Third time lucky? Couple's plea after dream wedding day cancelled again

They've got the ring and the suit...but Rebecca Reeve and Lewis Hamber now just want to get married in Norfolk after their dream wedding abroad was cancelled. (Image: Archant)

Catton couple Rebecca Reeve, a personal assistant and partner Lewis Hamber, who works in recruitment, booked a luxury beach wedding day back in 2019.

But after the idyllic ceremony on the white sands in Paphos, Cyprus, with a stay in a five-star hotel in June 2020 was cancelled because of Covid it was rebooked to this May.

Yet, because of the quarantine rules, the couple worked out they would have to spend their wedding day in quarantine so they were forced to cancel the event booked at the King Evelthon Beach hotel and resort.

The bride may have her wedding ring but wants a day to celebrate it being put on her finger. (Image: Archant)

To date they say they've paid £4,921 to The Wedding Travel Company, based in Richmond, and heard nothing back from the firm.

The Wedding Travel Company is an accredited ABTA member and part of Travelbugz Limited. Its managing director Luke Nathan told this newspaper he would look into the matter personally for the couple.

"Some people get a full refund, some don't, some are getting a portion of their deposit," he said.

A dream wedding like this Sandals one on the beach in Cyprus was how Rebecca Reeve and Lewis Hamber imagined their big day. (Image: Sandals)

Luckily, the couple had June 26 provisionally booked for a blessing at their local church in Catton but have now changed this for a full wedding ceremony.

The couple had also booked the Rose and Crown pub in Frettenham, north of Norwich, for a party for friends and family unable to go to Cyprus. Now, they are changing this into becoming the main wedding reception venue.

They have also managed to book a double decker bus for guests but are finding other services difficult to secure because so many weddings have been postponed to the summer because of Covid.

The King Evelthon Beach hotel and resort in Cyprus, where the couple were booked to be married. (Image: The Wedding Travel Company)

So Ms Reeve posted her plea on Facebook and got more than 140 replies with suggestions.

"I have my dress, which I got two years ago," said Ms Reeve. "But I need someone to do hair and make-up, I need caterers to do canapes and street food and bridesmaid dresses because I was having just two in Cyprus and now seven in Norfolk.

"I also need a car for the bridesmaids and accommodation for our wedding night. We only have nine weeks to get everything sorted and so many people are booked up. It's very stressful.

"We don't want to postpone the wedding for a third time, we just want to be married and have our special day. Ideally, if Covid restrictions allow, we'd like 110 guests."