Cowplain couple’s ‘amazing’ wedding

‘The day was absolutely perfect,’ says Claire, nee Stewart, originally from Portsmouth.

Claire, 43, explains that her and Nick had been friends for years and their relationship simply ‘grew’. After dating for a couple of years, Nick got down on one knee at Claire’s surprise birthday party at her now-in-laws’ house in Waterlooville.

All of Claire’s friends and family were in on the secret and so it was a ‘massive shock’ when he proposed.

‘I didn’t know this at the time but Nick went up to London that day to get my engagement ring. Apparently I very nearly didn’t have one because something went wrong, but it was fine in the end.’

After her party, Claire was in hospital for three weeks undergoing surgery while also suffering from pneumonia. They were unable to plan the wedding until after she had recovered, but she said it was worth the wait.

Finally her wedding day arrived and Claire and Nick tied the knot surrounded by their children, family and friends.

‘There were so many good things about the day but my dad walking me down the aisle was a very special moment and seeing all our children dressed up was amazing,’ Claire recalls

But, of course, one of the most memorable parts of the day was seeing her husband waiting for her at the altar.

For their honeymoon, the happy couple embarked on a cruise to the Mediterranean for 10 days in the sun.

‘It was really relaxing and something very different. We did not know what to expect but it was out of this world,’ said Claire.

Nick is the company director of Timber Vision Ltd, a company which sells bespoke furniture, and Claire works as the secretary. The Lodges live in Cowplain with their four children.

When asked to describe her husband, Claire smiles and says: ‘He’s my best friend and is kind, funny, hard working – everything you could want.’

These great pictures are by Carla Mortimer Photography.