Tanya and her husband Jake got married on 3rd April 2020, during the peak of the corona virus in Hong Kong. I asked Tanya, why? Simple ‘we love each other and wanted to be married’. Tanya and her husband Jake had planned a very different day for their original wedding. A casual beach wedding with a BBQ, drinks & dancing with 100+ guests. This was to follow with a traditional Chinese wedding banquet interwoven with Chinese customs.
The reality
A few weeks before the wedding was due to take place the government in Hong Kong stated that weddings could go ahead but with no major parties or celebrations. This was a monumental blow for Tanya & Jake whose main priority was having their family with them to celebrate their big day. Unfortunately, with the couple’s parents living far away restrictions would make it impossible for their parents to be present. Tanya & Jake were faced with an incredibly difficult decision. They decided to take the bull by the horns and control perhaps the only thing they could in all of this, to be husband and wife, however that looked. They would marry now and figure out the celebrations later.
So how did the wedding day turn out?
Simple, luxurious & intimate, the perfect day. The wedding took place at The Peninsula, a high end colonial hotel with a rich history and heritage. A sentimental ceremony took place around noon conducted by a lawyer with two of their closest friends as witnesses. Champagne, cake & toasts followed with friends & family joining virtually from across the globe. Guests were suited & booted for the occasion with some extremely loyal guests joining at 3am with champagne in hand. The couple truly felt the presence of their guests whilst connecting virtually ‘My Dad made a speech, it was moving (if not, more) than if he was in the room with us’. The touching ceremony followed with the photographer taking some shots of the couple around the hotel and them having a beer at one of their favourite spots a 7/11! The day ended with a luxurious dinner at the hotel with the couple and their witnesses with some more well-deserved champagne.
What was the best thing about their wedding?
Tanya is a self confessed people pleaser so it was unsurprising that the best thing was her not having to worry about everyone and everything else on her day, ‘We didn’t have to worry about the small things? Did everyone eat enough? Did they get here alright? The day was just about us’. This to me was extremely poignant. I adore a big wedding & all the celebrations that come with it but this should just be an extension of the love you have for one another.
Tips for couples thinking of having a wedding during these uncertain times...
Tanya put forward three questions that couples should ask themselves: What do you want to feel on your wedding day? What emotions do you want to go through and what is important to you as a couple? For Tanya and Jake they wanted to feel three things to feel joy, to feel special & to feel love. They felt all these things unconditionally and that in itself made it a day which exceeded every expectation they ever had. So, future Brides & Grooms, a wedding during these times may not have been the wedding you always dreamed of but what these weddings have done is shine a light on the most important aspect of a wedding, each other.
…every cloud
Beautiful images captured by Sunwerks
