We got married in a pandemic, here’s what it was like

Weddings

As a Wedding Photographer For Small Weddings Surrey & Berkshire I wanted to write this blog “We got married in a pandemic, here’s what it was like” after the whirlwind few months of:

  • Booking our wedding date, thinking everything will be back to ‘normal’
  • Then the restrictions not being fully lifted
  • Cancelling the venue
  • Planning a garden party for family & close friends

We have talked about tying the knot for quite a few years but things like children, holidays, houses and work all seemed to take priority. Adam and his brother Dave have a surveying company and my Farnham Family Photography business was crazy busy so finding the time and planning a wedding was tricky for us.

Then the pandemic hit and made us reassess things and realised that we should just go for it. Booking our July date was easy online for Guildford Registry Office, deciding that if things weren’t “back to normal” we would have just our girls and us with us and celebrate with family and friends another time.

We booked a venue nearby, hiring out a whole pub for all the children to run around in. We were to have a Firepit BBQ and a pretty chilled time.

Our wedding date was a few weeks after the restrictions were due to be lifted…..yay, we thought. Then the news was trickling through that they were going to push the date back due to rising covid cases in the UK. On 14th June ’21  Boris made a statement that the restrictions would be lifted now on July 19th ’21 but gave weddings permission to “still go ahead with more than 30 guests provided social distancing remains in place”

There Were Many Tears

I saw on the government website they had added a Risk Assessment to their website for events that were to be held at home. I invited one of my close friends over who is a brilliant party planner and together we went through everything we would need if it came to holding our reception in the garden. A few days later, after (many) tears (from me) with the Pub Landlord, we decided to cancel the venue. Unfortunately, then due to capacity in our garden, we had to uninvite the evening guests due to social distancing and that was one of the really sad things to do after people wanted some fun after 2020.

The garden party planning was now in full force.

Flowers

Alex Harwood, one of my very talented Sisters-in-Law created my absolutely beautiful bouquet, my Bridesmaid’s wrist corsages and boutonnières for Adam & my Dad.

Alex cleverly included so many flowers and leaves that I love and they were perfect. Based in Shere, Surrey, Alex creates beautiful floral creations so head over to Instagram to see her work:

https://www.instagram.com/bulbs_and_brambles

 

Make-Up by Nikki’s Retreat

My make-up and nails were perfectly done by my gorgeous friend Nikki and I loved it. Thanks honey! Nikki is a beauty therapist based in Tongham so go check out her Instagram page for her work:

https://www.instagram.com/nikkis_retreat/

Hair By Pauline

My hair was styled and perfected by another gorgeous friend Pauline, who has helped me stay blonde for years. Thank you Pauline you did an amazing job and you helped keep me calm.

Wedding Photographer

Obviously, a fabulous photographer was one of the first things to book and Sheryl was the one for us. Multi-award-winning, she is top of her game and her style is perfect. Based in Gloucester, she travels UK wide. Sheryl made us feel so comfortable and joined in with us on the day, making us laugh and all those natural smiles came.  Please go and check out her website https://oobaloos.co.uk/ 

 

Dress

Buying a wedding dress online during a pandemic suited me down to the ground as I wasn’t up for going to try loads on in a dress shop. I was recommended Needle & Thread by Alex my Sister-in-Law who is super stylish and bought hers from here too. It arrived beautifully wrapped and presented in a pretty box and fitted comfortably.

Invites

I bought an invite template from Make Me Digital which was so simple to use and easily adaptable after the plans were changed.

Covid Stuff

We made “Wash your hands” & “Hand sanitiser” signs using the invite templates. Printed them 5″ x 7″ and framed them in frames from The Range. Every guest was asked to do a lateral flow test before coming. A risk assessment was filled out the night before which we have to keep for 28 days after the wedding. All guests were asked to sit to eat. Hand sanitiser was placed around the garden with signs. Masks we asked to be worn going indoors to use the toilet. Disposable paper hand towels for the bathroom.

Transport To The Wedding

Wanting some fun for everyone on our wedding day was top of our list so we hired a bus to take us all to the Registry Office in Guildford. There were just 20 of us on board as the Registry Office could only accept the half numbers they originally allowed. On the way back we had snacks and Prosecco in little bags we had prepared a few weeks before. A cool box kept the drinks cold. One of my lovely bridesmaids -Claire- requested the number 117 on the front of the bus, which was the one we used to get to school! Then it was all back to ours for a good old fashioned party in the garden.

