There’s a new phenomenon in the wedding world: commemorating the date of your postponed wedding day. This is one of many bittersweet movements to come from the COVID-19 pandemic and shows the unwaveringly positive and strong attitudes of couples throughout the UAE, who look on their original wedding date and what should have been with a smile instead of tears, and use it as a marker to celebrate what they do have — love and commitment to each other, which cannot be cancelled no matter what. From virtual Zoom parties with intended wedding guests to intimate candlelit dinners between the future bride and groom, there are many ways to commemorate the passing of your intended wedding day. Here, you can discover how our Diary of a Real Bride contributor, Dana Hajjaj, celebrated the passing of her intended wedding date.

It’s been a while since I journaled my wedding diary for Bride Club ME and I’ve missed it so much! Like many people, I’ve used this time to focus on myself, my family, and work.

For those of you who are familiar with my Diary of a Real Bride series, you might remember that my wedding was planned to happen on the 10th of July 2020, which unfortunately had to be postponed due to the pandemic.

While my husband and I may not have been able to celebrate our dream wedding with everyone that we love, we still decided to commemorate what should have been the happiest day of our lives with our loved ones.

To pay tribute to what should have been such a special day, we split our celebration into two parts: first a day with our family, and then a moment for just the two of us to cherish.

For the first part of the celebration, a small number of immediate family came to our home, where we enjoyed each other’s company and a spread of our favourite food. I decorated lightly, and we passed around sparklers for everyone to wave to make the mood more festive and fun.

The following day, my husband and I (we are legally married) went to one of our favourite restaurants in Abu Dhabi —  Coya, at the Four Seasons Hotel on Al Maryah Island. We knew we couldn’t go wrong with this restaurant as it offers the perfect setting and ambience with dim lighting and sublime food — exactly what we were looking for. We got to dine and talk to each other with a sparkling view of the city from the window right by us. It’s a great romantic spot, and it was perfect for this occasion.

Our ‘celebrations’ were, of course, bittersweet. After so much planning and excitement, being unable to enjoy our dream day was heartbreaking in itself. My thoughts also go out to my fellow brides-to-be, whose wedding dates have also been and gone, and the emotional rollercoaster they are on. I hope this period ends soon and wedding parties can happen again in the UAE!

Dana x X

From all of us at Bride Club ME, we wish Dana and her groom a happy future together and the wedding that they always wished for to happen in the very near future. Stay tuned on Bride Club ME and Instagram as we announce the latest news and the easing of restrictions as they happen… Fingers crossed we have happy news soon! In the meantime, find inspiration for your big day with our real weddings across the world, discover amazing bridal beauty tips and take a tour of this eco staycation in the UAE, perfect for honeymooners wanting to stay close to home.