Mr + Mrs Richards
August 2020 | Southampton & New Forest
Guests: 30 | Photos: Jessica Hayman Photography
What kind of ceremony did you have and did you have any readings?
We got married in the church we go to. Because of the lockdown, it was actually our first time being in the building in about five months! Ian, my vicar from my home church back in Suffolk had travelled all the way from Norwich to Southampton to marry us which made the service even more personal and special.
We chose readings from 1 John 4: 7-12 and Philippians 4:4-9 which talk about the love we experience as Christians.
Up until one month before our wedding, we still weren’t sure whether we’d be able to be married on our date as no weddings had been allowed to take place since lockdown began in late March. With having to cut our numbers from 200+ to just 30, we knew our day was going to look very different to how we’d originally planned it. Miraculously, despite all the last minute changes, everything fell into place and we truly had the best wedding day we could’ve imagined.
Something Old: our wedding rings. My ring was my Nana’s wedding ring and Jonny’s was his grandfather’s.
Something New: masks!
Something Borrowed: gazebos!
What was the most emotional moment of the day?
Due to the Covid rules at the time, we decided that rather than hire a car, my Dad would drive me to the church in our car. My Dad spent the entire morning washing, polishing and decorating the car with ribbons. The number of times my Dad has given me lifts over the years made it feel so special to have him drive me to the church. Safe to say, it was quite an emotional journey!
Song you walked down the aisle to: Air on the G String - Bach
Ceremony Songs: Goodness Of God (Bethel Music), Shout To The Lord (Darlene Zschech)
Song for walking back up the aisle as a married couple: Send Me On My Way by Rusted Root
First Dance: The One by Kodaline
Did you make any Wedding DIYs?
Nearly everything was DIY! My Mum and I had spent the year collecting bits and pieces from various craft shops (shout out to Hobbycraft!). When we arrived at the church the day before the wedding to decorate, my Mum suddenly had the idea to wrap foliage from the church grounds around some loops of wire to make some wreaths which were hung from the ceiling up the aisle. We were very lucky to have Jonny’s sister, Lizzie, coming up with lots of creative ideas and she even designed our Save the Dates and Welcome sign for us. Having our family be involved with the crafts really gave the day such a personal touch.
What food did you have at your wedding?
With our wedding reception plans falling through with only a weeks’ notice, we weren’t sure what to do for food! In the end, we decided to have a picnic. Our lovely friends who made our wedding cake also made individually portioned cream teas for each of our guests. It just felt like the right kind of food for a hot summer’s day.
Did you have have anything unusual at your wedding?
Our wedding took place just after the rule that masks must be worn in places of worship was introduced, so most of our guests had to wear masks. Initially, we were concerned that it would feel weird not fully seeing our guests’ faces, but actually it really didn’t detract from the joy of the day. Six months on, we are so used to wearing masks everywhere that it doesn’t even feel weird to see them on our wedding photos. How the world has changed!
Is there anything you wish you'd done differently?
Truly, nothing! We couldn’t have planned a day more perfect for us. The whole day just flowed so seamlessly, despite having planned no clear schedule. This was mainly thanks to our wonderful friends who gave us such a relaxed and fun time spent with our loved ones.
Were there any surprises on the day?
The reception afterwards! We were only expecting some picnic blankets set out on the ground but were we in for a surprise! Our friends had set up a whole meadow with tables, chairs and gazebos (for that much needed shade in 32° heat!). Everything was decorated beautifully with bunting and flowers; it was just so thoughtful. We were (and still are) so grateful for the generosity and kindness of our friends for making our day feel like a real wedding celebration! (I think Jessica, our photographer, caught the moment we saw the meadow on camera).
What was the funniest moment of the day?
What was your worst wedding planning moment?
The bit between March to July 2020 wasn’t the most fun! The fact that weddings weren’t even allowed to take place until 1 month before our wedding was so unsettling. We feel so thankful that even though so many of our plans had to change, we were able to stick with our original date.
Tell us all about the first dance...
Our song was The One by Kodaline. We were both quite nervous about the first dance, but dancing in a warm, sunny meadow with your closest friends and family really took away all the nerves and we could just relax and enjoy it.
Tell us about your Honeymoon...
We had a sunny seaside honeymoon in Cornwall.
Tell us about your wedding favours...
Pocket-sized hand sanitisers!
Top money saving tip:
Cut your guest list down to 30! By far the most brutal part of adapting to having a 2020 wedding was having to uninvite our friends and family who we’d have loved to have shared the day with in person.
Photographer: Jessica Hayman Photography
Flowers: The Floral Corner, Southampton
Dress: Wed2B
Shoes: Dune
Wedding Rings: Family heirlooms
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