My Corby Covid wedding: Saying 'I do' during a global pandemic

When Becca Iwanoff first heard about coronavirus back in February, she joked to her partner of a decade that she hoped it wouldn't affect the dream wedding they'd been planning for more than two years.

But more than six months on, Becca and Adam, who live in Gretton, have had to rip up their plans, change their venue, slash their guest list, cancel their first dance and abandon the honeymoon they'd set their heard on.

"It makes you realise what's really important," said Becca, 28.

"I don't need a huge fancy day to get married to Adam. It's going to be a nice day full of love and it'll definitely be one to remember."

The pair, who were engaged in 2015, had been due to marry in front of 100 guests at The Barns at Hunsbury Hill in June.

But by the end of March, when lockdown was announced, Becca realised that the wedding she had dreamed of was not going to be possible.

"At first we didn't realise the seriousness of Covid. We got an email from Hunsbury Barns in February warning us that the wedding might be postponed and we just thought 'oh it'll be fine.'

"Then by the end of March it was clear that we weren't going to be able to get married. We were so lucky that the venue said we could have our money back. Originally we were going to postpone it till next June at the same venue but then we heard that these restrictions on wedding numbers could go on for another year so we decided to just do it now.

"We had everything ready just sitting in the spare room so we phoned Best Western Rockingham Forest as they're just five minutes down the road, and they were brilliant."

This afternoon (Saturday, September 19), Becca and Adam, 29, will be the first couple to get married at the Corby hotel since March.

"They're just as excited as we are," said Becca. "They're just happy to be doing a wedding again I think."

There will be 26 adults and three children at the wedding, which means only parents, step-parents, brothers sisters, and nieces and nephews can attend. Becca's best friend will act as one of her four bridesmaids alongside her flower girl Darcey, the couple's three-year-old daughter.

"Cutting the guest list was very upsetting. People have been incredibly understanding though. I sent them a nice message saying we'll have a big celebration next year and I just hope they understand our decision.

"Adam has had to slash the number of groomsmen from four to two. He just told them to decide between themselves!" said Becca, a care worker.

"They were so good about it though and there's been lots of jokes. You just have to laugh about it."

Plumber Adam's stag night was a trip to Nottingham as a group of the mandatory six pals, and Becca had drinks at a friend's house followed by a socially-distanced meal at Oriental Fusion, with her party of 12 split between two tables.

Guests at the wedding will have to wear face-masks, although Becca and Adam will be exempt, as well we her dad Peter who will proudly walk her down the aisle.

Becca will wear her dream lace gown from Courtyard Bridal Boutique in Market Harborough who have allowed her to have final fittings in PPE.

Instead of a disco, there'll be music from Spotify played on speakers and there'll be no set meal. Because there are so few guests, each can choose their own meal from the menu.

There'll be no first dance and a once-in-a-lifetime all-inclusive family honeymoon to Alcudia in Majorca has had to be postponed until next year.

"I'm having my hair and nails done but they'll have to wear PPE to do it. The photographer, Leonie Holland, will also have to wear PPE," said Becca.

"I actually feel much less nervous because there'll be less people there and I know that everyone there is really supportive of us."

Lockdown weddings - The facts

Lockdown meant all 73,600 planned UK weddings and partnership ceremonies for this summer were banned after March 23.

Rules were relaxed a little after 12 weeks to allow them to go ahead with 30 guests.

Weddings are exempt from the government's new Rule of Six as long as they're in a Covid-secure venue - so no weddings at home or in gardens.

Venues can only reopen if they can do so safely but ceremonies should be kept short, with no singing, or playing of instruments.

Different households should stay 1m apart and all guests' details should be recorded in case they need to be traced.