Wedding ruined as PM parties

Meanwhile in Downing Street, the Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his colleagues were holding a garden party at No 10 and drinking the night away.

When Mags and Anto got engaged in May 2019 Covid was nowhere in sight. When they booked their wedding at Belfast’s City Hall for May 20, 2020 they had no idea that the pandemic would sweep across the world and bring their plans to a halt.

Despite the disappointment at having to rearrange the wedding and the fact that the couple still haven’t had an evening party to celebrate the occasion, the main concern for Mags was the health of her father.

“My father’s health wasn’t great and there was talk of dementia,” explained Mags. “I am not very traditional but it meant a lot to have him walk me down the aisle.

“Sadly by the time we were able to reschedule our wedding for June 2021 he was in a care home and couldn’t be at the wedding.”

Mags and Anto were sadened that her father couldn’t celebrate their big day with them but they understood the importance of the restrictions and keeping their friends and loved ones safe.

“Anto is a biochemist, a virologist,” explained Mags, “so he had his finger on the pulse of what was happening. He realised before I did that we would have to postpone the wedding.

“When the first lockdown was announced it was eight weeks to the wedding and we had a bit of hope that maybe we could still do it but it was no real surprise when City Hall cancelled.”

Even though the couple managed to have their wedding on June 11, 2021, they still haven’t had an evening party to celebrate. “We still haven’t felt it would be right to have a big party,” continued Mags. “We are both so careful. I have never been angry at anyone who imposed restrictions. We felt it was the right thing to do.”

Despite not having the wedding of her dreams and not being able to spend time with her father, who is now permanently in a care home, due to the restrictions the government put in place. she is grateful that they have managed to get married and has stressed the importance of keeping everyone safe. “We count ourselves very lucky that we have each other,” said Mags.

However, when it was revealed that there have been a number of parties and events at No 10 Downing Street, even on the day of their original wedding on May 20, 2020, Mags was outraged at the lack of respect from the government for those who had stuck to the rules.

“I can completely understand people’s anger and frustration,” she continued. “I thought dad would have walked me down the aisle and that is something I can never get back. We don’t disagree with the restrictions but it is the disingenuous nature of the people who were meant to be getting everyone through this that annoys me.

“It demonstrates a lack of care for the population. There is no kindness in the government. It displays a huge amount of arrogance at the expense of people who have lost something or someone during this pandemic.”