Wedding brings Ukraine to UK
TAPLOW: A Ukrainian couple who were unable to get married in their home country tied the knot in Taplow last week – with photographs of family and friends unable to be there.
Maria Bilyk and Vitalij Melynik married at Hedsor House on November 14, an event which was pulled together by Hamish Shephard, founder of Bridebook, a wedding planner company.
Maria’s mother was granted a visa just in time for the wedding, so she left her husband at home and flew over to walk Maria down a sunflower lined aisle.
Photographs of family and friends in Ukraine who could not be there had been printed and put on all the seats.
Six guests in total attended, including Maria’s niece, Sofia, aged 15 months.
The couple were due to get married in Ukraine back in June but this was cancelled due to the Russian invasion. The menu, created by British caterers Goose & Berry, featured specially researched Ukrainian canapés, vodka made by the bride’s father and Ukrainian wine.
Maria said: “We are feeling so happy and overwhelmed. Our
wedding was supposed to be in Ukraine in June and we were planning it since January after Vitalij proposed to me. But unfortunately we had to cancel it because of the war. Finally it has happened and we cannot believe it.
“We waited for our wedding for such a long time and today everything was like in the dream.”