It is not often England has a successful run in the World Cup, which is probably why so many loved-up couples didn’t think twice about booking their wedding smack bang in the middle of the football tournament.
But now that the national side has managed to secure a place in the quarter finals this weekend (July 7th), many brides and grooms around the country face the dilemma of having the heated game take place during their special day.
What you decide to do really depends on how much of a football supporter you, your partner and your guests are. But there are only really two options – be bold enough to ban the mention of ‘football’ from your wedding completely or embrace the event wholeheartedly and make it part of your day.
– Impose a football ban
Unless you’re a massive football fan, most brides were perhaps not too happy when England beat Columbia 4-3 in penalties on Tuesday night, knowing full well this would affect their wedding this weekend.
Those brides who have been planning their day for months or even years are well within their rights to be upset about the suggestion they should make changes to the schedule for their football friends.
Some couples are refusing to budge on their arrangements, and are going ahead with their original wedding day plans, whether their guests like it or not.
Diane Jarrett and Jonathan Webb is one such couple, who told ITV News “we got there first”, and therefore, will not be happy if their friends or family slip away to watch the match, which kicks off at 15:00.
It isn’t just the bride and groom who would be annoyed, as the Church of England (CofE) has warned wedding guests not to get distracted by the first England quarter final in 12 years.
Reverend Sandra Millar, head of ‘life events’ for CofE, told the Daily Telegraph: “For those attending a wedding service at 3pm, I’d strongly encourage you to make sure you are fully on-side with the happy couple and switch off your mobile phone in advance.”
– World Cup wedding
However, having one of the most long-awaited football fixtures on your wedding day doesn’t have to be disastrous. Perhaps the best way to deal with it is to embrace the opportunity and make the match part of your nuptials.
Even if you’re not a football fan, the chances are some – or lots – of your guests are, so by not showing the match, you run the risk of angering them, or even having many not turn up at all.
Those closest to you might adhere to your ‘football ban’, but it is unlikely all your guests will be so willing, and you’re bound to find groups of people huddled over mobile phones or walking out of the speeches to check the scores. While you may think you can distract their attention with your vows or the cutting of the cake, the truth is, having a total ban would just result in many guests watching the game on the sly.
So, why let them sneak off, avoid the wedding entirely, or be bitter about it for several months or years? Ask the venue, such as your wedding marquee in Surrey, to have a large screen TV to show the game, and once it is over, you can either distract their disappointment with your wedding day activities or join in the joyous celebrations if England manages to get through to the semi-finals.
After all, you want your wedding day to be remembered for the right reasons – and not because you didn’t let guests watch what could be one of England’s biggest games in football history.
