VOW TO WOW ON YOUR BIG DAY
22 JANUARY 2021
There is absolutely no doubt that among the most frustrated people during the pandemic have been couples planning to get married. Stressful decisions over guest lists, dates, times and venues, not to mention lost deposits, must have taken their toll. While 2020 was almost a complete write-off for weddings, it seems that in 2021 brides and grooms took back control. Across 12 pages in today’s issue – compiled in association with One Fab Day – you’ll read real-life stories from couples around the country who decided to just do things their way. You can hear the relief that they were able to celebrate their day in exactly the manner they wanted. This is one of the most refreshing things to come from the pause button being pressed. I’m a qualified celebrant and the first thing I always tell any couple I meet is that they don’t ‘have’ to do anything. Traditions are made to be broken and they are paying far too much money and spending far too much time on getting their day just perfect to do anything that they don’t want to do. A bride I spoke to recently revealed to me that she is terrified about walking up the aisle, as she has a firm, recurring belief that she’s going to trip and fall in front of all her guests. ‘So don’t walk up the aisle,’ I told her. ‘Ask the hotel to set out the room so that there’s a door near the top of it and just walk through that. Or ask them to keep the guests outside until you’re there and then let them in.’ Nowhere is it decreed that if you don’t walk up the aisle then your wedding day will be a disaster and your marriage is doomed to failure. In fact, if it’s stressing you out that much then the complete opposite is true. I’m in a weddings group on Facebook and there’s been a notable trend in the past year or so towards people advising others to just do what feels right. Before, if someone asked a question like, ‘who should do the readings during the service?’ or ‘do we have to do a father/daughter dance?’ the answers would have outlined what traditionally happened, whereas now the advice is all about doing what you want. If you want your best friend to read the words of a Metallica song then do it. If you want to jive with your cat then work away. Well, within reason... In fact, the Metallica song reference is one I remember myself from a wedding I was at several years ago. I couldn’t tell you any of the readings from my own wedding, never mind anyone else’s, but that one sticks in my mind because of how unusual it was. And isn’t that exactly what you want from your day? For it to be as memorable for your guests as it is for you. So the only trend you should follow when organising your wedding is to stop following trends.
Enjoy the issue!