Wedding bells . . . just in time
Coronavirus has literally brought Southlanders Amy and Derek Wright closer together . . . in a safe way.
They got married on Tuesday night in St Pauls Presbyterian Church, Invercargill, bringing forward their wedding date from April 18.
Amy and Derek had most of their wedding plans sorted for next month but within a few hours of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announcing on Monday that New Zealand would go into lockdown from midnight last night, they quickly rescheduled it.
The couple had previously lived in their own homes.
‘‘We were living at opposite sides of Invercargill and I said to him [Derek], ‘do you realise with the lockdown, I won’t see you again for a month. We either get married now or after the pandemic finishes’,’’ Amy said.
They sat in Derek’s car discussing it outside Amy’s workplace, the Invercargill office of the Ministry of Education.
Many calls were made to their families and friends and to the marriage celebrant to see if the wedding could be held at short notice. Live-streaming enabled Derek’s family, who live in Australia, to see the ceremony.
In total 22 people attended, including Amy’s parents, Alison and Malcolm Bishop, who travelled from Christchurch.
Amy’s friend, Kim Barker, replaced Amy’s Hamilton-based sister, Rachel Dowdle, as bridesmaid. Rachel and her husband, Peter, watched the live-streaming through their TV, with Rachel wearing the dress and shoes she intended to be in for the wedding. ‘‘It was a bit sad that I couldn’t be there for my only sister’s wedding . . . we’re really close,’’ Rachel said.
Derek’s brother, Kieren Wright, of Australia, was replaced as best man by Derek’s best friend, Aaron Tressler.
‘‘I said to him, ‘do you own a suit
. . . I’m getting married tomorrow’,’’ Derek said. Aaron did have suit.
For most of Tuesday, Amy and
Derek worked in their respective roles as an education speech and language therapist and an electrician.
Derek and Aaron arrived at the church in Aaron’s work van, while Amy’s father, Malcolm, drove her to the wedding in his car.
‘‘There was plenty of room in the church to have lots of distance between everyone,’’ Amy said.
‘‘The people there understood our situation and were supportive. It’s going to be a thing we’re all going to remember.’’
After the lockdown is removed, the couple plan to celebrate their wedding properly.