Nine years ago we nearly had to cancel our wedding because of a volcano. Grímsvötn in Iceland started to spout out ash, grounding all flights out of Britain. We were getting married in Provence, and a few days before our big day we realised none of our guests could get to France.
As we frantically researched train timetables, and scanned our wedding insurance, we realised we might have to cut our losses and cancel. I was devastated. We'd been planning our wedding for 18 months, and stretched ourselves financially. We could never afford to hire the same venue again.
Luckily with 12 hours to spare, the ash cloud dispersed and planes started to fly again. Our wedding was saved, and as you can see from these photographs by
Caught the Light, went ahead in style. Sadly for couples planning to celebrate their weddings this year, there's no easy fix for the coronavirus.
Thousands have already had to cancel their big day. Others didn't have time, so went ahead with a Zoom ceremony, encouraging friends and family to join via video link. For some, this was the only option, but if you have the choice, postponing is definitely the better decision.
In the midst of all the planning and logistics, and the excitement of choosing a wedding gown, favours and flowers, it's easy to forget the best bit; the greatest joy of your wedding is your guests.
The sense of occasion in the venue as your friends and family wait for you to arrive, the cheers as you walk down the aisle as man and wife, the raucous laughter at the Best Man's speech and your Dad grooving on the dance floor with your two year-old nephew.
We were dazzled by the wave of love and support we felt from our guests, how genuinely thrilled they were to celebrate our marriage.
It might feel devastating to delay your wedding day until this pandemic is over, but it's definitely the right decision. Waiting another year might seem a nightmare now, but try to pause and gain some perspective.
Those extra months will give you time to save more, you'll be able to create more DIY projects, the wedding dress sales post-pandemic will be amazing, and you'll actually be able to go on honeymoon.
And nothing compares to that moment when you walk down the aisle, and everyone you love is there to share in your joy.
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