The true value of a wedding in lockdown

The relaxing of Government lockdown regulations has meant that from July 4 we can return to celebrating weddings in church buildings. Clergy across Sussex have heard heartrending stories of how the imposition of the lockdown has put life on hold for couples wanting to marry.

The implications have been both human and economic. Many families have incurred financial loss, as deposits for a reception and honeymoon have been lost.

The most important thing I would want to say to people who have suffered in this way is that we are so, so sorry about how this has happened. We understand the serious levels of anxiety that people are experiencing as they try to plan for the future, especially young people.

But I also want to pay tribute to some of the remarkable things that those same young people have said to me about their hopes. One of the themes that has emerged is how the pandemic has strengthened an awareness of what is most important to us.

The premature death of someone we love, no matter what the cause, so often prompts us to re-examine the things we do and value most. And the same is true about the diagnosis of terminal illness.

In a similar way, the loss of the date for the wedding day and the plans that went with it has prompted some remarkable stories of hope. One young couple have spoken about how their love for each other has deepened in this time of lockdown, as they support each other in waiting for a new date to be released.

The provision that is now on offer will limit the number of people who can attend a church service to 30. That includes the bride and groom!

In making new plans, it has been very moving to hear how this limitation will be used by some couples to make their wedding even more special, more about their commitment in the presence of those closest to them. As finances tighten, we shall all of us be more attentive to investing in what matters to us most. It will also demand that we attend to the things that money cannot buy.

The bond of marriage in the love of family and friends can be painfully destroyed by the misuse or lack of money to sustain life, but it can never be bought by money alone.