'How does Christmas Day sound?' Last minute wedding day changes for Emma and Jamie

It was a Christmas Day wedding like no other when bubbly bride Emma walked down the aisle of the ancient village church.

Because despite the pandemic, Emma, and her husband Jamie Edmondson, 41, held their nuptials after Trojan efforts by church minister Rev Aaron Moffat-Jackman and ensuring social distancing protocols.

Emma, 37, a community matron at Leesbrook GP surgery, lives in Diggle with her teacher husband and their four children, Luke, nine, Isaac, eight, Ted, six and two year-old Isabella.

Originally the couple planned to marry at Holy Trinity Church, Dobcross, on December 27. However, with growing speculation about further lockdowns after Boxing Day, they worried their special day would be cancelled.  

Emma took up the story: “I rang Rev Aaron on the morning of the 23rd asking what his thoughts were in bringing the wedding forward.

“I suggested the evening of Christmas Eve to Aaron. He said, leave it with him.  Later, he called saying ‘how does Christmas Day sound?’.

“I was in disbelief - we were  ecstatic. I  was working right up to and on Christmas Eve and never for one minute considered suggesting Christmas Day!

“Rev Aaron has gone above and beyond to help make the day happen. He is so kind and thoughtful and his relaxed and reassuring personae made the day magical.

“Everything just fell in to place perfectly,” she  declared.

Emma walked down the aisle with her father to recorded covers of a string quartet version of Elbows, ‘One day like This,’ and the ceremony ended with the string quartet version of Cold Play’s ‘Viva la Vida’.

The couple’s son Luke played Christmas carols while they signed the register and the couple were greeted on their arrival and later departure from the church by carols Dobcross Band, led by Seth Livingstone.

In addition, friends and family watched the wedding ceremony via a Zoom link from the church.

And Emma reserved special praise for Louise Bennett, a local mother of four who baked and decorated the cake despite the last minute change of date and photographer Danielle Boxall and Liv at Solo hairdressers.

“Jamie and I have been together about 16 years and we decided to married at Christmas time to end the year on a nice note given the difficult year it’s been,” she explained.

“It was a small, intimate wedding party with ourselves, the children and our parents, everyone has rallied around to make the 25th happen, nothing has been too much trouble for Reverend Aaron.”

Rev Aaron assistant curate for the Church of England in Saddleworth, said: “When I asked the couple why they decided to marry now, they explained  after the difficulty of 2020, they realised how precious and fragile life was and wanted to make a commitment to each other that had been many years in the waiting.

“It was my privilege to share in this joyous moment - on the day where Christians worldwide celebrate the loving presence of 'God with us' revealed in the coming of Christ.

“I had the pleasure of seeing that love up close and personal in the union of this beautiful couple and their family.”

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