My Wedding Day

Hubby and I first met when I was 18 and he was 26. Our first date was going to the cinema to see “The Sound of Music”. The date was a bit of a disaster and I cannot eat Neapolitan ice cream to this day. We hardly spoke to each other the whole evening and he asked me when he could see me again and I made excuses and went to extremes trying to avoid him….which was hard as he only lived down the road.

A little while later one Saturday after I had come back from work my mum informed me …”That lad you went out with, then ignored has got married today…..that could have been you”

Nearly 2 years later I was standing at the bus stop waiting to go over and visit my grandad, hubby to become past and we started chatting…..I congratulated him on his marriage and was told “It didn’t last… it’s over”

Anyway… sometime later I was at the Senate Night club…(the place to be in Peterlee at the time)  with my mum and dad! When he asked me to dance….which I did….and on the way out he approached and said he had tickets for the Thursday night….would I like to go? which I did…I found out later they were freebies.

We started to go out…” courting” as it was called. Trips to Sunderland, trips to Newcastle, trips to Durham, going to the pubs in Peterlee and Old Shotton. Feelings grew and we got engaged after 3 months.

Hubby was still officially married….his ex tried to name me for adultery…….so we checked with his solicitor if she could…but because we hadn’t…she couldn’t. So we waited the time that the marriage had broken down to be divorced.

We knew that the divorce was going to be coming through so when it did he went to the registry office and organised to get married by special licence 3 days later. Because we knew that was what was happening…hubby and I chose the ring, I bought a burgundy/white dress and jacket, asked our friends Jeannie and Bob to be our witnesses. My mum organised food. And my Dad came to the registry office. Hubby’s mum was asked but chose not to as she had an appointment with her feet…..I cannot spell the proper name.

Our wedding day dawned 31 Jan 1973 and snow was on the ground…it was a Wednesday. I wanted something done to my hair which at the time was long and dark they asked me me to wash it the night before…..it was still damp….and I wanted it put up in “petals” with little white roses between the curls.

Was still stuck in the hairdressers when the taxi came with Ron to collect me and dad. A hectic run-around looking for each other…then a quick hurry to the registry office where a worried Jeanie and Bob were waiting.

We said our vows and returned home where my mum had put on a buffet. Still no sign of Ron’s mum. Jeannie and Bob had to get back to their children so Hubby and I along with my Mum and Dad decided to go the Senate for music and chicken/chips in the basket….and Hubby’s mum decided the that she would join the wedding party which she did…and then fell asleep in the corner of the alcove.

Time to go home…….so we walked…Our wedding night !!!!! My mum and dad and my mother in law…not for me a romantic weekend somewhere nice…but the offering of a cup of cocoa…to help me sleep…We are still together 47 years later.