might be frowned upon. And that's because, thanks to last year, we're all a little more concerned about germs and the spread of viruses. Which is the one upsetting part about the couple's otherwise beautiful wedding.
After both she and her mom shared photos, it became pretty apparent that they threw caution to the wind when it came to their guests. Surely, if someone was uncomfortable by the complete lack of social distancing and masks, they likely wouldn't attend, but it's still an image that's making many fans a little anxious.
"Don't really have the words to describe this weekend, and don’t think I will for awhile," Alex wrote in the captions, obviously glowing. "But we are beaming with joy and gratitude. I married my best friend and it has already been the sweetest gift!!! Glory be to God!"
It shouldn't be much of a surprise, as many of Alex's pre-wedding events were lacking any sort of social distancing. While improvements are being made and vaccinations are more readily available to all, COVID-19 is still killing people on a daily basis. We're not out of the woods just yet.
And it's a shame that those lack of precautions became a big focus, as the wedding looked absolutely beautiful. And without a doubt, you can tell how much love Alex and Mauricio have for each other. Ree openly welcomed Mauricio into her family even before the wedding, which means he has been fully approved.
While beautiful, the event will surely be tarnished if any of the guests happened to be sick. These kinds of events can become super-spreader events, and they can destroy communities. This wedding easily could have been made safer. Seats could have been further apart, and masks could have been available. That wouldn't have destroyed the full vision of their union.
Hopefully, guests are unscathed by this lack of precautions. But it's still a danger for Ree and Alex to not address the big issue since they're public figures. Ree's following helped build her entire career. If they act like COVID-19 still isn't a big deal, they're sending a harmful message to their followers.
The one thing that Ree did address about the wedding was the location. While it's great that the wedding was outside, Ree had other concerns. "Some have asked me if I’m stressed out given the fact that both the ceremony and reception are outdoors on the ranch during peak storm and wind season…to which I smile, shake my head, and quote The Eagles: 'I've got a peaceful, easy feelin','" she said on Instagram.
It seems from all accounts that the wedding was a huge, beautiful, and successful event — but hopefully those who see the pictures won't use it as an excuse to have a 2021 wedding that would have been a better fit in 2018. This event would have been equally as beautiful — if not even more so — with precautions in place. That way, everyone could rest a little easier while celebrating the couple.
So, who is Mauricio Scott? He went to Texas A&M University, where he studied industrial distribution and met Alex. His first big job after graduation is at West Monroe Partners, where he's reportedly a consultant of customer experience.
Not only was the wedding packed, but the reception went on late. The families organized late-night snacks for guests to keep the celebration moving. "Traditionally, Mexican weddings usually go pretty late. They can go until 6 a.m., until the break of dawn," Mauricio said. "It was a nice twist to have an after-party."
The two will be in the Maldives to celebrate their marriage, with plans including "lay on a beach and do nothing." Then they'll go back to Texas where they live. But they plan on visiting Oklahoma and helping out with Ree's popular series.
"It'll be really fun to come home to each other at the end of the day, and get to cook together and share meals together," Alex said on the Pioneer Woman blog. It wouldn't be surprising if the two also tried for a family. They're still very young, but Ree makes a big point in saying that Alex was her own "honeymoon baby."
Hopefully, nothing bad will come from this event in terms of guest health. But the Drummond family needs to realize that they're responsible for sending a message. COVID-19 isn't a hoax — it's ruined thousands of families in the United States. Looking at these photos, many fans might not see the love and joy but instead the pain and sorrow of losing a loved one who also didn't take the virus seriously.
