Couple’s wedding is put on hold by virus

Langholm bride and groom will have to wait to make their vows

HE venues were booked, the flowers ordered, the dress chosen and the guests invited.
Bride-to-be Tracy Little of Langholm and her husband-to-be Dean Mitchell were looking forward to tying the knot with family and friends around them.
But last Saturday there were no wedding bells or popping champagne corks to greet the newly-married couple.
Instead, Tracy and Dean, who live at Longwood with son, Sam, a P5/6 pupil at Canonbie, and two-year-old daughter, Iona, were in lockdown at home.
They were due to be married in Gilnockie Tower and have their reception in the Buccleuch Centre in Langholm.
Tracy, a self-employed accountant, is busy working for clients from home, while Dean, who works in the forestry industry, is an essential worker and continues to go out to work.
Tracy said: “We haven’t rearranged a date yet because we don’t know when we’ll be through this. There’s no point in rearranging; the venues can’t commit to a date.
“It took me a long time to get the wedding organised. I’m quite laid back but I was getting on with it. Then this happened. But we can ramp it all up again.”
Tracy had ordered her dress but did not get the chance to go for a fitting.
“The dressmaker had been holiday and was back but I got an inkling of what was happening and decided to hold fire so never went for a fitting.”
The crunch came when the Buccleuch Centre announced it was closing and told Tracy it could not host the reception.
She said: “It wasn’t a surprise; it was kind of what we were thinking.
“We wondered whether to just continue with the ceremony and hold the reception later but decided to just put the whole thing off. A few days later Gilnockie Tower was closed.”
A Canadian friend of Tracy’s was due to fly from Bermuda where she works.

Tracy said: “She is one of my best friends. She had already said, when it all started to worsen, she did not want to find herself over here and unable to return to her home and husband.
“Everyone has been very understanding. We used businesses, like Cochranes Nurseries for the flowers and Tracey at Castleview Catering for the
reception. They’ve been amazing.”
She added: “We’re holed up here and feeling very lucky. I’m doing some work at home which is one thing to be thankful for.
“A lot of clients are emailing stuff across but some clients can’t do everything by email.

“There is nothing desperately important but for the ones I have to do things for, I’ve arranged for them to drop off stuff here and leave it in the garage.
“If it’s urgent, like tax refunds, they’re desperate to get them done. People are posting things as well. We’re managing the best we can.
“Dean is still working. He was told his work was essential. He started travelling on his own rather than go in the van with the others and he’s in his own machine.
“He’s at Eskdalemuir at the moment, building roads and putting in infrastructure. I don’t think we appreciate how many hospitals use biomass for their energy supply.”