Couple Fran Halliday and Mark Wool were one of the very first in Leeds to tie the knot after the lifting of coronavirus restrictions on weddings.
Last weekend, following a two-year engagement and a whole load of uncertainty due to covid, the pair were over the moon to get the go-ahead for their dream wedding.
With their daughter, Mila, acting as a flower girl and their son, Dex, involved as a page boy and ring bearer, they were surrounded by all of their loved ones as Fran walked down the aisle on Saturday, 24 July at New Craven Hall.
We spoke to them ahead of their special day to ask what they were most looking forward to, following the relaxation of rules around social distancing and large gatherings.
"Even though we were looking forward to it so much anyway, for it to fall on the first weekend of no restrictions and it being the first opportunity for all our friends and family to be together for a party and let loose just adds a bit of something extra special," the pair told us when we chatted last week.
But they also confided that they had had some concerns in the lead up to their big day that things could potentially all change again, as is only natural following a year where everything's been turned on its head.
"The closer it's got, there has been an element of thought about it not happening but we had committed to it and knew that we’d get married regardless, even if it was a small ceremony followed by a big party next year instead," the pair told us.
"I was pretty confident it was going to go ahead but the additional four weeks of lifting restrictions certainly added a bit of extra suspense for us, nothing like cutting it fine, eh??!!" joked Mark light-heartedly
They might've been cutting it fine, but that also meant that they got to make history in having one of the first restriction-free weddings in Leeds pos-covid.
It was a momentous occasion for the pair, who first met whilst working together over in Headingley for hospitality group Arc Inspirations working in bars like Banyan, Manahatta, and BOX.
Following a proposal on Mother's Day in 2019, they had a two-year engagement in the lead-up to their wedding.
"We booked the venue in June 2020, and we were very fortunate as we were the first viewing after lockdown so managed to get a good weekend in July, said Mark.
"We’ve had a lot of friends that were rescheduling at the beginning of this year, some to next year and some pushed back further to 2023 but we committed to the date we set and hoped for the best."
That commitment clearly paid off, and on Saturday 24 July the couple was completely overjoyed to be able to celebrate together with all of their loved ones under one roof.
Asked what they were most looking forward to ahead of their special day, they told us laughingly: "Other than the obvious of the actual getting married part, the fillet steak we’re having for the wedding breakfast."
"But, honestly, for me," added Mark, "it’s a few things; having our kids there enjoy it with us and be a part of it would be one, another would be the amazing band, Rebel Sounds, that we’ve got throughout the day and lastly, just being able to get together with so many friends and family for the first time in so long, not worrying about what you can & cannot do just tees it up to be a really enjoyable day."
For couples like Mark and Fran for whom the return to normal weddings has been a long time coming, it looks set to be a gorgeous summer of love as partners across the city finally get their opportunity to gather with their loved ones and celebrate together.
Long may it last.
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Number 10 North is officially ‘open for business’ and here’s why it’s so important for Yorkshire
Number 10 North has officially 'opened for business' this week, and Andy Burnham has now explained his key reasons for launching it.
You may remember that earlier last month, Andy Burnham revealed he had intentions to create a Number 10 North if he was to become Prime Minister, with the new base expected to be a 'dominant driver of the UK's economy' once it was officially up and running... and now, fast forward to today, Number 10 North is officially 'open for business'.
Operating from Heron House in Manchester city centre, as previously reported on by The Manc, Number 10 North will be the Government’s new 'situation room for growth'.
It also brings the 'levers' of local economic growth and devolution together under one roof for the first time ever.
With the Prime Minister expected to work from Number 10 North each week, so that decisions about the country’s economic future will no longer exclusively be made in Westminster, and with other ministers also working from there on a regular basis, the Government says the move underlines its determination to 'do things differently'.
Number 10 North has officially 'opened for business' / Credit: gov.uk (via Wikimedia Commons)
Now that Number 10 North has officially opened, Andy Burnham has explained why this move is so important for Yorkshire and the north as a whole.
"For 40 years, power and resources have been sucked into the centre, and too many communities have felt forgotten, without the attention and investment they deserve," explained Andy Burnham.
"Number 10 North will change that by putting more power into every postcode across the entire country. It will be the situation room for making Britain better, the place we use to get power out of Westminster, into the hands of people at a local level, so that they can turn things around.
"The days of Whitehall resisting devolution are over, for good."
Featured Image - The Manc Group
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Pints of Knowledge, Callum Campbell’s fastest-growing event, is coming to Leeds city centre this summer
Clementine Hall
The pub night that's packing out venues across the UK is coming to Leeds.
Let us introduce you to Pints of Knowledge, a phenomenon founded by Callum Campbell that has built a social media following of more than 160,000 people.
This is different to your average night out, it's a chance to meet new people and spark interesting conversation all in the relaxing surroundings of a pub.
The event has attracted thousands to its unique mix of expert talks, conversation and community in pubs across the UK.
Image: Supplied
And if you're looking to get in on the action then you're in luck, because Pints of Knowledge is arriving at The Wardrobe on Sunday 9 August.
So, what can you expect? From landmark legal history and the hidden pressures behind big systems to the evolving language of gaslighting and radical cinema, Sunday's Leeds programme will demonstrate exactly why Pints of Knowledge has struck such a chord with audiences across the UK.
Founder Callum Campbell, who has spent more than a decade producing live events across Britain, said bringing the concept to Leeds was the natural next step - and we're so happy he thought so.
Image: Supplied
He said: "I've always wanted to bring Pints of Knowledge to more cities across England, and Leeds has such a strong appetite for ideas and conversation. Watching this grow has been amazing, and I can't wait to bring it here.
"As more people look for experiences beyond a traditional night out, Pints of Knowledge offers something different: expert speakers, thought-provoking conversations and the chance to meet new people, all in the relaxed surroundings of a pub.
"People still love going to the pub, but they're looking for more from the experience. Pints of Knowledge is about hearing incredible stories, asking questions, meeting interesting people and leaving having learned something new."
Image: Supplied
The Pints of Knowledge programme at The Wardrobe will look like this:
12pm - Human rights lawyer Mahnoor Omer presents '10 Legal Cases that Changed History'.
2pm - Georgina Shute asks 'Why billion-pound systems are built by people who can't finish their to-do lists'.
4pm - Isobel Logan explores 'Gaslighting: The Evolution of a Concept Across Art, Relationships and Politics'.
6pm - Angelos Koutsourakis will examine 'Third Cinema, The Global South & Climate Change'.
Campbell added: "One hour you can be unpacking landmark legal cases, the next you're hearing about the psychology behind gaslighting, before finishing the day exploring cinema and climate change. That's what makes Pints of Knowledge different.
"This is just the beginning. We've seen an incredible response across the UK, and we're excited to build on that by bringing Pints of Knowledge to more cities across the country.”
Pints of Knowledge takes place at The Wardrobe in Leeds on Sunday 9 August, and you can get your tickets here.
Georgina Pellant -
30th July 2021 
