Candlelit service in historic chapel

The beautiful setting of Rossall School chapel formed the backdrop for the marriage of Neil Gray and Cymoril Brough.

As a former pupil of Rossall, the bride was entitled to apply for a special marriage licence from the Archbishop of Canterbury for the service which was conducted by Rev Etienne Von Blerk.

It was a rocky ride to the altar though. The couple have battled with grief and ill health and for several years they were unable to set a wedding date.

And their misfortunes didn’t end there either. Cymoril was caught up in the Dan Kerr saga and lost her dream wedding dress and all the money she had paid for it. And on the day itself, the weather was so bad they couldn’t have any formal photos taken outside.

But thanks to a friend who travelled the length and bredth of the country to find another perfect gown, and a second chance at wedding photos the following week, their dream occassion finally turned out just as they had wished for.

The couple met online almost ten years ago. Cymoril was looking after her housebound grandmother and Neil had recently separated from his first wife.

Cymoril, 40, of Thornton said: “We met online almost ten year’s ago. I was looking after my housebound grandmother and Neil had recently separated from hi first wife.

“We spoke for many months. My grandmother passed away during this time so Neil and I took things slowly before talking about meeting up.

“We finally met in the October and things moved fast from there - Neil moved from Newcastle in with me in the November!

“On that first Christmas morning, Neil took me to my grandmother’s room.

“He put my left hand on the casket of her ashes and got down on one knee and asked me to marry him.

“He wanted her blessing and of course I said yes.

“Over the following year Neil became very ill and we couldn’t think or plan for a wedding but following major surgery three year’s ago we started to think - why are we waiting?

“We’ve just got to set a date and make it happen.

“Life throws hurdles at you but if its important, you just have to find a way.”

On the big day, Cymoril had a few surprises up her sleeve for her new husband.

Her first surprise was her entrance song - ‘Thousand Years by Christina Perri’.

The chapel was lit by candles and with her younger brother Matt, who gave her away, she made her entrance.

“His twin sister was helping me and the flower girls before the Reverend open the doors to the chapel,” said Cymoril “she (twin sister) looked at me with a tear in her eyes saying I looked like a princess and how she was so happy for me.

“I’ll never forget that moment with the twins.”

Second surprise for Neil, who is 49 and from Bedlington, Northumberland, was was a drone photograph after the ceremony and third was a letter that Cymoril read out from Peter Beardsley, having been in touch with his beloved Newcastle United Football Club.”

They held their wedding reception at North Shore Golf Club and are planning a trip to New York for their fifth wedding anniversary rather than a honeymoon.

“As Neil is disabled and I care for him, our income is very low.

“We worked hard making everything ourselves for out big day, more than two years of planning.

“So now we are saving for our special New York trip which has been Neil’s dream for many years to walk over Brooklyn Bridge.”