Hayling Island is just as great as the Caribbean for a wedding​​​​ according to this couple

Originally, the couple planned their beach-themed wedding for April 2020 in the Caribbean but because of Covid-19, they had to postpone. However despite the change of plan and all the stress that came with it, they wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Married on December 3, 2020, at the Langstone Hotel, Hayling, the couple’s wedding was extra special as Martin’s grandmother, Pam Sturgess, attended the celebration.

Charlotte says: ‘Pam wasn’t going to come to the wedding abroad. But as we were getting married in this country, we thought we should do it at Hayling where a lot of Martin’s family lives.

‘She’s 84 but goes above and beyond for everyone.

‘We live in Bedford and my friends and family are there but we chose Hayling because it made it extra special to have Pam involved. As our abroad wedding was beach-themed we thought Hayling would fit perfectly.’

Charlotte, née Simpson, and Martin, 33, have been together for 15 years and started dating at school.

Charlotte, 30, says: ‘Martin proposed around five years ago and we decided to buy a house together before paying for our wedding.

‘We have grown up together.’

After the April wedding was cancelled, Charlotte booked the Hayling venue in September. But unbeknown to her, the month before her wedding would be spent in the UK’s second national lockdown.

‘We didn’t think it would go ahead because nothing was open,’ explains Charlotte.

‘I had my dress because of the planned April wedding but Martin didn’t have a suit. We had no decorations.

‘It was very stressful. I work as an adult social care worker so didn’t think it was right to take time off when people needed me. I worked in the day and would come home to organise the wedding in the evening.’

Despite all the trials and tribulations, the couple finally said ‘I do’ at the beginning of December.

‘We had 15 people at the wedding and a couple of our friends could dial in through Zoom which was great,’ explains Charlotte.

‘When you’re actually in the ceremony and saying I do, it feels surreal. I felt like we were finally here, saying I do and we were officially a team starting our own family.

‘The Langstone really pulled it out of the bag and Carla, our photographer, was amazing.’

Reminiscing about her wedding and still in newlywed bliss, Charlotte adds: ‘My favourite thing about Martin is he is loyal and has a great sense of humour. He gives 100 per cent to everything he does. We’re best friends and we have grown independently but as a team.’

‘My favourite thing about Charlotte is she puts everyone else before herself and she always does her best to make everyone around her feel happy,’ says Martin.

Pictures: Carla Mortimer Photography: carlamortimerweddingphotography.co.uk