After postponing their 2019 wedding, Rebecca and Chris Mallia Bugeja were all set on celebrating their nuptials in style in 2020, with the bride already having bought a gown which would take her to their ‘I do’s. But, when the pandemic hit, a new game-plan was needed. And this required an armoury of wedding dresses. Rebecca shares her dress story with Bliss Magazine.
2020 will forever be remembered as the year of disruption. Across the globe, weddings have been upended and futures have fallen into disarray as COVID-19 swept across countries, but, for Rebecca and Chris Mallia Bugeja, it would take much more than a pandemic to stop them from getting hitched.
The couple had first met virtually, over MSN Messenger 12 years ago, when a mutual friend introduced them. “Our friend actually added me to her and Chris’ chat because she was no longer interested in him and wanted to politely distract him,” Rebecca laughs. Time cemented their relationship and, after buying a property together in 2016, the pair decided to plan their wedding, as early as three years before their target date – 22nd June 2019.
“In 2016, we just chose a date and started to plan, after realising that the June 2019 slots were fast being booked. A few months later, Chris officially proposed to me in our new home – which was still a dusty mess. It was very intimate and sweet,” Rebecca smiles. Soon afterwards, the bride-to-be purchased her wedding dress. “I bought it in 2017. I had seen it and had fallen in love with it,” she says. And even though the couple had planned the wedding so far ahead, Rebecca knew it would stand the test of time. “It was a classic dress, so I wasn’t worried about it going out of style” she recalls.
In the meantime, life continued to challenge and delight, as Rebecca decided to start an online Master’s degree with the University of Nottingham. But when the couple realised that her graduation would happen only a few weeks after their 2019 wedding, they decided to push the big day by a year. Postponing a wedding is not an easy thing to do. Rebecca explains that the decision took a heavy toll – “it was very taxing both mentally and emotionally”, she says – so when the COVID-19 pandemic made its presence felt on the island, with restrictions halting and cancelling weddings across the country, the couple took the brave decision to carry on, regardless.
“We had actually pushed it again, to 2021, but we were unhappy with the new date and time. We realised that life is too short to bother with the stress. Weddings should be fun, and it’s better to enjoy the here and now and make the best out of the situation rather than continuously postponing. We just wanted to get married and start our life together, during this new normal,” Rebecca says.
Scaling plans down was the only option, and the couple started gearing up to hold the ceremony at the Marriage Registry office in Valletta, followed by lunch at The Harbour Club and an Indian dinner buffet at Rebecca’s mum’s house. Only 15 guests were invited, and the new format needed a new look, with the bride opting to purchase two long white dresses and two evening dresses – one in nude and one in silver, featuring sequins – which would feel more practical and in style with the couple’s “new normal” wedding.
“Well, technically I bought around eight dresses and then narrowed it down to four, returning the others,” Rebecca laughs, explaining that three of the final outfits came from one of the UK’s leading high street chains specialising in occasion wear – which were offering a 70 per cent sale – while the fourth dress, one of the white gowns, was actually purchased from ASOS.
“On the day I decided to wear the evening ones, but all four were ready and hemmed, just waiting for me to decide. I wanted something classy, and something which wouldn’t make me cringe when looking back at my wedding photos,” she explains, adding that the tones of nude and silver were selected since she felt that these would always remain in fashion. “The cuts and styles of both dresses are also simple and elegant so, I daresay, I’ll never look back and regret my choices.”
Indeed, despite their humbler origins – particularly when compared to the expensive traditional wedding gown – Rebecca’s evening dresses still made her feel special. “I was so happy I couldn’t stop smiling and laughing, and this also showed in our photos,” she recalls, adding that the silver gown was her favourite, since it made her “feel like a princess.”
Following her experience, and with brides frequently spending thousands of euro on a gown they only wear for one day, would Rebecca suggest experimenting with something less traditional, and opting for eveningwear instead?
“Definitely! I would definitely recommend it to any other bride. I was surprised by how elegant and bridal they felt on the day, and how nice they finally ended up looking in our photos. Sometimes we associate weddings with the traditional white wedding gown. However, I don’t always think this should be the case,” she asserts. She also makes a case in favour of sustainability, one of her core values. “Today, I even get to wear my evening gowns for family weddings, and so I’m making the most of the money I spent. I try to be as sustainable as possible in my decisions since I am very environmentally aware.”
Looking back, Rebecca is convinced that her and Chris’ wedding – taking place during the so-called “new normal” – had plenty of qualities which proved that COVID-era weddings can one-up traditional affairs. “There were lots of advantages. We got to actually sit down and enjoy good conversations with all 15 of our guests twice in one day – for both lunch and dinner,” she explains saying this precious time spent with family and friends replaced the usual stress of trying to fit in all their ‘thank you’s.
And despite losing their initial deposits, the couple ended up spending very little on their wedding. “We still had a fabulous and luxurious day. We also had so much food ordered that everyone left with a small bag for lunch! We had about four containers of Indian curry in our freezer to avoid food waste,” she says.
A few months on, the couple – now settling into marriage – are able to look back on the day and feel satisfied that, not only did their celebrations go well, but that they were able to spend quality time with the people they loved. “The wedding ended up being a whole day affair so we made the most of our day – more so than we would have done if we had actually had the big wedding,” Rebecca smiles. As a reminder of that day, the bride still has four stunning gowns in her wardrobe, just waiting to be worn again.
And while Rebecca’s first traditional wedding dress is still hanging in the wardrobe, so far unworn, she says that this might be used when they celebrate with an official mass next year, along with all the couple’s original invitees.
Shane P. Watts