Jim & Chelsea’s revised (but still wonderful) 2020 wedding
Like so many couples whose weddings were upended by the onslaught of COVID-19 and the subsequent shutdowns & restrictions on sizeable gatherings, Jim & Chelsea had to re-calibrate their plans. Since Jim’s family lives in the UK, they decided to move the larger event to the same date in 2021 in the hopes that by then everyone will be able to travel and attend, and instead have a much smaller August wedding this year with only Chelsea’s family and a few friends in attendance.
2020 wedding couples have taken on the challenge of last minute changes and revised expectations in a way that both surprised and inspired me. It felt as though, because the physical size of the wedding had to be smaller, the joy and love was somehow exponentially magnified. The restrictions placed upon us brought into sharp focus how precious it is to share love and celebrate with family in a way we might have taken for granted before. If there is a silver lining to this year, perhaps that is it.
And for documentary wedding photographers, the creativity with which couples approached their new normal in wedding planning made for fantastic candid photo opportunities. Because they couldn’t attend in person, Jim’s family in the UK and Chelsea’s brother in Singapore all sent selfies which Jim secretly had blown up into life-sized cardboard cutouts. They were placed along the aisle of the church, as a surprise for Chelsea when she entered for the ceremony. Female guests were encouraged to wear fancy hats (in a nod to British weddings where fabulous hats abound), and if they didn’t have one of their own, there was a selection of hats to borrow as they entered the church. And of course custom masks with Jim and Chelsea’s names and the wedding date embossed along the side were also made available.
In the end of course, a wedding is all about the bride and groom, no matter how grand or humble the location or trappings. Jim and Chelsea’s 2020 wedding was bursting to the seams with love, happiness and hope. Here’s to them!
