“I DO” (…but not quite yet)

The impact of Covid-19 on the wedding industry in Cheshire has been dramatic, but all those affected are proving that love will find a way

- Kate Houghton

Charlotte Dodd was due to marry Edward Nugent on August 29th, at St. Mary’s Church in the Wirral, before a reception for 120 at Iscoyd Park. The wedding, like thousands of others across the nation, has been postponed due to the global coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing social distancing requirements. It was, she says, a little while before the reality of what was happening became clear to her.

“It wasn’t until early May that I realised that postponing my wedding was a good plan. Everybody has been so flexible and kind, really going out of their way to accommodate the postponement. How do I feel about it all? To be honest, while it’s disappointing of course, it’s something that simply cannot be changed – that I have had no control over, so it’s been quite easy to deal with emotionally. Knowing that there are thousands of couples in the same boat helps I think – and also knowing that it will happen, and it will happen the way I want it to happen, but just not yet.”

Charlotte knows what she’s talking about more than most. As the founder of one of Cheshire’s most sought-after wedding planning consultancies, Charlotte Elise Weddings & Events, she works every day with couples planning their perfect day and all the many and varied businesses that exist to deliver it.

“Back in March we really didn’t know how this would affect us, and how long for. A bit naively, I suppose, we thought it might be just for a couple of months and then everything back to normal by the summer. The first turning point came for us when the Church of Wales cancelled all gatherings until July, and the Church of England indefinitely. Then the registrars advised they were closing too, which is when it all really stepped up. Since then we have been very busy moving weddings.”