On the 3rd June 2020 I celebrated my fourteenth wedding anniversary. Looking back on significant moments in your life is such fun. And looking at my photos now almost makes me feel like I am back there – almost. But I am sad to say I did not have a videographer at my own wedding. It wasn’t even something we had considered. And now, having watched my friends’ wedding videos I would give an awful lot to be able to put on a magical film of our day and feel within touching distance of it all.
At the time of our wedding we decided that the most important thing was to have as many friends and family with us for as long as it was possible to keep them. We hired Tyn Dwyr Hall, Llangollen, which at the time was a youth hostel. It has since been converted into the most stunning wedding venue. We spent our budget on paying for the entire hostel and food so our guests had the exclusive use from Friday to Sunday and we could try and get some quality time with all of them. Other common wedding elements we sacrificed were traditional flowers (I had a bouquet my mum made – with wooden flowers), a traditional cake (we had several cakes and even one with a funny photo printed on it), wedding transport (although two of our Ushers secretly hired us an ex-army tank to transport us for the day!) wedding favours and professional hair and make-up.
As I reflect back now I think our wedding weekend was truly THE BEST weekend of my life and I think we celebrated our marriage quite spectacularly. My one regret is not having had our wedding day filmed. There are moments that remain very clearly in my mind but much of it has become hazy. On our anniversary I flicked through wedding photos taken by family and friends and they transported me back a little, I was reminded of all our guests, and so many details – how my pregnant sister only just squeezed her bump into her bridesmaid dress, how the best men forgot to take the rings to the ceremony (!), how my brother stood up and made an impromptu speech that had everyone crying. But we don’t have any of that on film and I wish I did.
I know a film could give me so much more. Our voices and emotions at the altar, my Dad’s dancing at the disco, my cousin Stuart diving to catch the bouquet. A film could act as a time machine to transport me properly back to the day. Who wouldn’t want the ability to relive the most wonderful, joyous, fun filled, never to be repeated day of their life?