Erika & Aaron’s Wedding Day 2020
Meet real Elaine Rawlings bride Erika, and her husband Aaron who married in 2020 despite the on-going coronavirus restrictions! The wedding looked a little different to their original plans but they still had the most incredible day. Here's how they had to re-think and re-plan their 2020 wedding day.
Love Is Not Cancelled
While Erika and Aaron’s plans changed from a big celebration to a small intimate affair at The Alverton Hotel in Truro they didn’t let it stand in the way of celebrating their love and commitment to each other. This is how Erika (and Aaron) made their big day fit around the coronavirus restrictions…
A Tale Of Changes and Compromises
The biggest compromise we had to make was the amount of guests we could accommodate. The first lockdown postponed our original wedding date but when restrictions eased, we settled on a new wedding date – the 19th October 2020. Then, the guidelines changed again! On Tuesday 22nd September the government announced that from 28th September, all weddings would be restricted to just 15 guests – eek! There was no way we could reduce our guest list to just 15, we needed to get married before 28th September. So with just six days in which to re-arrange our entire wedding, we called our venue (The Alverton Hotel in Truro) and asked if Sunday 27th September was available. To our absolute delight, they said yes (phew) – our wedding was going to be able to take place with 30 guests .
Our Wedding Guests
The most stressful part of having to change our entire wedding day was cutting down our guest list from 120 to 30! Trying to pick and choose friends and family was heartbreaking but we were overwhelmed at how understanding and supportive everyone was when we un-invited them! We struggled at first to come up with a solution of how to include everybody so, as with everything 2020, we decided to embrace virtual technology and live stream our ceremony. It turned out to be one of the best decisions we made! Even now, we have guests messaging saying us to say how lovely it was to watch and feel included in our big day. And a bonus of this is we can watch the ceremony ourselves and treasure the memories forever!
Stag and Hen Parties
With time not being on our side, the stag and hen parties were held the night before the wedding. This wasn’t a massive issue but we still wanted to do something to celebrate so reserved two tables of 6 in the restaurant – one for the stags and one for the hens. It was a brilliant night and because of the 10pm curfew, we were all tucked in bed by 10.45pm! Not exactly traditional or how we imagined but perfect nonetheless!
Face Coverings
Something completely unavoidable and nothing we originally planned but completely necessary to keep everyone safe! Aaron and I didn’t have to wear face-coverings but all our guests did while seated inside. Our guests were seated in ‘bubbles’ whilst still following social distancing guidelines between each table. We even put face masks on the table settings! Although this sounds incredibly strict, we felt safe and looked after throughout.
Our Venue
From the very first time we stepped inside (pre-Covid) and started to plan our wedding, we knew The Alverton Hotel was for us; we were captivated by the grandeur of the space, that ceiling and then add in the twinkly fairy-lights, tables dotted with candles and it is the most romantic setting. When we had to postpone the first time, they were AMAZING and then helping us turn our new wedding day around in just 6 days, the staff went above and beyond and we’re forever grateful.
My Wedding Dress
Wedding dress shopping is the not the easiest and I found it an overwhelming experience but Elaine was there to guide me, give me the most honest opinions and suggestions – we did it together, I wouldn’t have chosen any other dress or lady to help me! Not only was she there to help with the dress purchase but the support she gave me after I had bought the dress and then also during lockdown and postponing our wedding is something I will never forget! I was so disappointed the first time our wedding was cancelled because I couldn’t wear THE dress but I’m delighted I finally got to wear it and I felt incredible in it! It was worth the wait…
My Advice To All Other 2020 Brides
If you can, just go for it! It may not be the day you planned but honestly, we wouldn’t have changed it for the world. Things will go wrong and you will forget to do things. We forgot one of the Groomsmen’s ties and almost forgot to cut the cake! It’s a story to tell the grandchildren one day that’s for sure! Whether you have 15, 30, 100, or even 200 guests, the outcome will always be the same, it really is about you and your partner. You will be married to your best friend and even I still can’t believe I now have a husband!
Good luck, girls, you can do this!
Erika x