Seems silly, doesn’t it? A wedding. Given everything that’s going on…: Maybe that’s the best reason to have it.
This time of year, I would normally be sitting down to compose my ‘’ best of ‘’ blog from the past wedding season. In a year where life was put on hold, so were most of the weddings across the UK. My first wedding of 2020 was back in March and never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would be one of my last.
I remember it as if it was yesterday. I can recall the feeling of what it felt like to be in a room full of love and people and friends and family hugging and celebrating. If I close my eyes I vividly recall the sound of the band as everyone was dancing the night away. Who knew what was going to prevail next? Subsequently, that would be the last time life would be normal and that we could be surrounded by the people we love most in one room.
The following weekend the Government announced a nationwide lockdown and our lives would never be the same for the foreseeable future. As Boris declared the country would be going into lockdown I developed the biggest lump in my throat. In other words, life was put on hold. What about weddings I though? What about all my couples that have saved for years for this moment? Flights that had been booked? Dresses that were altered and ready to be picked up? Emails and phone calls started flooded in. Weddings were starting to postpone and even cancel. I was heartbroken for couples and for the wedding industry.
As time had passed and new announcements from the government were set in place. Weddings were back on but only with 30 guests and further down the line 15. I received an email one morning from one of my brides who sadly, had to postpone to 2021. However, after much consideration they decided to put everything aside and not postpone their wedding. They wanted to go ahead with their day and nothing was going to stop them. It was a sign of hope I had been waiting for. Some couples still wanted to go ahead and it didn’t matter the obstacle.
The days and weeks to follow I started to receive more emails from my couples stating that they weren’t given up hope and still wanted to get married.I was lucky enough to capture 10 beautiful love stories this year. Each story was completely different but the underlying tone was that they love each other and that’s all that matters.
An open letter ….
You defied all odds and went against the norm and got married. There was nothing in your way other than a teeny tiny worldwide pandemic. It was a story about a girl who fell in love with a boy and wanted and the world to know it.
It didn’t matter about the fairy lights or sprayed painted gin bottles you were saving. Above all, you just wanted to get married and that is a beautiful thing. In a world full of negativity and sorrow you were all a glimmer of bright light. We all smiled again and gave us hope. For a moment you made us forget all the chaos and showed us that life and more importantly, love still goes on. I shot 10 weddings this year that will be a part of me forever and for that I am grateful.
There are moments at each of your weddings that I will never forget. Like Georgia reading her vows to Tom on top of a castle with no one else around. Sian dancing the night away at would the last time before lockdown. Lastly, Kirsty & Rich dancing to their first wedding song on a snow-capped mountain as the sun was setting. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to capture your story and showing us all that love will always win. To my couples that couldn’t get married this year, your time will come and it will be the greatest story ever told.
Love & light, Louise
Some of the amazing venues I shot at in 2020:
St. Georges Hall, Liverpool
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