Thora and David got engaged back in 2019, but found themselves having to rearrange their own wedding plans numerous times due to the pandemic and local restrictions.
They finally decided they couldn’t wait any longer to get wed, so they invited 15 of their closest family and friends to witness their small, but perfectly planned celebration at Swallows Nest Barn in Warwick.
The end result? A day they throughly enjoyed and felt even more special.
A huge thank you to Thora and David for sharing with us today how they dealt with organising a wedding during a pandemic, and to Chris from Artisan X Photography for the gorgeous photos (also a new member to Unique Rebels Union)…
Thora + David…
How did you meet and get engaged?
We would love to tell you that we met under really interesting and spectacular circumstance… we met at Uni when we were 18. We were friends initially and after a year, Dave randomly started chatting to Thora on Facebook and it snowballed from there!
Fast forward 8.5 years (I know.. he waited that long!), Dave proposed when we were on holiday in Croatia. It was a rather stressful holiday for Dave as he was trying to propose all week and Thora ruined every opportunity! He got his chance in the end at the Blue Lagoon Island.
Was there an overall theme to your day?
With the restrictions being in place, there was a lot of uncertainty surrounding what our day would look like or even how long it would last! So, we kept things simple and easy to manage, we went with winter themes and threw in a little christmas spirit in the form of some stockings for favours, festive socks for groomsmen and a lot of baileys for toasting!
How would you describe your day?
Amazing! Honestly, it wasn’t what we had planned originally but if you asked us if we would to go back and change it in any way, we would say no. Everything was stripped back and it was all about us and our commitment to each other.
How long were you planning it for?
We planned the wedding about 5 times with each new set of restrictions, but we had been planning it ever since our engagement in July 2019.
How was your day unique to you?
Well we didn’t expect our guests to be wearing face masks that’s for sure! But it didn’t affect the day at all, if anything the day felt a lot more special because despite what was going on, we were still able to get married.
Where was your wedding venue and why did you pick it?
Our wedding was at Swallows Nest Barn in Warwick. We chose this venue because it looks amazing and also the staff were wicked! Special shoutout to Jocelyn who was our wedding coordinator and she absolutely smashed it!
Our reception was in our kitchen and it was incredible. We had drinks, ordered dominos and had our first dance. It was actually great!
Who was your wedding photographer and why did you chose them?
We chose Chris Denner from Artisan X Photography after a recommendation from a friend. From seeing his work to speaking with him over zoom, we knew that he would be perfect for our day. His photos truly blew us away and he is so much fun! We cannot recommend him enough.
Your outfits! Tell us more about them! Was there any special details, accessories or reasons behind your choices?
The wedding dress Thora chose matched the rustic setting of the barn and the wild flowers. She also like the leaf pattern all over it! The bridesmaid colour (called velvet) was a dark dusky pink and a multiway dress so each bridesmaid could personalise theirs. We picked navy suits to compliment the bridesmaids and the wedding dress of course!
Tell us about your wedding flowers?
We went for dried flowers with white bleached thistles and feathers. To be honest, we gave the florist a general idea and let her run wild! We are so pleased with how they looked on the day.
Which decorations / props did you use on your wedding day?
We actually went quite minimalistic with props. We had a few candles and we used cinnamon sticks, pine cones and dry scented orange slices to create some Christmas smells around the barn.
Let’s talk food! What style of food did you go for and why?
Well because we couldn’t have a reception after the wedding (we were in tier 3) we gave the 15 guests that came to the wedding a cheese and wine basket to take home with them and we opted for a classy dominos! We have decided that every year on our anniversary, we will have a dominos pizza takeaway!
Cake! Who created your wedding cake and what theme did you go for?
We are having our wedding reception on our first anniversary later this year and a friend of ours who is amazing at baking will be doing our cake. We haven’t decided on style or flavour yet!
Tell us about your wedding stationery – who designed them for you and what style did you go for?
We went digital for the wedding. Lockdown was due to end on 2nd December and our wedding was on 5th so we didn’t know what new restrictions would be in place so we had to wait until the last minute! We sent everyone an email to confirm (I know.. so classy!) and then sent through a streaming link for those to watch the ceremony at home.
Tell us more about your hair and make-up for your wedding.
Because of covid, I was unable to have a hair or makeup trial but the ladies who came on the day were amazing! I showed Liza (makeup artist) and Leanne (hairdresser) a few pictures of what I was looking for and they really didn’t disappoint. I wanted loose curls in my hair and a smoky eye look. I had a hair piece that I bought from a small independent business that matched my belt (pearls, crystals and blue opals).
How did you entertain your guests throughout the day?
As we could only have a ceremony (no reception) the 15 guests didn’t have as much time on their hands. To be honest, they spent the time making sure we had the best day so we actually didn’t have that pressure!
With all of our other guests, we had a live streaming of the ceremony so that they could still be a part of the day. We received so many pictures of our friends and family dressed up, watching from their homes and toasting our wedding- it was amazing!
Looking back, what was the stand out moments of your day?
The overwhelming support we had from everyone. A lot of the control and the decisions were taken out of our hands but every understood that and made sure we had the best day regardless. And of course, marrying each other!
Do you have any advice for couples currently planning their wedding, for either the planning or the lead-up?
Try not to stress about it. Remember at the end of all of this, the day is about you and your partner getting married and everything else will happen and fall into place around you. Try not to let other people influence you in a negative way. Stand by your decisions and the important people will stand by you.
What an amazing and wonderful wedding arranged during all the difficulties of Covid. David and Thora, you are to be commended for your positive attitude which meant despite of the restrictions your wedding day was very special and meaningful. Your extended family were so honoured and appreciative of being able to be with you throughout the ceremony thanks to technology and thank you for inviting us all to join you this way. It’s an occasion we will never forget.