Inspiration

You may have seen the heartwarming story of the NHS wedding of Dr Annalan Navaratnam and Nurse Jann Tipping in the news recently. They got married at the chapel in Guys and St Thomas Hospital in London where they work. They are one of the many couples who were forced to postpone their original wedding due to the Coronavis outbreak, but quickly realised they didn't want to wait for the Coronavirus pandemic to be over before they vowed to be committed to one another and begin married life. We share all the wonderful wedding moments you may not have seen or read, including Annalan doing Jann's hair on the wedding morning and Jann's nephew throwing confetti at the computer screens during an intimate virtual reception.

What Made Your Day Unique

"Our day was so special because so many people worked hard to make it happen. Rev Mia bent over backwards to get permission for our wedding to take place. Even on the morning of the wedding, we didn't know if it would go ahead. I remember Annalan tying my hair and helping me glue on my nails, I looked at him and realised how lucky I was to have a husband who would step in the place of a bridesmaid just to help me feel beautiful. It felt like we were the only two people in the world, every moment felt precious."

Jann & Annalan

Wedding Suppliers

"We chose our suppliers based on what we could get during lock-down. Luckily our amazing florist offered a no contact delivery of my bouquet. Rebecca Carpenter is one of my oldest friends and she worked wonders being not only a witness, photographer and an NHS volunteer. The dress was even more difficult. My original dress hadn't arrived in store, and I ordered 3 online which either got lost or arrived damaged. Finally, Morgan Davies Bridal offered to loan me a dress and it was the most perfect dress which fit our wedding and my personal style perfectly. "

Jann & Annalan

Inspiration & Styling

"The vibe of the day was low key and respectful, with family at the heart of every decision. We got married during a time of international fear and grief and felt we wanted to respect those who had lost loved ones or had their day cancelled. As we were in a hospital we decided to wear scrubs after the ceremony as we couldn't travel home in our formal wear. When we got home we went on Zoom with our family and popped champagne. At this point, the scrubs were great as we could just relax for the rest of the day. "

Jann & Annalan

Favourite Moment

"My favourite moment was hearing about our two-year-old nephew watching us on the computer screen and throwing his homemade confetti at the monitor. I think it really touched us that our families wholeheartedly threw themselves into celebrating lock-down style. From my dad giving his speech to Annalan and I having our first dance on Zoom, we really felt like our families had a great day and put any regrets they had aside to support us. "

Jann & Annalan

Advice

"Planning a wedding during Covid19 means letting go. You may have planned a massive gathering of 200 people or maybe it was just the two of you planning to elope abroad. We've learned you'll be a lot less disappointed if you let go of what you thought your day would look like and put your desire to begin married life at the centre of your decisions. We knew that if we wanted to commit to each other all we really needed was the two of us making a promise to love and protect each other. Everything extra was a blessing. "

Jann & Annalan

Special Thanks

"Our rings were from Alex Monroe. We really cannot thank them enough for the level of care and attention they put into getting our rings to us on time. We had picked our rings before lock-down and realised we needed them within a week. Mine arrived and I had made mistake with the sizing and I could not get it on. Suzy from Alex Monroe had the ring couriered to her home address and resized it within a day. I am totally in love with everything from Alex Monroe and I'm so happy I get to wear it for the rest of my life. Finally, Rebecca Carpenter captured every moment and was so adaptive to the fact we had to socially distance and be conscious of the fact we were in our place of work. She totally understood the tone of our wedding day and made us both so joyful and relaxed. She brings brightness to every moment, she guided and supported us when our families couldn't be there. "

Jann & Annalan

If you're one of the couples who have been affected by the coronavirus outbreak, we have a whole COVID-19 hub full of helpful articles to support you during planning. Including a step-by-step guide to Postponing Your Wedding and 31 Ideas to Celebrate Your Original Wedding Date.

Lorna Shaw

Written by Lorna Shaw

Featured suppliers

Venue : Guys and St Thomas Hospital London | Wedding Dress: Rosa Clara | Bridal Boutique: Morgan Davies Bridal, Hitchin | Grooms Suit: ASOS | Bridal Shoes: Truffle Collection via ASOS | Florist: Blossom and Threads | Celebrant: Mia Hilborn
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