"We're just happy to be having a wedding day": Preston couples facing new restrictions on their big day

For most, choosing who makes the cut to receive an invite on their big day is one of the biggest challenges of planning a wedding.

With invites often extending into the hundreds, couples in England faced an extraordinary challenge from September 28, when it was announced that their guest lists had to be slashed to just 15 people.

Recently married couple Rebecca, 31 and Stuart McCormick, 37, had organised for their wedding to take place on November 7, but after the Prime Minsiter’s announcement on September 22, they had just four days to move it forward to the following Saturday in hope of keeping their 30 guests.

From originally booking a summer festival themed wedding planned in August, they ended up tying the knot at St James’ church, Leyland and celebrating at the Shireburn Arms in Clitheroe.

Nurse Rebecca, said: “At first, we were supposed to be getting married in August, but with the constant changing of the rules we decided to move it to November. Once Boris announced that the amount of guests was being cut down to 15, it was devastating.

“I was working a late shift at the hospital when I heard the news, and one of my colleagues suggested that I rearrange for Saturday. At this point, I had only had one wedding dress fitting, the cake and flowers hadn’t been started and I had to call St James’ church and ask the vicar if I could move the wedding to just three days away, he thought it was crazy.”

Rebecca admitted that her and fiance Stuart had only just come to terms with cutting their extensive guest list, of over 200 people, down to 30 when Boris made his new announcement.

She claims that the pair were then desperate to get married and invite their closest friends and family before the new restrictions were enforced on September 28 - giving them just four days to reorganise their entire plans.

“For us, because it had been such an up and down year with the plans, we were just happy to finally be having a wedding day. Keeping our 30 guests meant we could have all the most important people there and we didn’t have to start choosing between brothers and sisters,” she added.

“I never thought we would manage it but we did. When we originally tried to plan the wedding, like most people, you sweat the small stuff like the colour of the napkins. In a pandemic, you are just happy with what you can get.

"I am so thankful to all the people who made our day special at such short notice. Despite the restrictions it was still so perfect.”

72,600 weddings and civil partnerships had their plans thrown up in the air at the start of the pandemic because of the lockdown restrictions. Now, as the country attempts to return to some normality, ceremonies have been given the green light again.

Although affected by different rules in the UK, weddings taking part in England are an exception to the rule of six.

Other rules included a ban on the consumption of food or drink unless ‘essential for the ceremony’, music performances should be kept at a moderate volume to prevent loud singing and shouting from guests and different households should remain at least one metre apart.

Kirsty Leadbetter and soon-to-be-husband Lee, 34, from Leyland, had originally planned to invite 140 guests to their October wedding at Bolton’s Last Drop Village.

Since both meeting after swiping right on dating app Tinder, their exciting plans of a big day have been stripped away from them with just 15 guests permitted to attend.

This means that some of the most important guests including the maid of honour, best man and bridesmaids are no longer invited to celebrate with them.

Kirsty, 35, said: “It has been a horrendous time for us. We had originally planned an easter wedding in April which was cancelled just three weeks before the big day. We then rearranged for October 10 and the venue told us they were no longer holding weddings this year which came as another huge shock.

“At that point we knew we wanted to continue with the wedding because we had already booked the honeymoon, so have decided to keep the same venue for an anniversary celebration in a years time.”

However plans of splashing out on their luxurious honeymoon in the Maldives, sunning themselves over an overwater villa also fell to ruin because of the pandemic - being swapped out for a country cottage weekend in the UK.

But Kirsty and Lee are determined to continue with their special day on October 10 and have organised for the ceremony to take place at Blackpool’s Promenade wedding chapel - with son Arthur stepping in as best man.

She added: “Having just 30 guests meant we were already restricted to just inviting our immediate family and bridal party but now, with the new restrictions we can’t even have our best man or bridesmaids. It has affected us an awful lot but after all the planning, we still want to have a wedding this year instead of cancelling it.

“Our argument is we can all walk into the same pub and could happen to be there at the same time eating and drinking, but we are more restricted at a wedding. We don’t understand some of the new rules and find them confusing.

"We have already had our special day spoiled and didn’t want to leave it completely. Even with the new guidelines we still wanted to get married.”

Salmesbury Hall director Sharon Jones said that although the new restrictions are proving difficult, they are carrying on regardless.

She said: "Yes it has been a disaster but we have to abide by the government guidelines and work with it as best we can. We have already had three weddings under the new restrictions and they have still been delightful.

"At the end of the day, the brides and grooms want to marry the person they love and the numbers of people attending aren't important. We are stuck with this rules so I am glad we are staying positive and I think every venue should make the most of that.

"If anyone wishes to get married now, get in touch with us because we are offering a last minute deal called 'love won't wait'. For couples who may have had their special day spoiled because of the special day, contact us."