Working in hospitality, let alone a high-stakes industry such as weddings, is commonly associated with burnout. Long hours and the added pressure of ensuring the smooth running of the best day of a couple's lives are not conducive to being well-rested, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed each morning.
Anna Winkworth from Thicket Priory has worked in the wedding industry for two decades and is here to debunk the myth that all jobs are stressful. After turning to her workplace for a sense of normality and support amid her breast cancer diagnosis, she knows better than anyone that they can be a source of great joy.
© Matthew LarawayShe told HELLO! she is trying to overhaul the outdated views of old-school hospitality. "I felt strongly about talking about the opposite effect this industry has had for me during the last 18 months because it has been such a big part of my resilience, support and recovery."
Take a look at her uplifting story…
Anna's cancer diagnosis
Anna began working at Thicket Priory in December 2018, and five years into her role she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Opening up about her "whirlwind" diagnosis, she said: "I found a lump on 14 May 2023, was checked at the doctors on 15 May 2023, followed by the full round of tests at the amazing Magnolia Clinic at York hospital on 30 May, which lead to my breast cancer diagnosis on 12 June 2023."
© Carla Whittingham PhotographyWhile some may choose to keep their health very private from their workplace, Anna immediately turned to her colleague and "wing woman" Becca for support throughout the tests – a testament to the bond they'd created.
"Becca was one of the first people I told about 'the lump' and she was a rock to me from that moment. She came to the Magnolia Clinic on 30 May when I had all the tests, and on that day we pretty much walked out knowing there was 'something nasty' there, but we didn’t know how nasty.
"She was by my side when I was faced with the scariest moment which was how do I tell my dad this news," she said, explaining that her mother died from breast cancer when she was just 20 years old.
Gushing about her supportive partner John and her other colleagues, whom she described as her "work family", she added: "On 12 June following the words, 'You’ve got stage 2 invasion breast cancer, you’ll need to have surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy', myself and John headed to Thicket Priory to see the team. Saying this was emotional is an understatement."
She took a "step back" from her hands-on role as she underwent treatment, which began on 11 July.
While Anna admitted she is normally the first to get stuck into her clients' weddings, she took on more of an office-based role in order to continue her involvement whilst protecting her health.
Working through treatment
© Carla Whittingham PhotographyAs a wedding planner and a General Manager, Anna's day can involve anything from processing financials, welcoming couples and their numerous wedding guests, preparing the ceremony space and all behind-the-scenes details, and coordinating future weddings – to name a few.
The exhaustive list had me wondering why she didn't want to take a break from work amid her cancer treatment. "I do not see what I do as work, I know it’s corny but the good old saying: 'Find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life' is so true for me.
"I would have gone crazy at home during my treatment not only physically but mentally, I needed to keep busy and distracted from the thoughts in my head.
© Carla Whittingham Photography"I cannot deny I didn’t know how it was going to 'look' and 'feel' to be working whilst having chemotherapy, but of all the places to call my workplace, Thicket Priory was the place I felt I could do this," she said, adding that her approach to work did change a little.
"Secondly, the advice from the hospital was to continue life as normal as I possibly could. I began to tweak my working hours to be more office-based, rather than in amongst the celebrations of the weddings, which broke my heart as I missed the buzz.
"Building a relationship with a couple from the moment they visit Thicket Priory for the first time, to being there on the day itself to celebrate with them means we not only become their trusted coordinator, but we become friends; to step back fully from being involved with their weddings was a no-go option for me."
Endless support
© Carla Whittingham PhotographyFriends and family tend to rally around a loved one going through a similar situation as Anna, but she couldn't help but praise her colleagues and clients' "overwhelming" support, too.
"It was so overwhelming the amount of messages, cards, flowers, emails, thoughtful gifts which were received following my diagnosis. I felt so lucky to have such close relationships with my work family, our suppliers and our couples.
"The team created me the most beautiful ‘care hamper’ filled with everything from warm socks, cancer-friendly beauty products, healthy snacks, vouchers for things like 'a clean of the house' or 'a movie night with the gals', colouring in books and of course a Jellycat!! I was blown away by their support."
© Bethany ImranTo help boost her confidence, Anna's boss and owner of the wedding venue Bruce offered to organise a wig, which was made partly out of Becca's hair.
Outside the office, couples Anna had worked with a decade ago also were sending their love. "If this doesn’t show you just how special the relationships are that we make in this industry I don’t know what does!" said Anna, who is trying to raise awareness of breast cancer via her Instagram account @annawinky.
Changing priorities
© Carla Whittingham PhotographyAnna confirmed she had a different perspective on work, but clarified it was "in a good way."
"I’m sure you’ve heard many people say that following such a life-changing event they will start to prioritise themselves, put number one first, and live life, and I agree with all of this, however, this doesn’t just impact how I live my life outside of work, it affects how I live my life at work and how we work as a team.
"I want to continue to improve the reputation of our industry, showing just how much you can get out of a career in hospitality and specifically the world of weddings."
© Carla Whittingham PhotographyShe admitted that during counselling, she was particularly concerned about how her health was impacting her work, which led to her re-evaluating her "workaholic" attitude.
"I felt guilty that during 'cancer counselling' I was talking about work, but that just showed me how important it was to me. I have always been told I work too much or I’m a workaholic, but I cannot help that I love what I do.
"The counsellor used words during a session that I had never had anyone say to me. She said, 'You have an addiction to work’. Processing this sentence was probably the biggest perspective change for me.
"It made me reassess my relationship with work, but only to make it more healthy. Allowing myself time to switch off, time to enjoy and time to just sit back and be proud of all the achievements I’ve had along the way."
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