A special day saved from Covid

The planning went smoothly; Stacey had some contacts from a previous job in the emergency department and was able to get a DJ, band, photographer and a fabulous evening buffet at unbelievable prices. 

As it was a bank holiday weekend in Cornwall, they found some local accommodation for their families to secure early. And as the Covid-19 saga developed, Stacey stayed positive that the wedding would go ahead. Despite being a nurse, she was on maternity leave and ‘somewhat out of the loop’ on the difficulties the hospitals were facing. She kept planning, staying positive and telling family and friends it would all be going ahead. 

The couple’s baby was 4 month old when Stacey made an appointment to see Two for Joy Bridal, the second dress shop she had visited. It was just Stacey and her baby, as she didn't expect to find 'the one' right away, rather just narrow down her choices before returning with a bridesmaid to help with the decision. Still carrying some baby weight, Stacey says she felt a bit self-conscious but the ladies were so lovely that she soon felt totally comfortable – and they had a few giggles too. 

She was surprised that there was so many different style dresses in her size to try. One by one, Stacey eliminated them. Then, unexpectedly, she found 'the one'. 

Stacey tells us, “It fit like a glove despite not being altered. I had a few more to try on but I couldn't stop looking at it hanging there looking lush. I tried it on again to be sure; the staff were so lovely and patient, I didn't feel rushed at all. On the second try I just knew I wasn't leaving without it.” 

Unfortunately, the pandemic grew worse. Like many others, the couple lost a significant amount of money from lost work and took out a loan to pay off the wedding. Stacey chose to do this 4 days before the announcement stating the new wedding rules, which brought the unfortunate realisation that their wedding sadly wouldn't be going ahead at all.

Stacey and Liam were devastated; not just for their lost wedding, but also due to worries about retrieving money – they were aware people were being denied refunds from venues. They also felt guilty for friends and family who were unable to get refunds on their accommodation. Luckily, some of them were still looking forward to their visit and having a holiday. The couple also managed to get most of their money back, minus deposits – and that’s when the idea began to still have a wedding celebration as planned. 

In the week before the big day, they made new plans, ordered some fake flowers and booked a meal in a lovely local restaurant, adhering to restrictions. They had accommodation booked in a farm next to the original venue; at the back was a large outdoor space perfect for Stacey’s ‘walk up the aisle’. They decided to have their ‘wedding’ there just an hour before the event.

Someone played music on a mobile phone and Stacey’s best friend and male of honour 'married' Stacey and Liam in a beautiful open farm on a lovely sunny day. She had only asked him to do this the night before, although she says he had some previous experience from marrying her and her first (pretend) husband when they were five years old - so he already had some material for his speech!

Stacey says, “The day couldn't have gone any better. It was wonderful and I had a five mile smile all day and night. We even had a first dance at the restaurant. Everything went so smoothly thanks to our friends/bridesmaids.”

There were of course some important people missing due to restrictions and because it was so last minute, but everyone was happy to have made the most of the day. 

The stress of wedding planning with a small baby, a new home, new job and the uncertainty of the virus has put Stacey and Liam off rebooking their official wedding for now. 

They plan to have a simple registry office signing with their missing family sometime in the near future, when things are more settled. 

Stacey concluded, “We had our special day; it was more affordable than we expected and the things I had stressed over, such as handpicking all the songs, became so insignificant. We were too busy enjoying ourselves to care that we didn't have a DJ.”