R&S Pride JAN 222.qxp 24/11/2020 13:57 Page 109
WEDDINGS
THE WEDDING THAT COVID COULDN’T SPOIL Love conquers all, as the saying goes. Even Covid... yes, sorry to mention that word... but happily Davina and Paul’s day proves that nothing can spoil your wedding day as long as you have one another and some family and friends to share the day with! Wedding Photographers: October James Photography, 07876 794743, www.octoberjames.com.
If anyone knows the perils of Covid, it’s Davina Ashton. As an A&E doctor, working in Peterborough, she’s one of the people on the frontline helping to keep patients and colleagues safe. How unfair, then, that her own wedding plans were met with disruption. But Davina and fiancé Paul were sanguine throughout their wedding planning and want to reassure other couples that you can enjoy the perfect wedding even amid the chaos of Covid.
WEDDING DETAILS DAVINA & PAUL ASHTON
“Paul eventually gave up trying to avail himself of the breathtaking scenery and instead asked me to marry him over supper overlooking the harbour on the last night of our holiday. It was perfect. And quiet!” “We’re not the sort of couple who like big parties so our preferred wedding would have been a bit more low key, but when families
“We planned to marry at Normanton Church as Rutland Water was the venue for one of our early dates and we saw a couple marrying there. One of us dared to remark, tonguein cheek ‘that might be us one day!’ which turned out to be more truth than jest!” “We booked the church and we also found Lyddington’s Old White Hart which we thought would make a lovely reception venue. Our day was booked for May 2020 but with news of lockdown, we had to postpone until October.”
“We met in June 2018,” says Davina. “I’m from Nottinghamshire and moved to Stamford to be closer to work. Paul works in IT and was based in Kettering. We started dating and visiting Stamford so we could spend weekends together Paul found himself falling in love with the place... and with me too, I’m happy to say!” “He proposed when we were on holiday in Croatia... eventually! His original plan to propose on a walk around Plitviče Lakes National Park was scuppered because of a booking mix-up and it being insanely busy with tourists, and again when we failed to find a quiet spot whilst sea kayaking. He quite impressively managed to keep the ring safe during an entire afternoon paddling out at sea!”
join in the wedding planning and everyone is happy for you both plans do tend to escalate, and eventually we had a guest list of around 80 people.”
Wedding Ceremony: Normanton Church, normantonchurch.wedding. Wedding Reception: The Old White Hart, Lyddington, 01572 821703. Wedding Dress: Mori Lee at The Tailor’s Cat, Cambridge, 01572 821703. Bridesmaids’s Dresses: Chi Chi, www.chichiclothing.com. Bridal Car: VP Princess 01664 474542, www.vpprincessweddingcars.co.uk. Bridesmaids: Amy Simpson, Kate Hinchliff, Megan Ashton. Best Men: Derek Scanlon, Chris Ashton. n
“With news that only 30 guests would be permitted we also had to write to all of our guests and explain the need for a dramatically reduced guest list. Happily, all of our friends and family were understanding and they all gave us their blessing. But it was still the hardest decision to make, and when the number of people was again reduced, this time to just 15 people – to just four weeks before the day – we were again faced with some decisions which would have been really difficult were it not for the fact that everyone was so lovely and understanding... we wanted a quieter wedding but not like this!” “All of our suppliers were great; very understanding. There was only one restriction that would have bothered me. We were told my father couldn’t walk me down the aisle at one point, a condition which was revised, thankfully. But as with the rest of the day, we just had to embrace any restrictions or come to terms with them.” >> 109
