Our Intimate Wedding

Christmas Eve 2019, I was taken by surprise while exchanging presents with my boyfriend. 

After he had opened the electric toothbrush that I had carefully picked out for him, he produced a cute little book. 

The book was filled with our adventures together and memories we had created over the years. How cute. He then stood up and headed over the Christmas tree and pulled out a little yellow box with a silver bow on top. As I sat on the sofa looking confused, he got down on one knee and requested I married him. From the look of utter shock on my face, terror in my eyes and the fact I don't actually think I said 'yes' out loud, I'm not sure how he felt, but I then stood up and gave him a big hug and waited patiently to see the ring being placed on my finger! 

I just got engaged - celebrated with family, friends and my fiancé.

Life was good. 

February 2020, I've just asked my best friends to be my bridesmaids, my niece to be a flower girl and my mum to walk me down the aisle.

Perfect.  

Then, all of a sudden, we find ourselves in the middle of a Global Pandemic. 

Not to make it all about me but just my luck that the year I want to throw a big party and have the wedding of my dreams with the love of my life (boke) we're queuing for the shops, washing our groceries and wearing PPE! 

What the heck! 

Thinking we'd only be in lockdown for a couple of weeks, my fiancé moved in with me and my mum and we all started learning the acronym WFH. 

A bizarre time; a time when the world was suffering and a time where life was put into perspective. 

We were fortunate enough to not experience loss or pain during this time, and my heart is with those who suffered. I do not take that for granted. 

However, my lockdown experience was banana bread, TikTok, crafting and going for my daily walk. 

Planning a wedding seemed entirely impossible. Yet there wasn't much else to occupy my mind.

 I had mood boards, scrapbooks, planners, the lot! I was consumed. I was watching people postpone their weddings or have a ceremony on a beach with two witnesses. 

It didn't feel like I could fully plan and prepare because at this stage we were 10 weeks into a national lockdown and we couldn't predict what we'd be allowed to do next week never mind in a few months. 

We had to make a decision, we had to have multiple guests lists ready to go at different times, we invited who we wanted to be there celebrating with us but also warned them that we might have to retract our invite!! 

Awful. 

I was sitting having a make up trial, which was also part lesson incase I needed to do my own make up on the day (which I did have to do, and my hair, nightmare!)

 I went home and showed my mum finally imagining what my day would look like when the restrictions changed starting at the end of week, right for when we had scheduled our wedding. 

We could no longer have a reception, we were reduced to 25 guests and we had to be socially distanced in the church. 

AHH!

Initially I was stressed, I didn't know what to do, what was the right answer?!

 I just wanted to get married.  I had no energy to rebook, reschedule or reorganise anything!

 I just wanted to do it. 

So we did it. 

25 people in the church including photographer, officiant and musicians. Neighbours, friends and family came to my house to see me off and others went to the church on the windiest day of the year to watch us become husband and wife - from their iPads and phones on a livestream in their cars.

I felt all strange with people watching from their living rooms, very royal wedding of us! 

We wore masks, we hummed instead of sang, my husband put my ring on the wrong finger, my veil fell out, my granny was sat alone, I cried, we laughed and just had the most ridiculous, happy, endearing, memorable and love filled day. 

My mother-in-law knocked on the door of a big beautiful house in Greyabbey and asked if we could use their grounds for photos. We took our bridal party and parents down to explore and take pictures while the owner of the house watched on and chatted. 

We went back to my husbands parents house and had food delivered from the local farm shop consisting of beef and black bean, chicken with peppered sauce, rice and chips for our meal which we ate over two tables while chatting and relaxing. 

My mum wrote her speech on her phone and then in the excitement of the day left it at home, she had practiced it so much that she was able to write it all down quickly in the other room before standing up and delivering it perfectly. 

My new husband made a speech and addressed each member of our families and bridal party individually talking about them so beautifully and personally. My best friend made a speech that was so moving and vulnerable. 

 Things that just would not of happened if there were 170 people in the room. 

We cut the cake and had our first dance in the hallway surrounded by our nearest and dearest. We controlled the playlist and my gorgeous bridesmaid took stunning photos capturing the fun, love and randomness of the whole day. 

Since we had our intimate Covid wedding I have been asked many times 'Aw do you wish you had a big wedding?' and my response is 'no' - our wedding day was unique and completely perfect for me and Adam! 

Plus it's one heck of a story for the grandkids. 

Dress: Seraphim Bridal 

Flowers: Harriett Riley Floral Design

Photography: Matthew Allen Photography & Rachel Beattie 

Bridesmaid Dresses: DesirVale (Etsy)

Suits: Moss Bros.