The Coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc across all society, and the wedding sector is taking a big hit because of it. Many local brides are having to postpone their weddings after health authorities advised against group gatherings, but for one Maltese bride getting married in the UK next month, the situation had an added layer of difficulty.
The couple’s destination wedding had guests flying in from all over the world, including Canada, America and Japan, and their decision to postpone was a quick one. “About two and a half weeks ago, guests started asking if we were planning to postpone it and at the time I thought it was weird,” the bride says. However the deciding factor came through one of the bridesmaids: “Doctors advised one of my bridesmaids, who had recently had a baby, not to travel with a newborn in such circumstances,” says the bride, admitting that the right decision to take immediately became clear.
With the couple living on two different continents, their wedding would have been the first time all their friends and families would have met each other: “I was really down about it for a few days … we were so excited for this wedding, bridesmaids and all!” the bride reveals, adding that she drew solace from the fact that brides all over were all in the same boat together. She firmly believes that a time will come again where people can get together and celebrate love and life: “This is a wedding you want it to be a happy occasion, you don’t want it to be clouded with negative energy. No one is going to be coming to your wedding and saying they are having a great time because everyone will be worrying if someone in the room is infected,” she continues.
The couple are planning to get legally married and celebrate their union in a les turbulent time: “The civil ceremony will still happen in the interim, but since this is set for the 1st of May in the UK, we’re not sure if we’ll be able to make it for our own wedding!” the bride divulges, adding that some news reports have hinted that the pandemic will peak in England next spring, which would mean the postponement would once again need to be extended.
When it came to service providers, she confesses she was lucky compared to other local brides: “When I first reached out to my caterers, no one else had yet come forward with Coronavirus concerns but they were really lovely and allowed us to postpone without any fees to a guaranteed date,” she says, adding that this provided a huge sense of relief. Speaking out local brides, she was shocked by the treatment some were receiving: “Some brides locally haven’t been as lucky. I think hotels keeping their deposits is just horrible. It’s a whole trauma!” she says. While many service providers have lent a helping hand to unfortunate couples, some caterers have taken a different approach: “I’m absolutely appalled about caterers - if you are cruel and thinking about money at a time like this, you shouldn’t be in business, especially weddings!” she continues.
Reflecting on her own experience, the bride reassures her counterparts: “If you want to get married you still can – I’m sure the local registry will be very understanding, and you can celebrate later. At the end of the day it’s the union between the two of you that is the most crucial thing to focus on,” she concludes.