Claire and Roger’s Real Wedding Story
Claire and Roger
How did you meet?
We met in the Specials doing a duty together. A friend passed on my phone number to Roger after he said he really fancied me. My reply was Roger who?
Describe the marriage proposal.
Well there were two actually. The first one was after we’d been going out for six months. He got down on one knee in the pub carpark on new years eve 1998 but I didn’t take him seriously – he’d been drinking!! And number two was on our first anniversary. He’d bought the ring and told his two children it was an anniversary ring. When he gave it to me his 10 year old daughter said ‘go on then Dad ask her to marry you!’ so he did! And I said yes.
How long did you spend preparing for the day and how was it?
we spent 14 months preparing and it was a nightmare. I couldn’t find the invitations I wanted so decided to make our own along with matching evening ones, order of service and table name cards. It was fun but hard work. Then mum and I made all the favours. They turned out beautiful too. I tried on about 80 dresses and bought a car instead – then went back to get the first dress I’d tried on! But the day went without a hitch at all. It was perfect
What type of wedding ceremony did you have and where?
We went for an church ceremony. Mums village church wouldn’t marry us, as Roger is divorced so we asked the vicar at our local church and he said yes but it is a very modern church and I wanted an old church. So we went to the next village from mums and asked the vicar there. After a long chat with him he said yes. So we got married at Saint Mary and All Saints in Bingham, Nottingham. It was beautiful and our officers did us proud with a surprise guard of
honour!
Where did you hold your reception and what was it like?
We had the reception at The Gateway Hotel in Nottingham. We were really lucky as it gets booked up two years in advance but we managed to get a cancellation. The Nuthall suite is a really big room and it looked fantastic all decorated in cream and gold. The meal was excellent (so they tell me … I hardly ate a thing!) My stepchildren (aged 11&13) stood up and gave a speech thanking me for making their dad so happy and said how proud they were to have me as their step-mum! There wasn’t a dry eye in the house!
Is there anything you’d change, with hindsight?
Not a thing. It was perfect!.
What advice would you give to couples currently planning their wedding?
Try and pause every now and again and take in what’s happening. The whole day is like a dream and it’s all over so fast. Most of all, ENJOY it. Even if you’re not usually emotional, take a hanky…I cried all day!
