Your South Wales Wedding - Page number 33 - July/August 2021 (Issue 80)

REAL WEDDINGS 33 team were so helpful. The sweetheart neckline and flowing skirt matched my dress perfectly. It was universally flattering and excellent quality.” TIME TO CELEBRATE “After the ceremony, we were lucky enough to have a few hours of glorious weather for our photos,” says the bride. “After this, everyone headed home, and we set up our online reception. This included speeches, toasts and the first dance in our kitchen! We were determined to do as much as possible to celebrate our day, and we certainly did.” MEMORABLE MOMENTS The happy couple were full of nerves and excitement on the morning of the wedding. “It was the most blissful day, but it was somewhat bittersweet as so many people couldn’t be with us,” shares Annabel. “Gavin also felt the pressure of having to manage the online streams of our ceremony and reception! By the time we were enjoying our first dance, we both felt relieved that we’d managed to get married and have the best possible day. There were moments in the weeks leading up to the wedding that made us wonder whether we’d be able to do it at all, so we were incredibly thankful to have been able to get married on the day.” “One of our favourite moments was when our rescue dog, Sissy Sock, carried the rings during the ceremony,” Annabel recalls. “She wore a collar of fresh flowers from our florist and stole the show! We also loved dancing to Metallica in our kitchen – a far cry from our original vision but every bit as special.” Annabel and the bridesmaids purchased bespoke face masks for the day. “The girls had one-off designs in the same fabric as their dresses, and I had a mask that was made by my dress designer,” explains the bride. “ We also commissioned 30 face masks for our guests – there were four different designs in our wedding colours, embroidered with our initials and wedding date. It was the perfect memento of a pandemic wedding!” “We were astounded by the understanding and empathy shown by all of our suppliers and guests,” adds Annabel. “This past year has been tough on everyone, but people went out of their way to make our day special. Our suppliers had few or no weddings that year but put our needs above their own. They listened to us moan, cry and rant and supported us through all of it! We were forced into so many last- minute changes and cancellations, and they navigated the practicalities and legalities with compassion. We knew they were suffering too, but they never shared that burden with us. Every single supplier far exceeded our expectations, and we couldn’t have been happier. Some of our guests travelled hundreds of miles to attend our 30 minute ceremony with all of the enthusiasm and excitement we’d imagine for an all- day event. They encouraged us in a way that gave us the strength and certainty to get married in a pandemic and reminded us of what was really important. We assumed people would think we were wrong to get married, that we were being reckless or selfish, but on the contrary, the absolute joy and love we felt was overwhelming.” 