LOVE WINS
Couples have come a long way from the traditional way of choosing to saying "I do"
From legalisation of same sex marriages to the invention of Pinterest. Then 2020 saw weddings cancelled due to a worldwide pandemic. We could never have predicted this, however one thing does remain the same, weddings are fabulous, they are such joyous occasions and we get to witness how love wins every time.
What's also nice, is couples are planning together and making decisions, customising their personal styles. Re-thinking Tradition
Allowing the bride and groom to really express their tastes and personalities without feeling restrained. Whether you choose to follow traditional wedding rituals or to completely go your own way, it's nice sometimes to find a middle ground which still makes the event represent your love for each other but also executes change.
From not seeing each other until the ceremony, to now participating in the "first look" where some couples meet in a private moment prior to the wedding
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Rather than serving champagne and cake before sending the couple off on their honeymoon, newlyweds now offer full course suppers, or even something trendy like food trucks
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The first dance is still believed to be a special moment just for the bride and groom, however type into You Tube 'First Wedding Dance' and you will see how the fist dance has changed over time
Anything and everything is acceptable, regardless of which traditions you choose to follow or break, always remember that this is your wedding and to stay true to your wedding wishes.
So with the coronavirus throwing the world a curve ball and literally cancelling most of 2020, I caught up with a lovely couple that unfortunately also had their wedding day cancelled, not once but twice last year!
Owen Adkins, 28 from Warwick met his beautiful fiancé Heidi Lawry, also aged 28 from Ealing at Exeter University back in 2011. They both lived in the same halls and after a year of being just friends, Owen finally asked Heidi out on their first date.
Heidi recalls being really impressed “he took me to the most amazing restaurant called Yauatcha in London and we’ve been back loads of times since".
With the virus still very present one year later, I asked Heidi and Owen if they minded telling us their story!
Firstly, congratulations to you both on getting engaged, so how long did you date for?
HL - About 6 years.
Please describe the proposal…
HL - We got engaged on the 5th May 2018. Owen organised a long weekend away in Edinburgh for what I thought was an early birthday present for me. When we arrived at our AirBnB, I opened the door and saw petals on the floor, champagne on ice, flowers everywhere and I thought “wow this AirBnB is amazing, the owners have really pulled out all the stops”. Then I turned around and Owen was on one knee! I immediately burst into tears and said yes.
OA - It was completely unforgettable, and I had plenty of support getting everything prepared. Our Airbnb host went above and beyond for us, which I was so thankful for. We were messaging a lot just before our arrival!
Did you have an engagement party to celebrate?
HL - Yes, we had a party at my parents’ house in Ealing. It was a really hot summers day so we spent most of it in the garden, and all of our friends piled in for a massive group photo which was fun.
OA - We also had a really nice family party back in Warwick for extended members and friends of the family.
What was your original wedding date and where was your chosen venue?
HL - Our original wedding date was Saturday 6th June 2020. Our second postponement date was Sunday 22nd November 2020. We had booked South Farm in Cambridgeshire. It is the most idyllic venue and originally we were going to be married in the gardens outside in June. Then when we changed the date to November, we had arranged to have the ceremony in the Tudor Barn, which is equally as beautiful as the gardens, with big wooden beams and fairy lights everywhere.
OA - You definitely find yourself falling in love with your booked venue, so much so that no other venue could ever replace it. We did consider other options, but kept on coming back to South Farm.
Have you chosen your wedding dress yet, and what colour scheme did you go for?
HL - Yes, I bought my wedding dress from Wed2B in Baker Street and the colours we are going for are Mauve (bridesmaids) and navy (groomsmen)
One of my most favourite moments is the first dance, so what song have you chosen?
HL - ‘Beyond’ by Leon Bridges
How have your feelings changed with regards to getting married now?
HL - We would still love to get married as soon as we can, but after having our wedding cancelled twice already because of covid, we are hesitant about putting another date in too soon in case it gets postponed again. The guest list for our original wedding was 130 people and then we had to reduce it to 30 people in November, and then 15 people, before it was cancelled altogether because of lockdown. After planning a smaller wedding, we did in fact think that we might actually like to have a slightly smaller, more intimate ceremony instead. Not least because it significantly reduces the cost!
OA - The sad thing is that we feel like we’ve done everything already, except for actually getting married. Since moving into our first home and planning for the future, it almost feels like we’ve moved past the wedding phase. That being said, we both still want to be married as soon as we can and celebrate the next chapter.
What is the plan going forwards, after lockdown?
HL - We would still love to get married at South Farm and I have to say we are so thankful to their team for being so brilliant at communicating with us throughout this strange year. They do have some availability this spring, so as long as restrictions do lift we can go then ahead with our big day, and we would jump at the chance.
Had you already booked your honeymoon?
HL - We booked to go to St Lucia for 10 days in June 2020, and then postponed it to May 2021. Let’s see if that will also be allowed in time.
Will you go away then, before you get married?
HL - I’m sure I’m not the only one to say that we are desperate for a holiday. So if there is any chance we can still go ahead with it, then we will be on that plane in no time!
So finally, what do you think the chances are of actually getting married this year?
HL - It’s difficult to say at the moment but we certainly hope so. The government’s roadmap does give us some idea of when weddings will be back on the cards. I do suspect that we won’t be able to have a big guest list like we originally planned, but that might be more down to preference at this stage.
Heidi and Owen moved to Chesham at the end of last year and felt really lucky that everything was able to go ahead with the move, particularly as their wedding remains on hold, and like many other couples, let’s hope they all get their well-deserved big (or small) day.
Love Wins.
