Southsea couple's fears for dream wedding because of coronavirus lockdown

It should be the happiest day of your life, with the lead-up filled with joy and excitement. But for many couples getting married this spring and summer, it is filled with anxiety.
Alana Hebenton with her fiance Stuart BurnettAlana Hebenton with her fiance Stuart Burnett
Alana Hebenton with her fiance Stuart Burnett

Because of coronavirus, lots have had to postpone or cancel their big day – including Princess Beatrice –while others face a nervous wait to see if their summer weddings can go ahead.

And even if they do they may have to be much smaller affairs, with friends and relatives unable to catch flights into the UK.

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Alana Hebenton and fiance Stuart Burnett are in limbo about their big summer bash.

Alana Hebenton and fiance Stuart Burnett on the night they became engagedAlana Hebenton and fiance Stuart Burnett on the night they became engaged
Alana Hebenton and fiance Stuart Burnett on the night they became engaged

The couple, both 31, have spent many happy hours planning the event, but now have no idea whether it will go ahead.

Alana says: ‘It was on November 17, 2018 when my dreams came true and my soulmate Stuart proposed to me outside our favourite pub, Spice Island in Old Portsmouth.

‘The engagement was completely unexpected because we’d only been together for 10 months, and after years of online dating disasters I’d almost given up on the thought of marriage.

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‘But I’d always dreamed of getting married in Portsmouth Cathedral and couldn’t believe my luck when I found out this was actually possible.

‘For the reception, we decided on the Queen’s Hotel, in Southsea, and for the date we picked July 18, 2020.

‘It was was originally chosen because it didn’t clash with football, as Stuart is a big football fan. In fact, if Portsmouth Football Club get promoted, their manager Kenny Jackett is getting an invite to the wedding.’

The couple were lost in organising their nuptials for the next 15 months – until disaster struck.

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Alana says: ‘Going into 2020, the wedding started to feel very real and our excitement grew.

‘However, as we went from February to March, we started to feel increasingly concerned about the number of news updates we heard about coronavirus.

‘I remember after one particularly bad day at work, it finally hit me how serious things were. I phoned Stuart almost in tears, devastated that the dream wedding that I’d spent the last 18 months (and 31 years) planning could potentially not be happening.

‘Thankfully, after a good conversation, I had a reality check, and that night we came up with a plan.’

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It quickly became obvious that their hen and stag dos planned for April and May were unlikely to go ahead.

‘We’ve already started to think about whether we could have hen dos and stag dos after the wedding, we’ve looked at staycation opportunities for honeymoons – a mini-moon’, says Alana.

As it stands, the couple are still planning to marry in July so they are working towards that date. But they know it could be cancelled.

‘The most important first step was to communicate with all our suppliers and venue.

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‘If they couldn’t make this date, we needed to know what happens next. Will we get a refund? Do they have insurance?

‘Our second step was communicating with guests about our coronavirus plans.

‘Like us, they heard all the news updates and have financial commitments like hotel room bookings, so they needed to be kept informed.

‘I was particularly concerned about my guests travelling from abroad, with relatives living in France. I felt a duty to let them know what was going on.’

It is the not knowing that has been the most draining.

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Alana says: ‘This sounds a bit airy fairy, but while the logistics are essential, as a bride (particularly a coronavirus bride) you go on an emotional rollercoaster so you need to let it out’.

‘I’ve joined Facebook forums where you can talk to brides going through the same stress. Wedding Chat and Advice has been great, not only for practical advice but emotional support. My friends and family have also been a lifeline. I’ve lost count of the number of teary calls to my mum and video chats with my hens which have really helped to put things in perspective.

‘Also, it goes without saying how many conversations me and Stuart have had reminding me why we are doing all this. The most important thing we keep telling ourselves is the date we get married doesn’t matter, as long as we get through this together.’

Follow Alana on Twitter, Instagram and wordpress.com