Eastbourne bride kept apart from husband by visa red tape

[Terpe]

.....Norah Stewart, of New Langney Court, Eastbourne, met her husband, Mouhamed Moulahi, in Tunisia in May 2010 and the couple were married in a religious ceremony in January 2011...

Maybe I missed something here, but the 'new rules' were implemented in July 2012.
Why didn't they apply before then, just after their wedding.
Why wait all that time (18 months) before making the application