Decorations For The Garden

The day before the wedding I had lots of fabulous friends over who created a beautiful wedding wonderland in our garden and I am truly grateful to Jo-Jo, Claire, Emma, Nikki, Pauline, Mia , Rosie Coops, Adam, Tots, Tina & Mum.

I spent many evenings with friends decorating ahead of the wedding. We borrowed a marquee from good friends and tied white balloons and poms poms all inside. I collected empty jam jars and used a chopped up seconds curtain with ribbon to decorate using glue spots to fix in place. These were for tables and hung them on our fence too with battery night lights inside. We made tissue paper pom poms and hung them everywhere. Ribbons were tied from the back of every chair. Fairy lights were hung along the fence.

Lengths of ribbons were hung from the upstairs windows down to the fence posts.

Confetti

I ordered biodegradable confetti from Shropshire Petals which were beautiful then added alongside my own petals from the garden. Here’s how:

  • Line a baking dish with baking paper and lay the petals out trying to separate them all
  • Put in an oven at the bottom at 100ºc for 30 mins
  • Let them cool down and leave out until ready

I made confetti cones from an old book ( I bought a 2nd hand one) which was one of my favourites from my 20’s.  Then placed them in a basket. I loved the personal touch of this.

Food

Loving Spainish food made the choice for a caterer easy. Paella Fella were AMAZING! We had tapas, bread & olives to start and then 3 choices of Paella catering for fish, meat and veggie lovers. Three lovely girlies set up in a 3×3 gazebo and got cooking with amazing service, tasty food and smiles. We have had so many compliments about the food which we will pass on. Our fab next door neighbour let us use her garden for the caterers for more space. We lifted the fence panels and set up Paella Fella in her garden. Thank you Sarah!

Seating

Because of of the covid restrictions, Paella Fella required everyone to be seated to eat so we hired chairs from RSVP and they looked fabulous! We chose natural coloured banquet chairs with black seat pads which added to the elegant look & 6 straw bales from a local friend. We then put blankets on them for the children’s seating and they doubled up as climbing frames later on!

 

Sparklers

Mia and I headed to West Wittering beach a few days before the big day. We went to collect a bucket of sand to put our sparklers in. This beach is a special place for us and have had many lovely times here.

 

The Weather

What we ordered arrived…..26 degrees, blue skies and sunshine!

Other Stuff

We covered our new carpet up the stairs with sticky plastic that decorators use, here’s the link on AMAZON

Favours: I bought Cosmos and Rudbeckia plants for each guest to take home and plant in their own garden. I can not believe I didn’t take a photo of them!

Now we have been married for a week and a bit at the time of writing this. We absolutely loved every minute of our wedding day. I totally get it now when people say it is the best day other than the day your children are born. We loved that we gave it so many personal touches. I’m certain in a venue we certainly wouldn’t have been able to do this.

If you are thinking about having your wedding reception in your garden, do it! And if you have any questions or need help do get in touch.

If you liked this you’ll like The Top Places For Your Baby Shower In Surrey:

https://photographybyzoe.uk/top-places-for-your-baby-shower-farnham-surrey/

Lots of love

Mrs & Mr Harwood

xxx

 

0 Comments

MY VERY

LATEST BLOGS

How to Use Your Branding Photos on Instagram Reels and Beyond

How to Use Your Branding Photos on Instagram Reels and Beyond

📱🔥 How to Use Your Branding Photos on Instagram, Reels, and Beyond So, you've invested in gorgeous branding photos (go you!)... but now you're wondering, “How do I actually use these across my socials without repeating the same post every week?” You're not alone!...

Top Family-Friendly Days Out in Surrey (2025 Guide)

Top Family-Friendly Days Out in Surrey (2025 Guide)

🌿Top Family-Friendly Days Out in Surrey (2025 Guide)🌿 Finding new and exciting places to visit with your family can feel like a full-time job. Luckily, Surrey is packed with beautiful parks, hands-on farms, adventure trails, and hidden gems that make it easy to create...

Why Print Your Family Photos | Surrey Photographer

Why Print Your Family Photos | Surrey Photographer

Family Photographer in Surrey Hampshire and Berkshire We take more photos than ever before — but most of them stay hidden in our phones or cloud storage, rarely looked at again. As a family photographer in Surrey, I believe your images deserve more. They deserve to be...

