PRE-WEDDING nerves are rising for North East couples hoping their big days won't be ruined by the government's expected announcement on lockdown rules.

It has been reported that Prime Minister Boris Johnson may lift the 30-person limit on wedding receptions on June 21 – even if the easing of other lockdown restrictions is delayed.

READ MORE: Boris Johnson set to delay June 21 reopening by four week

However, the continued uncertainty over what will happen has left some couples anxious and frustrated.

Hannah Stubbs-Ferry and Rob Suggett, from Darlington, are set to wed next week but she says her preparations have been ruined by the ‘abysmal and insulting’ lack of messaging from the government. 

The bride-to-be, has long had June 25, 2021 penned in her diary because it is the day she is set to finally wed the love of her life. 

But the 27-year-old said she has ‘dread doing any form of planning’ for the big day at Wynyard Hall, near Billingham, for fear that it may have to be cancelled if lockdown easing is delayed.

The couple first met in February 2018 and got engaged in October 2019. The wedding was booked in December that year, however, the couple weren’t to know that the wedding industry would soon be shut down by the coronavirus pandemic.

Couples have been told to wait until today when Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to give an update on the latest easing of restrictions. 
Yet Hannah believes the Government haven’t done enough to help the industry. 

She said: “There has been hardly any information or guidance which could help us in any way shape or form. It’s been abysmal and insulting what they have done to suppliers and couples up and down the country. 

“I can’t get excited and it has taken what is supposed to be an exciting time and made me dread doing any form of planning. 

“I’m days away from getting married and I still don’t know what my wedding will be. This shouldn’t be this way.”

Hannah said the couple are determined to get married on their designated date but potentially having to choose only 30 people “has probably been one of the hardest decisions we’ve had to make.”

The 27-year-old vented her outrage and exasperation at MP’s suggestion to not make plans until the announcement, which she says, only gives some couples days notice.

Hannah added: “It is an insult, our weddings have taken two to three years to plan, we can’t just not plan, our suppliers need to be paid, food ordered, flowers ordered, suggesting to postpone is not feasible for some couples as you risk losing your suppliers and having to wait to get them rebooked.

“All of these would have been done weeks if not months ago had we had some clarity from the government.

“It is just not good enough, I feel like we have just been forgotten about and ignored.”

The Northern Echo:

Bethanie Crane and her husband-to-be, Ben Thompson, a 29-year-old telecommunications engineer, both from North Tyneside, Newcastle upon Tyne, had planned to wed on July 11 2020 but have set a new date for July 17 this year.

“We have already postponed our wedding once and don’t want to do it again due to illness of close family members,” the 26-year-old waiting list officer explained.

“We’re worried about who we may have to cut from our numbers and the money we’re going to lose because of how late the government has left the announcement.

“When changing the date, we lost money. Some of our suppliers were already booked for our new date too.

“I feel if we decide to postpone again we won’t even be able to get another date with all of our same suppliers for at least 18 months.”