Inspiration

Just 24 hours before Elsie and Nuno were due to get married at The Old Kent Barn, the U.K was put into Lockdown. Even though they had to cut short their wedding day, and some of their family and friends couldn't make it, they had the best day infused with their Guinea-Bissau and Zimbabwean cultures and were so joyful and thankful to just be married.
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What Made Our Day Unique

Firstly, we had a multicultural wedding right in the middle of a pandemic. On the morning of our wedding, the reception was cancelled which automatically made our day unique. Although this was a complete and utter shock our family and friends kept the right energy and celebrated with us even though we would only be celebrating half a day. We had the right suppliers that made the best out of a very different situation that no one had probably encountered before. Despite everything that was going on in the world around us, we somehow managed to say our ' I dos', this impacted our souls and made us extremely thankful.

Elsie & Nuno

Special Moment

Despite all of the havoc and rush we were in, my husband wrote me a beautifully worded letter that brought me to tears and ruined my makeup & he also bought me a charm that simply stated 'wife'. I just could not believe that despite all of the uncertainty of our wedding and how busy we had been due to the pandemic he somehow found the time to write me a letter. This letter was amazing because even though I had not seen him the morning of the wedding, reading it made me feel so close him. It was as though every thought I felt towards him in that very moment was reciprocated. Even though it felt as though the wedding was crumbling our love, joy and peace were unshaken.

Elsie & Nuno

The Old Kent Barn

With less than 24 hours notice Elsie and Nuno had to cut short their original wedding day at The Old Kent Barn at the end of March to ensure they were adhering to government lockdown restrictions. But as soon as it was safe to do so Olegs Samsonovs Photography arranged a complimentary photoshoot with them at their venue so they could wear their African inspired outfits and reminisce about their day. Both the wedding captures and photography session portraits are incredible. They look soo happy and were just grateful to be able to say their vows.

Inspiration & Styling

The vibe of our day was primarily based upon our cultures, Nuno is Portuguese originally from Guinea-Bissau, and I am British Zimbabwean. We aimed to have music, clothing and aspects of our ceremony that would depict our cultures, however with the classic touch and elements of my favourite colours burgundy & blush. My in-laws sang me a song and clothed us in traditional clothing that had some bright gorgeous colours. We also had African attires that clearly showed off our cultures and slightly deviated from the traditional white dress.

Elsie & Nuno

Advice

Please enjoy the planning process. Enjoy every interaction, your food tasting and choosing your suppliers. Remind each other why you're getting married throughout the journey. At the time he proposed we would have never dreamt that a pandemic would be taking place. The most important aspect for us was being joined together in marriage, in the eyes of God, the law our families & friends. Although some of our family & friends were unable to make it and the day did not go exactly as planned, we had the best day of our lives because we were joyful and thankful for what we had and no one can take that away from you.

Elsie & Nuno

If you need help adjusting your plans to fit in with the current government guidelines, please read our article on downscaling your wedding. Remember downscaling doesn't mean there should be any less of a celebration, you can still have a memorable day.

Lorna Shaw

Written by Lorna Shaw

Featured suppliers

Videographer: Russell Kent Nicholls | Wedding Venue: The Old Kent Barn | Florist: Chic Weddings & Events | Cake: The Cake Junction | Stationery: Raw Invites | The Invite Shack | Decor & Hire: Chic Weddings & Events | Light Of My Life | MC & DJ: Mc Sebhelebhe | White Wedding Dress Boutique: Ivy Rose Bridal | African Attire: Arewa Fashion | Bridal Shoes: Ted Baker | Bridesmaids : Sola Fashion | Hair: Deborah Esther | Florandina | Makeup: Abi Mustafa

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