How to Capture Everyday Magic with Your Phone Camera

How to Capture Everyday Magic with Your Phone Camera

How to Capture Everyday Magic with Your Phone Camera-How to take better phone photos Easy Photography Tips for Natural, Beautiful Moments at Home. How to take better phone photos. 📸 Capture Beautiful Moments – Without Fancy Gear Not every meaningful photo needs a...

A Beautiful Windsor Guildhall Wedding

A Beautiful Windsor Guildhall Wedding

An Intimate Windsor Wedding Filled with Love, Style & Natural Moments I had the absolute pleasure of capturing Lou and Jimmie’s intimate wedding at the iconic Windsor Guildhall—a venue filled with royal history and timeless beauty. Their day overflowed with...

How to Get Beautiful Photos from a Small Wedding Day

How to Get Beautiful Photos from a Small Wedding Day

Small wedding photography Surrey: If you’re planning a small, relaxed wedding – maybe a registry office ceremony in Guildford, a quiet gathering in Windsor, or a midweek “just us” celebration in Alton – you might be wondering: “Do we really need a photographer for...

How to Choose the Right Family Photographer in Surrey

How to Choose the Right Family Photographer in Surrey

Choosing a family photographer is kind of like choosing a babysitter—you’re not just hiring someone with a camera, you’re trusting them with your most precious people 🧡 How to Choose the Right Family Photographer in Surrey and tips for you. But with so many options...

What to Wear for a Family Photoshoot In Surrey

What to Wear for a Family Photoshoot In Surrey

Families. They come in all shapes and sizes: large, small, blended, step, rowdy, quiet and everything in between. It really doesn’t matter what form your family takes. As long as you’ve got one other’s backs, it’s all good. And that’s the mood I try to strike with my...

How to Plan a Garden Wedding in Surrey (What You Need to Know)

How to Plan a Garden Wedding in Surrey (What You Need to Know)

🌿 How to Plan a Garden Wedding in Surrey (What You Need to Know)🌿 There’s something truly magical about a garden wedding. I hope this blog "How to Plan a Garden Wedding in Surrey (What You Need to Know)" helps you make beautiful memories for your special day. The...

A Note to Busy Parents

A Note to Busy Parents

When a client gets in touch for a Family Photoshoot in Surrey Hampshire Berkshire and Sussex, this is what I ask them: Let me guess — you're always the one behind the camera. Capturing first steps, sleepy cuddles, or the first push on the swings at the park. You’re...

Grandparent Sessions: Capturing the Bonds That Matter Most

Grandparent Sessions: Capturing the Bonds That Matter Most

Grandparent Sessions: Capturing the Bonds That Matter Most Family photography in Surrey with Grandparents: Families come in all shapes and sizes—big, small, blended, loud, quiet, and everything in between. But no matter what yours looks like, one thing’s for sure: the...

Best Easter & Springtime Activities for Families in Surrey

Best Easter & Springtime Activities for Families in Surrey

Best Easter & Springtime Activities for Families in Surrey Best Easter & Springtime Activities for Families in Surrey: Spring is the perfect time to get outdoors now the sun is out and enjoy quality family time in Surrey. With Easter around the corner, there...

The 5 Best Beaches To Travel To From Surrey

The 5 Best Beaches To Travel To From Surrey

Did Someone Say Beach? The warmer weather is just around the corner and you will be probably planning days out & "Looking For A Beach Near Me In Surrey."  I've put together this blog of The 5 Best Beaches To Travel To From Surrey. As you may know, I love the beach...

Things To Do In The School Holidays In Surrey

Things To Do In The School Holidays In Surrey

The last term seem to be just over and now the next school holidays are nearly upon us. If you are wondering how to keep your children busy in the school holidays or things to do in the school holidays near Farnham, Surrey read on for loads of activities in the Surrey...

Looking for a Newborn Photographer That Comes To Your Home In Surrey

Looking for a Newborn Photographer That Comes To Your Home In Surrey

Looking for a Newborn Photographer That Comes To Your Home In Surrey?  I'm Zoe and have been photographing newborns for 8 years now. With specialised training in newborn photography and 8 years of experience with new bundles of joy, you can be rest assured that your...

Finding the best children’s playgrounds in Farnham Surrey

Finding the best children’s playgrounds in Farnham Surrey

Finding the best children's playgrounds in Farnham, Surrey     Now the sunshine is here and the weather is a little warmer, I thought i'd put this list together of Finding the best children's playgrounds in Farnham, Surrey. Need to get out the house for an...

