DESPITE “starting from scratch” to organise a wedding in lockdown, one happy couple enjoyed a day that exceeeded their expectations.

Carly and Jason Jahangiry, from Wynyard, near Billingham, were married on August 15 at The Hammer and Pincers, in Newton Aycliffe.

Carly said: “From having 18 months worth of planning cancelled and having to start from scratch, to being able to have our full day almost how we had originally planned – it was just unbelievable.”

The Northern Echo: Signing the registerSigning the register

Carly and Jason had originally chosen Crook Hall and Gardens in Durham as their wedding venue. Carly said: “We fell in love with it as soon as we saw it. It was the first venue we had actually seen in real life and it was everything we could have ever wanted.”

Unfortunately, six weeks before the wedding the couple received an email from a solicitor to tell them the venue had gone into liquidation.

Carly said: “We dwelled in self pity for a week or so and it made us realise how much we really wanted to be married, so we had five weeks to find, book and plan a new wedding.”

The Northern Echo: After the official serviceAfter the official service

The couple chose The Hammer and Pincers, in Newton Aycliffe, a relaxed pub with a garden with a tipi.

Carly said they were adamant that the date had to remain the same because they had spent some weeks getting the photographer they wanted.

Carly said: “The photographer we wanted was Carn Patrick and he could not do any other date for us, even next year because he is fully booked.

“Carn’s work is just phenomenal and really won us over. Little did we know what an amazing guy he is too. He really took the time to get to know us as a couple and when the whole wedding went to pot he was with us at every stage of planning the new wedding with encouragement and advice.

“Carn knew all the ins and outs of our wedding, he knew the guests by their first names and he couldn’t have made the day anymore special for us.”

Carly wore two dresses: ASOS and a customised Wed2B.

The Northern Echo: First danceFirst dance

The honeymoon to Bali had to be cancelled, however, the couple did manage a trip to their favourite country, Italy, for two weeks straight after the wedding – at that time Italy did not require quarantine measures on arrival back in the UK.

But the main challenge for the couple was the guest list. Carly said: “It was so hard to reduce our numbers for the ceremony, however, we filmed it and sent it to our family and friends who were unable to attend.

The Northern Echo: Carly and Jason got engaged in Rome in January 2019. Cary had no idea and Jason had taken the planning to the next level because he carefully watched the Colosseum’s live camera every day to see what time sunrise was, so the moment could be caught on cameraCarly and Jason got engaged in Rome in January 2019. Cary had no idea and Jason had taken the planning to the next level because he carefully watched the Colosseum’s live camera every day to see what time sunrise was, so the moment could be caught on camera

"We want to thank all our amazing friends and family who kept us going throughout the whole process. Their love and generosity really blew us away and we couldn’t have done it without them. We are so grateful to have such amazing people in our lives.”