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So, as we started the year that will be remembered for a very long time as the year where plans were halted and ‘normal life’ including weddings, was put on hold! Some couples, not so easily deterred carried on and adapted their day to something different, but just as special and memorable for all the right reasons. I spoke with two of our lovely brides, Emilee who married Ben in Spring 2020 ( just before the first lockdown) and Catherine who married Alan, in a stylish Covid micro wedding in mid-December 2020, between the second and the third lockdown that happened just after Christmas. These are the stories of their days…..
Emilee’s Story – 7th March 2020 Sandhole Oak Barn, Cheshire
How were your plans affected by the pandemic?
We were so lucky enough not to have been affected, as we got married 2 weeks before the first national lockdown!
At any point did you think ‘this is not going to happen this year?’
Not really as we were able to go ahead with our wedding as we had planned, but it could have so easily been postponed if only a couple of weeks later.
How were you feeling on the days leading up to your date?
I wasn’t nervous as I knew I was marrying my best friend! However, I didn’t sleep for about a week running up to the wedding. One of my bridesmaids suggested I get insurance for peace of mind and it worked, just having that bit of reassurance helped! Ben, however, was fine and was excited to see our vision of what we had been planning and making come to life.
How many guests did you have at your wedding?
We had 96 to the day and then around 130 to the evening and by then we were ready to party!!
Which emotion best describes how you felt on your day?
Excited and emotional, I can remember my dad making me laugh walking down the aisle to put me at ease. Ben said that he felt excited and happy, just ready to marry his best friend.
What was your favourite part of your day?
CAKE!! Nope honestly seeing all our friends and family and realising now that that would be the last time we would see them for quite a while!
Looking back, would you have changed anything about your day?
Nope, but we discussed if our wedding hadn’t been able to take place when it did, we would have got married in lockdown and had a big party at Sandhole Oak Barn and celebrated with everyone at a later date.
Which is your favourite photograph from your day and why?
Wow what a question there are so many to choose from….
We picked Sandhole Oak Barn because of the beautiful picturesque backdrop and Sean & Victoria were able to catch it so beautifully.
We have two one which is on a canvas in our living room and the other one just shows us down to a tee!!
Thanks Emilee xx
if you’d like us to be your Sandhole Oak Barn Wedding Photographer
Catherine’s Story – 12th December 2020 Hope Street Hotel, Liverpool – Covid Micro Wedding
How were your plans affected by the pandemic?
We’ve been engaged for a number of years but I fell pregnant shortly after our engagement which put our wedding plans on hold. When we eventually sat down and put a guest list together, it was over 250! We’ve spent a lot of time trying to incorporate the standard of wedding that we wanted with the vast number of guests into a very limited budget.
When the second lockdown was announced, we jumped at the opportunity of the limited guest list to book our wedding. We could have the nice, intimate wedding that we had always dreamed of, without causing offence.
We originally booked to get married on Friday 13th November at the fabulous Hope Street Hotel in Liverpool – as this year was unlucky for so many, we hoped it might bring us some good luck! Sadly, it wasn’t meant to be, Liverpool was plunged into Tier 3 and so we had to re-arrange. The hotel and registrar were amazing and very flexible and we quickly rescheduled to Saturday 12th December 2020.
At any point did you think, ‘this is not going to happen this year?’
We rescheduled to December with everything crossed that we (Liverpool) would come out of Tier 3, it was touch and go and it was only when the new tiers were announced on Wednesday 2nd December that we became more confident that the wedding would go ahead. Realistically, plans could have changed at any point but we booked our wedding knowing the risks.
How were you feeling on the days leading up to your date?
We took the week off prior to the wedding to do all of the jobs that we needed to do but we were fairly relaxed, as all of the suppliers that we had chosen and the staff at Hope Street Hotel were fantastic and really communicative.
How many guests did you have at your Covid micro wedding?
We had to have a limit of 15 at the wedding, including ourselves. We had 13 guests in total which was perfect as it was our parents, siblings and partners … plus Auntie Lynn with her fabulous bright red tights and not forgetting the real star of the day…… our handsome son, Tobias!
Which emotion best describes how you felt on your day?
Our day was very relaxed, as mentioned before, we had amazing suppliers and brilliant communication. Hope Street Hotel were brilliant and gently advised us on how the day would go and nothing was too much trouble for them. They anticipated our needs before we did, which was amazing!
What was your favourite part of your day?
For Alan, his favourite part was marrying the love of his life….
For me, it was after we had gotten married and we were walking through the streets with Sean and Victoria taking amazing photos and every person we passed making a lovely fuss and the cars beeping as they went past.
Looking back, would you have changed anything about your day?
Of course, with an unlimited budget, we would have loved to have our huge guest list there, but our day was perfect for us, it was small, intimate, relaxed and with a touch of glam!
Are you planning another, larger celebration at a later date?
Absolutely! We would love to have a party to celebrate and share with our extended family and friends and any opportunity to wear my dress again!!
Which is your favourite photograph and why?
There are too many to choose from…I think we would have to choose two. The one of us walking down the street holding hands and the other would be of us by the ‘All You Need Is Love’ graffiti. They were both ideas from Sean and Victoria and they look stunning!!
Thanks Catherine xx
Hopefully, weddings going ahead in 2021 and beyond will not face the worries and difficult decisions our lovey 2020 brides and grooms had to make about their special day. We are there not only as your wedding photographers or videographers on your day, but also to help walk you through the details and answer any questions you may have about your wedding day. We don’t put any time restrictions on when we are there on your day as we are there to capture your wedding as it happens, all of it, and remind you when you look at your photographs or watch your film, exactly how you felt on your day.
Sean & Victoria xx
if you’d like us to be your Micro Wedding Photographer, Hope Street Hotel Wedding Photographer.
Venues:
Hope Street Hotel, Liverpool – https://hopestreethotel.co.uk
Sandhole Oak Barn, Congleton – https://www.sandholeoakbarn-weddings.co.uk/