The World is coming to terms with a pandemic but that doesn’t mean you have to be all accepting. You might be feeling that everything is out of your control. Weddings take a long time to plan and organise. I’ve yet to meet one bride/couple who are not upset, angry or frustrated by these recent events. Just remember that you are marrying your soulmate, lover and partner. Keep the love flowing and rise above any negativity, you have this!
In one-word safety. This is all about being safe. As a nation we don’t know what the long-term effects of this virus are so in order to keep friends and family safe weddings are being rescheduled. We understand that that this is not what you envisioned and cannot fully comprehend your feelings of disappointment, anger and distress. When your wedding day does arrive just imagine how wonderful it will be to share it with those you love. We always aim to go above and beyond for our couples. It isn’t just a job for us. We care.
Don’t give up dreaming of your perfect wedding day. Don’t loose sight of what YOU want. This is an awful, unfair moment in time. Make decisions that you will be happy with in the years to come. Ensure that you still plan the wedding you desire and if we can help then please contact nev@nevchambersphotography.com
We cannot say this enough, keep family and friends up to speed with your latest wedding developments. In order to get messages out quickly use email and social media. However do check that everyone has the current information. You don’t want someone turning up on the wrong day or at the wrong wedding venue! When rescheduling your new wedding date ensure that the key guests will be able to attend before you make any firm agreements with wedding venues etc. Through doing this you are supporting the wedding industry. All small businesses, and some larger ones, have taken a huge financial hit. Through communicating and rescheduling you are keeping YOUR VISION in mind whilst supporting wedding businesses, allowing them to continue with their passion. In our case wedding photography. It is such an honour to be selected by a couple to photograph, and be part of, their magical wedding day.
Engaged, must plan the wedding! Take the time to enjoy being engaged as this is often a time where the bride/couple to be skips from showing off the engagement ring to wedding planning. This seems to be the way we have been conditioned due to the speed of life. We are always on the move, never still. There is always a huge demand on our time. Use this downtime to reflect on what you want, don’t make any rash decisions because you’re fed up and despondent. Don’t settle. Why not organise something fun? We recommend making homemade organic facemasks, having fun with family and friends via a video communications platform (we’ve had great times devising quizzes) and why not try out new makeup ideas and/or hair styles for your wedding day. I know that most of us are not professional hair stylists but just crack open the fizz or put the kettle on and enjoy yourself. You may have hidden talents!
Living with the unknown and facing deep disappointment can bring out our less than attractive qualities. I am so lucky to have been married 14 years to my best friend and still we experience our “lockdown moments!” Why not share your ideas and coping strategies? We use a lot of list writing so that thoughts leave our body and mind. Therefore we don’t have to carry them around, weighing us down. Even with the most supportive family and friends, it can be hard for others to truly appreciate what you are going through. Thoughtless, throw away comments can cause upset. The classics so far appear to be, “it has happened for a reason!” and “are you going to bother then?” I think it’s fairly obvious that it is due to Covid 19, but these comments imply that the issue lies with the couple! No wonder brides/couples are getting fed up of “helpful” comments. So why not find other couples in the same situation and share your stories and recommend coping mechanisms. The impact of positive mental health should never be underestimated. Ask your wedding photographer if they have a Facebook group for brides and grooms past and present like we do at Nev Chambers Photography.
Another way to keep the mind productive is the prioritising of key aspects. This can help you to manage your emotions more effectively. This is challenging because in your mind you have already researched, planned and perfected your wedding day. Months/years and a great deal of energy has gone into creating a vision of the dream wedding. Now it has all been thrown up in the air. What is your highest priority? (For example: wedding photographer, wedding venue, entertainment etc.) Decide what is key to you and stick to it. We always say trust your gut instinct.
No section of society has avoided this bizarre and strange time. There is no wedding contingency plan to follow so who knows what the next few weeks and months will bring. Keep in contact with your photographer and other wedding vendors. A good vendor will do their utmost to accommodate your new plans. Most venues have at least a couple of employees who oversee wedding bookings. Contact them as soon as possible so that you can organise a meeting to reschedule your wedding. Use this time to cover any small print in these contracts. Remember that flexibility is key, from both sides. Dates, venues and additional charges need to be thoroughly discussed.
A bride and groom, who we are working with, told us that they still celebrated their original wedding date via a video communications platform. They drank champagne and each group of friends and family created some quiz questions so there were lots of giggles and fun. So celebrate your first wedding date and look forward to the next. There are many ways we can have fun and bring joy into our lives. Go for it. Push back those boundaries, we look forward to hearing about all your special moments (nev@nevchambersphotography.com).
A final thought, why not have two wedding anniversaries? Both days are special and unique to your relationship. Enjoy the years ahead.
