A happy ending to 2020 as Heacham couple rearrange wedding just in time ahead of Tier 4

A Heacham couple were able to rearrange their wedding plans in 24 hours to ensure they could finish 2020 on a high after the Tier 4 announcement threatened to rip up their special day.

Kimmi and Mark Fiander were originally due to get married in New York in September, but this was cancelled in May due to the pandemic.

After the Tier 2 announcement from December 2, the couple decided they would get married on New Year's Eve in Heacham.

Mrs Fiander said: "We thought it's been a terrible year, so let's end it on a high and do something special."

The couple, who both work at Howdens Joinery, were then horrified to hear the Tier 4 announcement on December 23, which meant they would no longer be able to have their wedding.

"Mark wasn't at all concerned, he thought we would be in Tier 2, and the worst it would be is Tier 3, and that no way would they jump us from Tier 2 to 4," Mrs Fiander said. "Boy was he wrong! I was in floods of tears, absolutely devastated that our wedding would now have to be cancelled again."

Fortunately for them, the Revd Veronica Wilson of Heacham Parish Church responded to the announcement promptly.

Mrs Fiander explained: "We pulled up in our drive and I thought, I'm going to ring Veronica to see what we can do. It just so happens she was already on it and was going to ring us to see if we could do tomorrow.

"We were like errrmmm yes! Definitely! It was then a massive rush of completing paperwork to get our marriage licence via Zoom call with Stuart Jones the registrar, as we didn't have time to complete our banns being read out at church for the last time."

The couple had originally booked a socially distanced meal with three separate families, as well as a room booked at the Rose and Crown in Snettisham.

The business moved the booking forward for the couple as the wedding began to take shape once again, albeit in rushed circumstances.

Julie Morters reached out to make Mrs Fiander a bouquet and her sister made them a surprise wedding cake.

"Everything was falling into place quite perfectly and we couldn't quite believe our luck," Mrs Fiander said.

"We had the best and most amazing day, and it was mainly all down to Veronica Wilson, our vicar for making this possible. We really couldn't be more grateful.

"So after a really horrible year, we have ended it on a high as husband and wife. Good always comes out of bad and we hope everyone gets their good in the new year 2021."