Weddings around the world are being postponed and cancelled due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, but some couples are deciding to move forward with their big day on a much smaller scale. One couple in the UK opted for a virtual wedding, and were surprised to find their wedding band replaced by a very famous face: British popstar and
NHS supporter Ellie Goulding.British wedding planning company
For Better For Worse helped to organize the surprise for Hayley Pitman and Harvey Skelton. Pitman is a frontline worker for the UK’s National Health Services and For Better For Worse shared the surprise performance on their Instagram page. “Yesterday Ellie Goulding made a very special surprise appearance and performed a song in our online isolation wedding that we were holding for a couple that couldn’t be married due to the current crisis,” shared the organization. “NHS nurse Hayley and Harvey were due to be married on Saturday at @manorbythelake it broke our hearts and in light of what the NHS are currently doing for our country, we wanted to work together and raise money for the NHS Together Charities.”The newlyweds were joined by family and friends for the virtual wedding and guests ‘attended’ in their formal wedding wear. We really need more fascinators at North American weddings. The large group had a front row seat to Goulding’s performance, which the star filmed in her living room. Goulding sang her 2015 Grammy-nominated hit “Love Me Like You Do,” which was the song Pitman had planned on playing when
she walked down the aisle. Goulding ended her Zoom performance with a sweet shout-out to the couple, saying “Congratulations Harvey and Hayley, you are both heroes and we all love you.” Having your wedding cancelled stinks but getting a live performance by Ellie Goulding is a pretty great consolation prize.
Saturday’s virtual performance wasn’t Goulding’s first gig as a wedding singer. In 2011, the Brit Award winner performed at Prince William and Kate Middleton’s reception. Goulding
reportedly sang her own hit “Starry Eyed,” as well as several covers, including Stevie Wonder’s “Superstitious” and The Killers' “Mr. Brightside.” Goulding also performed Elton John’s “Your Song” in front of the musical icon, who was a guest at the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding.Goulding’s virtual performance is her latest effort to help support others during the COVID-19 outbreak. The singer joined forces with the charity organization Crisis in her native UK and her management team TaP Music to help distribute phones preloaded with £20 data to the local homeless population.“We’re all worried about coronavirus, but people who are homeless are particularly exposed to and threatened by the pandemic,”
Goulding said in a statement. “Over the last few weeks we have seen an unprecedented and phenomenal effort to rehouse people sleeping rough by the government, local authorities and homelessness charities, but I have remained very worried about how many people will still need support. I’ve been determined to help keep them connected.” Goulding also participated in Saturday’s One World: Together At Home charity special.
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