The funniest moment was when it came to exchanging rings; I struggled to slide the ring onto Paul’s finger and announced to everyone: ‘I can’t get it on over your arthritic finger!’ A 12-year age gap means lots of jokes about age! In the evening, we had a great DJ called Nick Chaplin, who kept everyone entertained. My bridesmaids chose dresses from Shades of White. My older sister, Amie, wore light pink, while my younger sister, Phoebe, wore light green. It became apparent very quickly that not one colour suited them both, so we went for different hues and slightly different styles, as Phoebe was eight months pregnant at the time! Walking down the aisle was a magical moment; I was in a room full of people, but I could only see Paul. Alfie, Paul’s son, had written a speech, but when it came to reading it, he got very emotional, so we waited until the evening. He still didn’t feel comfortable, so Paul read it for him; it was a beautiful moment of a proud father reading the honest words of a lovely boy, who has accepted me into his life and I have an incredible relationship with. I wore a beautiful opened-back dress by Sassi Holford from Bridal Reloved. I love shopping second-hand, partly for the deals, but also the environmental impact. I visited Bridal Reloved as I loved the idea of a dress that already had a past, and the store had so many different styles and designers. My dress was one I skipped over, but my younger sister insisted I tried it on. The Bridal Pixie altered the gown to ensure it fit me perfectly. I wore a veil by Lucy Can’t Dance, a bee necklace from Alex Monroe and earrings from my step-mum, Cathy, which were her late mothers. Paul wore his service-issued ceremony suit and a bee pin by Alex Monroe. 49 REAL WEDDINGS
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTA0NTE=