Places for your Intimate Wedding In Surrey & Berkshire

Places for your Intimate Wedding In Surrey & Berkshire

Places for Your Intimate Wedding in Surrey & Berkshire Planning an intimate wedding is all about finding the perfect venue that matches your love story. Surrey and Berkshire, with their pretty landscapes, charming towns, and luxurious venues, offer so many options...

Capturing Newborn Moments: A Surrey Photoshoot Story

Capturing Newborn Moments: A Surrey Photoshoot Story

Capturing Newborn Moments: A Surrey Photoshoot Story As a professional in-home newborn photographer in Surrey, UK, I love turning families’ homes into the perfect backdrop for timeless memories. Recently, I had the pleasure of photographing baby Freya and her family...

The Best Pregnancy and Baby Apps for UK Parents in 2025

The Best Pregnancy and Baby Apps for UK Parents in 2025

Hello, lovely Parents-To-Be! Starting on your journey to parenthood is both exhilarating and, let's be honest, a tad overwhelming. But fear not! There's an app (or several) for that. As your friendly newborn photographer in Surrey, I've curated a list of the top...

Best place to take my baby swimming in Surrey & Hampshire

Best place to take my baby swimming in Surrey & Hampshire

Best place to take my baby swimming in Surrey & Hampshire Are you wondering, “Where’s the best place to take my baby swimming in Farnham, Guildford, Surrey, and Hampshire?” Look no further! I’ve created an easy guide to all the fantastic baby-friendly swimming...

Why Choose an At-Home Newborn Photographer in Surrey?

Why Choose an At-Home Newborn Photographer in Surrey?

Why Choose an At-Home Newborn Photographer in Surrey? Welcoming a newborn into your family is one of the most precious moments in life. As a Surrey-based newborn photographer, I specialise in creating timeless memories by bringing the studio experience directly to...

How To Take Your Baby or Children’s Passport Photo On Your Phone

How To Take Your Baby or Children’s Passport Photo On Your Phone

How to Take Your Baby or Children’s Passport Photo on Your Phone As a family photographer in Farnham, Guildford, Hampshire & Surrey, I often get asked to take passport photos for children. However, with today’s technology, you can easily take these photos on your...

Guildford & Farnham, Surrey Baby Shower Hotspots

Guildford & Farnham, Surrey Baby Shower Hotspots

The Ultimate Guide to Baby Shower Venues in Farnham, Guildford & Surrey Congratulations! Just found out you’re “In The Club”? Your pregnancy will fly by (fair warning!), so celebrating with a baby shower is a beautiful way to cherish this special time with your...

The Top 5 Myths About In-Home Newborn Photography

The Top 5 Myths About In-Home Newborn Photography

The Top 5 Myths About In-Home Newborn Photography   1. It's only for newborns in the first 2 weeks Don't panic! I photograph babies at any age. Whereas in the first 3 weeks they are generally all curled up and more sleepy, after this time you are still able to...

Calling New Parents!      What to wear for your newborn photoshoot

Calling New Parents! What to wear for your newborn photoshoot

New Parents! What to wear for your newborn photoshoot!  Congratulation new Mummies & Daddies, I hope you are enjoying the new addition to your family & enjoying all those baby cuddles......they really are the best. Are you in the haze of those first few days...

Booking An At Home Newborn Session In Surrey

Booking An At Home Newborn Session In Surrey

Booking An 'At Home' Newborn Session In Surrey I'm Zoe and have been photographing newborns for 8 years now.  With years of experience and training you can rest assured that your baby is in safe experienced hands. I wanted to write Booking An At Home Newborn Session...

9 Top Tips For Taking Better Photos Of Your Children This Summer

9 Top Tips For Taking Better Photos Of Your Children This Summer

9 Top Tips For Taking Better Photos Of Your Children This Summer Here is a useful blog: 9 Top Tips For Taking Better Photos Of Your Children This Summer. Getting photographs of our children altogether can be tricky when they just want to run around and have fun. Local...

Not sure what hypnobirthing is all about?

Not sure what hypnobirthing is all about?

Right, let me say one thing right off the bat… Hypnobirthing needs a name change because let’s face it, it’s pretty rubbish and it doesn’t really define what courses like this are about these days, well… most of them anyway!
Hypnobirthing has been around for a LONG time and it’s definitely not the fad that it’s made out to be. Nor is it all about crystals and chanting! Since it’s inception many years ago, it has evolved into something pretty awesome.

9 Top Tips For Taking Your Newborn Photos At Home

9 Top Tips For Taking Your Newborn Photos At Home

9 Top Tips For Taking Your Newborn Photos At Home So you don't miss out on those early days witrh your baby, I wanted to give you some ideas on how to take your own newborn or baby photos at home. Here are my top tips and things you shouldn't miss whilst photographing...

Photos not to miss on your i phone in hospital of your newborn baby

Photos not to miss on your i phone in hospital of your newborn baby

Congratulations on the arrival of your newborn baby! Capturing those precious moments at the hospital is a wonderful way to preserve the memories of this special time. When it comes to photographing your newborn at the hospital, there are several moments you won't...

Best Pool Toys For Kids:  Insights from a Surrey Photographer

Best Pool Toys For Kids:  Insights from a Surrey Photographer

Best Pool Toys For Kids:  Insights from a Surrey Photographer Picture this: I'm a Surrey photographer who loves a chill by the pool. We have Rosie our younger Daughter who will spend the whole holiday in the pool. Rosie would have her dinner and sleep in it if she...

Gifts For New Parents & Newborns

Gifts For New Parents & Newborns

Gifts for Newborns & Their Parents When someone in your family or a friend announces they are expecting a new bay or babies to their family one of the things that springs to mind, after jumping for joy, is 'BABY SHOPPING!!!!!' I hope you find this useful for Gifts...

What To Wear For Your Bluebell Family Session

What To Wear For Your Bluebell Family Session

What To Wear For Your Bluebell Family Session Coming Spring 2024   What Happens After My Session? After your session, I carefully edit your images, upload them to a secure viewing gallery, for you to view about a week after your session then you can choose your...

Are You Right Handed or Left Handed?

Are You Right Handed or Left Handed?

On International Left Handers Day August 13th here is some useful tips/hints & about the left handers in your family. Are You Right Handed or Left Handed? Whereas, (according to Google) just 10% of the British population are left-handed, in our house we actually...

Top 7 Things To Do With The 3 Million Photos On Your Phone

Top 7 Things To Do With The 3 Million Photos On Your Phone

I wanted to write this blog "Top 7 Things To Do With The 3 Million Photos On Your Phone" after a client of mine was asking on socials what to do with hers on her phone. Now, while I do print a lot of my personal photos and put in frames, I am just like you and have...

The Most Important Images Of All

Family Portraits....they are, in fact, the most important images of all Family Photo Session Farnham Aldershot Guildford. Showing our family as it grows, as new children arrive and pets are added to the mix. So a Family Photo Session in Farnham is super important and...

What happens when you tick the box

What happens when you tick the box

Farnham Aldershot Guildford Hampshire Surrey Photographer It's been 2 years since we started our Doorstep Portraits here in Tongham & I had some great news from Sandy at the Royal Surrey County Hospital Charity  when she visited the studio recently. This is what...

Lockdown Doorstep Portraits In Tongham 2020 During Coronavirus

Lockdown Doorstep Portraits In Tongham 2020 During Coronavirus

May 2020 Just off out to photograph Tongham's Doorstep Portraits Lockdown Doorstep Portraits In Tongham 2020 During Coronavirus Deciding to start our Lockdown Portraits in Tongham 2020.......Monday 23rd March 2020 is the date that will be etched on our minds and...

My camera upgrade journey & why I switched to mirrorless

My camera upgrade journey & why I switched to mirrorless

In writing this blog 'My camera upgrade journey & why I switched to mirrorless' it was like visiting old friends with happy memories attached. I have, in fact, in my mind, been a photographer from about the age of 9 when my Nanny bought me my 1st camera a...

A Reminder Of Happiness During Covid Times

A Reminder Of Happiness During Covid Times

The lovely Mummies that live here have kindly written about their experience of giving pregnancy and birth in a time where they could not show off their bumps to families and friends.

Definitely not hitting delete on these……

Definitely not hitting delete on these……

Definitely not hitting delete on these..... Ok, so I have a lot of photos.....BUT they are printed and displayed in our house and definitely won't be deleted EVER. Photographs have always been important to me and I have always loved clicking away after Family &...

Banging on about it again……

Banging on about it again……

Why Printing Your Pictures Is So Important......... I'll bet you, like me, have taken so many photographs over the past year! You might have used your phone today camera today, you may even use your camera everyday. It has never been easier to take photographs-we all...